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Effect of Competency-Based Learning on Practical Accounting Skills among Accounting Education Students in Nigeria

Abstract

The changing demands of the accounting profession have increased the need for accounting education programmes that develop students' ability to demonstrate practical competencies rather than merely recall theoretical accounting knowledge. Competency-Based Learning (CBL) emphasizes the acquisition and demonstration of clearly defined knowledge, skills, and abilities through practical learning activities, performance tasks, continuous feedback, and competency-based assessment. In accounting education, this approach may enable students to practise and demonstrate skills such as bookkeeping, financial statement preparation, auditing, taxation, budgeting, financial analysis, accounting software use, and internal control evaluation. In Nigeria, the adoption of competency-based learning may help address the persistent gap between theoretical accounting instruction and the practical competencies required in professional workplaces. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of Competency-Based Learning on practical accounting skills among accounting education students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Competency-Based Education Theory, Experiential Learning Theory, and Mastery Learning Theory. Competency-Based Education Theory emphasizes clearly defined learning outcomes, measurable competencies, performance demonstration, and progression based on mastery. Experiential Learning Theory emphasizes learning through concrete experience, reflection, conceptualization, and active experimentation, providing a suitable framework for practical accounting activities. Mastery Learning Theory emphasizes that students can achieve specified learning outcomes when provided with appropriate instruction, sufficient learning time, practice, feedback, and opportunities for improvement. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how Competency-Based Learning may influence students' practical accounting skills. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental or analytical cross-sectional research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate accounting education students enrolled in selected public and private universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select geopolitical zones, states, universities, faculties or departments, levels of study, and eligible accounting education students. Competency-Based Learning will be assessed using indicators such as clearly defined competency outcomes, practical accounting tasks, performance-based learning activities, competency-based exercises, financial statement preparation, bookkeeping activities, auditing exercises, taxation tasks, budgeting activities, financial analysis, accounting software practice, accounting information systems, internal control activities, case studies, simulations, project-based learning, repeated practice, continuous assessment, formative feedback, individualized learning support, mastery checks, peer learning, practical demonstrations, and opportunities for students to correct and improve their performance. Students' practical accounting skills will be assessed using indicators such as transaction recording, bookkeeping, journal preparation, ledger posting, trial balance preparation, bank reconciliation, financial statement preparation, budgeting, cost analysis, taxation procedures, auditing procedures, financial analysis, internal control evaluation, accounting software use, digital accounting skills, error identification and correction, problem-solving, professional judgement, interpretation of financial information, and ability to apply accounting knowledge to realistic business situations. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized practical accounting skills tests, competency-based practical tasks, case studies, simulations, performance assessment rubrics, observation checklists, project reports, accounting software exercises, and pre-test and post-test assessments where a quasi-experimental design is adopted. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic and academic characteristics, learning experiences, competency exposure, and levels of practical accounting skills. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, paired and independent t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of Competency-Based Learning on students' practical accounting skills. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, practical accounting skill scores before and after exposure to Competency-Based Learning may be compared with those of a comparison group receiving conventional instruction to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that Competency-Based Learning has a significant positive effect on practical accounting skills among accounting education students in Nigeria. Students exposed to structured competency-based learning are expected to demonstrate stronger abilities to perform accounting tasks, prepare financial statements, record transactions, analyse financial information, use accounting technologies, identify errors, evaluate internal controls, and solve practical accounting problems than students exposed primarily to conventional lecture-based instruction. Clearly defined competency expectations may help students understand what they are expected to achieve, while repeated practice and formative feedback may enable them to identify weaknesses and improve their performance. Practical tasks, simulations, case studies, and accounting software activities may further strengthen students' ability to transfer theoretical knowledge to realistic accounting situations. The mastery-oriented nature of competency-based learning may also allow students to receive additional support and practise difficult skills until acceptable levels of competence are achieved. However, inadequate practical facilities, limited access to accounting technologies, large class sizes, insufficient lecturer training, limited instructional time, inadequate assessment resources, and inconsistent implementation of competency-based learning may reduce its effectiveness. The study therefore expects structured, practical, mastery-oriented, and well-supported Competency-Based Learning to contribute significantly to improved practical accounting skills among accounting education students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on Competency-Based Learning, practical accounting skills, accounting education, competency-based education, experiential learning, mastery learning, practical accounting competence, accounting pedagogy, professional preparation, and higher education in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the National Universities Commission, universities, accounting education departments, accounting educators, professional accounting bodies, accounting firms, employers, curriculum developers, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening practical accounting instruction. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating competency-based learning into accounting education programmes, developing clearly defined practical accounting competencies, increasing the use of performance-based learning activities, strengthening accounting practical laboratories, incorporating accounting software and digital technologies into learning, providing continuous formative feedback, training accounting educators in competency-based instructional methods, using standardized competency-based assessment rubrics, and creating sufficient opportunities for students to practise and demonstrate practical accounting skills before entering professional employment in Nigeria.

Keywords: Competency-Based Learning, practical accounting skills, accounting education students, competency-based education, experiential learning, mastery learning, practical accounting competence, accounting pedagogy, professional preparation, Nigerian universities, Nigeria.