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Effect of Accounting Portfolio Assessment on Practical Competence among Accounting Education Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Accounting portfolio assessment is an alternative assessment approach that enables students to demonstrate their accounting knowledge and practical abilities through a structured collection of completed academic and practical work over a period of time. Accounting education students require practical competence in recording transactions, preparing financial statements, analysing accounting information, solving accounting problems, using accounting technologies, communicating financial information, and applying accounting principles to realistic situations. However, conventional assessment practices may place greater emphasis on examinations and short-term performance, which may provide limited opportunities for students to demonstrate sustained application of accounting knowledge and development of practical competencies. Accounting Portfolio Assessment provides students with opportunities to compile, organize, review, and reflect on accounting tasks such as practical exercises, case analyses, financial statements, projects, computerized accounting activities, and other evidence of learning. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of accounting portfolio assessment on practical competence among accounting education students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Experiential Learning Theory, Constructivist Learning Theory, and Assessment for Learning Theory. Experiential Learning Theory emphasizes learning through concrete experience, reflective observation, conceptualization, and active experimentation, providing a suitable framework for students' engagement in practical portfolio activities. Constructivist Learning Theory emphasizes active participation, reflection, problem-solving, and the construction of knowledge through meaningful learning experiences. Assessment for Learning Theory emphasizes continuous assessment, timely feedback, self-reflection, and the use of assessment evidence to improve students' learning and competence. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how accounting portfolio assessment may influence students' practical accounting competence. 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. Accounting portfolio assessment will be assessed using indicators such as portfolio development, regular submission of accounting tasks, inclusion of journal and ledger exercises, financial statement preparation, financial statement analysis, auditing case analyses, taxation exercises, budgeting activities, computerized accounting tasks, accounting software applications, financial problem-solving activities, accounting projects, reflective learning statements, evidence of corrections and improvements, peer assessment, lecturer feedback, self-assessment, portfolio organization, progress documentation, and opportunities for revision and continuous improvement. Students' practical competence will be assessed using indicators such as transaction recording, journal and ledger preparation, trial balance preparation, financial statement preparation, bank reconciliation, financial statement analysis, budgeting, taxation computation, auditing procedures, error detection and correction, computerized accounting, accounting software operation, interpretation of financial information, problem-solving, analytical reasoning, professional judgement, communication, teamwork, accuracy, time management, and ability to apply accounting knowledge to unfamiliar professional situations. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, standardized practical accounting competence tests, portfolio assessment rubrics, students' accounting portfolios, practical accounting tasks, observation checklists, lecturer assessments, peer assessments, self-assessment records, 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, portfolio development experiences, assessment practices, and levels of practical competence. 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 accounting portfolio assessment on students' practical competence. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, practical competence scores before and after exposure to portfolio assessment may be compared with those of a comparison group assessed primarily through conventional examination methods 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 accounting portfolio assessment has a significant positive effect on practical competence among accounting education students in Nigeria. Students who regularly develop and maintain structured accounting portfolios are expected to demonstrate stronger abilities to apply accounting principles, prepare accounting records, analyse financial information, solve accounting problems, use accounting technologies, and perform practical accounting tasks than students assessed primarily through conventional examinations. Portfolio assessment may provide students with opportunities to demonstrate sustained learning and progressively improve their accounting performance through repeated practice, reflection, correction, and feedback. The inclusion of financial reporting exercises, auditing cases, taxation computations, budgeting tasks, financial analysis activities, and computerized accounting assignments may strengthen students' ability to integrate different accounting competencies. Reflective portfolio activities may also encourage students to identify weaknesses, evaluate their learning progress, and develop greater responsibility for their professional development. Lecturer and peer feedback may provide opportunities for students to correct errors and improve the quality of their accounting work over time. However, large class sizes, heavy lecturer workloads, inadequate portfolio assessment training, limited digital infrastructure, poor access to accounting software, difficulties in maintaining and assessing portfolios, and students' inconsistent participation may reduce the effectiveness of portfolio assessment. The study therefore expects well-structured, continuously monitored, feedback-oriented, and competency-based accounting portfolio assessment to contribute significantly to improved practical competence among accounting education students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on accounting portfolio assessment, practical accounting competence, accounting education, authentic assessment, alternative assessment, experiential learning, constructivist learning, assessment for learning, competency-based assessment, accounting pedagogy, 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 improving accounting assessment practices. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating portfolio assessment into accounting education programmes, developing standardized accounting portfolio guidelines and assessment rubrics, strengthening lecturer training in portfolio-based assessment, incorporating digital portfolios where appropriate, providing regular formative feedback, integrating practical accounting tasks into student portfolios, encouraging student reflection and self-assessment, incorporating peer assessment, monitoring students' progress continuously, and aligning accounting portfolio assessment with the practical competencies required for effective accounting practice in Nigeria.

Keywords: Accounting portfolio assessment, practical competence, accounting education students, portfolio assessment, authentic assessment, competency-based assessment, experiential learning, assessment for learning, practical accounting skills, accounting pedagogy, Nigerian universities, Nigeria.