The role of work-integrated learning in student preferences of instructional methods in an accounting curriculum

The role of work-integrated learning in student preferences of instructional methods is largely unexplored across the accounting curriculum. This study conducted six experiments to explore student preferences of instructional methods for learning, in six courses of the accounting curriculum that differed in algorithmic rigor, in the context of a high power distance society, Sri Lanka. Two hundred and ninety-seven accounting students attending a major Sri Lankan university took part in the study. For six courses in the curriculum, the study investigated students’ preferences of traditional, interactive, and case-study-based group instructional methods. All students least preferred the traditional instructional method across all courses. All students most preferred the interactive instructional method for high algorithmic courses. However, work integrated learning students most preferred instructional methods that differ from other students for lower algorithmic courses. The implications are outlined for an algorithmic pedagogy such as an accounting curriculum.