Offering a ‘Menu’ of Software and Case Study Options for the Group Project for Students Enrolled in the Introductory AIS Course: An Experimental Application Study

Students enrolled in the introductory AIS course have various goals and objectives of what their future roles may be in the accounting profession after graduation; others may not at the time they take the introductory AIS course. With this in mind, this study tests whether offering students a 'menu' of options for the Group Project requirement portion of the AIS course is of value to students taking this course over two semesters during one school year at one State University. The menu of options for the Group Project include the choice of one of two software projects (QuickBooks or Microsoft Dynamics), or one of two intricate case studies from a major accounting academic journal (Information Technology General Controls or XBRL) or a case study from the teaching support section of a major CPA firm (Financial Statement Risk Assessment Following the COSO Framework). Surveys are administered to all students before and after performing their chosen Group Project to determine both the student's learning experience and satisfaction with this 'Menu' approach to the Group Project. In general, the 'menu' approach to a case study option in the introductory AIS class appears to be relevant and of value to students taking this course, and potentially provides students with practical experience which the student can use to their benefit in the future in various ways. The study also documents how to use a learning management system to effectively and efficiently manage the implementation of such a 'menu' Group Project approach and the time required of the instructor to grade the Group Project submissions, including grading guidelines.