Optimizing the transitionary breakthrough for a sustainable future of accountancy education: The influence of blended learning experience to the Industry 4.0 readiness of graduating accountancy students

• Main Authors: Bilango, Ericka C., Gan, Kyle Justin H., Lim, Gillian Ira C., Ong, Grainne T.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2023
• Subjects: Accounting—Study and teaching; Blended learning; School-to-work transition; Industry 4.0; Accounting; Higher Education; Online and Distance Education
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etdb_acc/78; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etdb_acc/article/1120/viewcontent/Optimizing2_the_transitionary_breakthrough_for_a_sustainable_futur_Redacted.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

Over the past four years, students have undergone various learning delivery modalities that transformed the way they learn. Students' experience in these momentous transitions from traditional to online learning and now to blended learning can influence their competencies. Along with these transitionary learning breakthroughs, the expanding demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution call for an investigation into the students' Industry 4.0 readiness. The study utilized a Convergent Parallel Mixed-Methods Design, collecting data from 385 graduating accountancy students in the Philippines. An exhaustive data collection procedure was employed by utilizing a questionnaire for the survey and virtual meetings for the interview. The quantitative data were examined using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk test, multiple linear regression, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. On the other hand, thematic analysis was employed for the qualitative data. Data integration was then performed through the triangulation protocol and explanatory unidirectional framework. In the blended learning experience, students experienced good learning resources but lacked learner engagement and student support. In terms of Industry 4.0 readiness, students exhibited good technical skills and very good intellectual skills. Overall, the entire blended learning experience significantly influences Industry 4.0 Readiness. This paper presents the best practices and areas for development to optimize the blended learning environment for a sustainable future of accountancy education.