Outcomes assessment in accounting education

Outcomes assessment of learning, an important component of educational programmes, involves a systematic review of educational outcomes, aimed at evaluating and improving students' learning, development, and progression through an academic programme. It includes comparing students' learning with the intended learning outcomes or goals of an academic programme or curricular block of an academic programme. Once an occasional exercise performed in anticipation of accreditation or reaccreditation, assessment is now a continuous process that is intended to spread throughout an institution and elicit improvements over time (Rajkumar et al., 2011). This chapter will provide an overview of outcomes assessment, including giving guidance for developing learning objectives and introducing the reader to assessment techniques.