Fifth graders are able to learn accounting as well as college students, says a study done by Ball State faculty.
Professors of accounting Gwen White and W.T. Wrege performed an experiment by giving 16 gifted-and-talented fifth-grade students from a local elementary school an overview of an introductory college course in accounting.
Fifth graders tested almost as well as college students at the end of the course, answering 13 of 15 questions correctly, on average, while collegians missed one question, White said.
The test included questions about assets, liabilities, owners' equity, net income, net loss and retained earnings.
Participants from Storer Elementary ranged in age from 10 to 12.
"I am very pleased that they performed as well as they did," White said. "This does not take away from the accomplishments of college students, but the curriculum was not a total give away."
White's interest in the study arose when she began teaching her daughter accounting in the fourth grade, she said.
"She grasped the concepts so well that it made me begin to wonder if other gifted students could do the same," she said.
Teaching students complex disciplines creates career awareness, White said.
"This was a good age to try this study because the kids had wonderful questions," White said. "They are interested in ideas and they are aware of money."
This was the second year White and Wrege initiated the study. The results were published in the Journal of Accounting Education after the first year.
The study expanded this year in that business law professor Howard Hammer and professor of risk management and insurance Stephen Avila came in to talk to students about other aspects of business.
Students displayed interest in business in general, White said.
Four graduate students, including Josh Sickler, from Ball State taught fifth graders in this year's study.
"I was surprised on how quick the students picked up on the concepts," Sickler said. "I didn't have high expectations at first."
The curriculum was modified for elementary students.
"We used simpler terminology and we had them use pencil and paper before taking them to the computers," Sickler said.
The students were given short lectures before moving into small groups to work.
"Of course we had to deal with some of the normal hyperactivity from fifth graders," Sickler said. "I think it was fun for everybody."
Fifth graders learned how to use computer programs such as Excel and PowerPoint.
At the end of the test, ungraded essay questions were administered asking students if they would like to learn more about accounting and business.
"This is a big change in the way people are learning accounting," Wrege said. "No one in grade school says they want to be an accountant."
Fourteen of the 16 students said they would like to learn more about accounting after the course, Wrege said.
"Students in elementary school have a broad capacity to learn a broad range of disciplines," Wrege said. "This opens up many doors."
White said students from Muncie Community Schools are getting a good education, and they would not be able to learn such concepts as accounting without their current curriculum.
"Kids that are bright should be given the opportunity to learn as much as they can because they are able to handle complex issues," White said.
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