Teaching IFRS With "Cyber-Guest" Lecturers: A Survey and Strategies For Implementation

In 2010, 117 nations have adopted or permit the use of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). On February 24, 2010, the SEC reaffirmed its commitment toward a high quality global set of accounting standards. Firms nationwide are beginning to prepare for adoption and the AICPA has announced that IFRS will be tested on the CPA exam beginning in January, 2011. However, many U.S. business schools are still lagging in the teaching of the new standards and attribute their slow movement to the lack of educational materials. While several IFRS textbooks are beginning to appear on the U.S. market and several innovative curriculum developments are occurring, the teaching materials are still considered sparse. This paper examines an emerging and impressive source of supplementary IFRS teaching materials that included professional and institutional webcasts and online videos. The trend of internet users accessing online videos is displaying explosive growth and higher education is increasingly making use of this media. Currently available IFRS webcasts and videos are first surveued and then pedagogical strategies are suggested for implementation in teaching a variety of accounting courses. This technology-based media offers both professors and students alike numerous educational benefits and opportunities.