The recording is available here.

Are you interested in learning how to make your classroom more inclusive? Join us for the launch of a new series of critical conversations on the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Accounting within the context of Europe and beyond. The EAA Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEIC), in conjunction with the EAA Education Committee (EC) and the American Accounting Association (AAA), is delighted to present this event on “Strategies to Create a more Inclusive Classroom”. This event will take place on Zoom, on September 20^th, 2024, at 1:30pm – 2:45pm CET.

In this webinar, the European Accounting Association (EAA) and the American Accounting Association (AAA) will come together to discuss the AAA Inclusive Classroom Series. This online learning series was designed to help educators learn about the impacts of inclusivity on student learning and provide strategies for creating more inclusive classrooms. This webinar will include presentations and reflections by each speaker, followed by an open discussion with input from webinar participants.

The learning objectives for this webinar are:

1. To learn about the Inclusive Classroom Series and hear from the experiences of those who have completed it.
2. To understand how to use the strategies presented in the Inclusive Classroom Series to create more inclusive classrooms and enhance student learning.
3. To critically reflect on the relevance of the Inclusive Classroom Series materials and their application to the European context, identify gaps in content, and discuss further needs in creating inclusive classrooms in Europe and beyond.

We hope you can join the conversation to explore ways to create more inclusive classrooms!

If you have any questions you would like to be discussed, please submit them using the registration link.

Bios:

Presenters: Karen Osterheld (AAA), Norma Montague (AAA) and Lisa Powell (EAA EC)

Karen Osterheld is the Senior Director of the Center for Advancing Accounting Education at the American Accounting Association (AAA). In this role, she is responsible for the identification, development and dissemination of best practices and innovations in accounting education across the academy. Prior to joining the AAA, Karen was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Accountancy at Bentley University and was a full-time member of the faculty for 31 years. During her tenure at Bentley, Karen primarily taught introductory and intermediate accounting. Karen was also responsible for the academic internship program for undergraduate and graduate students in the department.In 2003, Karen received the Joseph M. Cronin Award for Excellence in Academic Advising at Bentley. In 2008, she was nominated Faculty Member of the Year by the student body. She has also won two Bentley University Innovation in Teaching Awards and the Bentley University Service-Learning Award. Karen has chaired the AAA Conference on Teaching and Learning in Accounting and served as the President of the Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Section of the AAA.

Norma Ramirez Montague is the American Accounting Association (AAA) Director – Focusing on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). This position helps support and define the DEI strategy for the organization and further its DEI initiatives. Montague is a Senior Associate Dean of Academic Programs and an Associate Professor of Accounting at the Wake Forest University School of Business. Montague has devoted her life to educating the next generation of leaders. She joined the School of Business in 2010 as an assistant professor, and in 2018, she became the first woman and first Latina to lead the Master of Science in Management (MSM) program as Associate Dean before beginning her current role. In 2021, the PhD Project, an organization dedicated to increasing diversity in the business world by increasing the diversity of business school faculty, highlighted the exceptional work Montague has done to educate and support students throughout her career. She has taught financial accounting, managerial accounting, professional life skills and auditing courses in the School’s undergraduate and graduate programs.

Lisa Powell is an interdisciplinary educator and researcher at Monash Business School. Lisa has a PhD in Accounting and has completed further studies in Psychology and Education. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK. Lisa has been awarded the 2021 Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence, 2022 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence, and the AAUT 2023 Award for Teaching Excellence for her work in rewilding accounting education. Lisa develops innovative pedagogies based on ecopsychology, compassion, creativity and interdisciplinary aspects to foster in students the mindset needed in working towards sustainable futures. She has a particular interest in ecological and multispecies justice where her research incorporates posthumanist, ecofeminist, and queer theory perspectives to explore the role of accounting and accountability in social and environmental issues. Lisa has a passion for equity, diversity and inclusion, having been awarded the 2019 Vice-Chancellor’s Diversity and Inclusion Award and the 2020 Dean’s Commendation for Equity, Diversity and Social Inclusion Education Excellence.

Session Moderator: Ekaete Efretuei (EAA DEIC)

Ekaete Efretuei, PhD, SFHEA, Ekaete is a Senior Lecturer in Accounting at Liverpool John Moores University. She holds a PhD in Accounting and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Currently, she chairs the European Accounting Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEIC). Throughout her academic career, Ekaete has held several key educational roles, including Education Enhancement Lead, Accreditations Coordinator, and Degree Programme Director. She has also played an active role in advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in higher education, serving on the steering committees of the University Race Equality Network and the Women’s Academic Network. Ekaete’s international impact on diversity initiatives is further demonstrated through her research on inclusive accounting practices. Her expertise lies in analyzing financial narrative disclosures and enhancing accounting accessibility by applying linguistic theories and methods. This approach seeks to simplify financial disclosures and reduce linguistic marginalization in international financial reporting. She is a member of the American Accounting Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

AAA Inclusive Classroom Series Information The series of videos, hosted on the AAA’s new Learning Management System, begins with a 40-minute foundational module followed by nine specific topical modules of approximately 20 minutes each. Upon completion of the ten modules, participants earn a certificate of completion and a digital badge. The first ten modules of the inclusive classroom series are listed below and can be found at: https://eaa-online.org/arc/learning-on-dei-and-accounting/. All modules are free to AAA members and non-members, but registration is required. The modules can be completed in any order.

Foundational Module

• “A Pathway for Personal Growth for Faculty Committed to Creating Inclusive Classrooms” (Based on Bishop-Monroe, R., & Garcia, J.L.. Where Do I Start? A Pathway for Personal Growth for Faculty Committed to Creating Inclusive Classrooms. Issues in Accounting Education (2023).)

Education Modules

• “A Look Back and a Look Forward – discussing the historical perspective of the accounting profession, the current demographics, and identifying opportunities and needs for diversity in the classroom/profession” (Theresa Hammond, San Francisco State University)
• “LGBTQ+ Aspects of Classroom Inclusivity, Including Pronoun Usage” (Joanna Schwartz, Georgia College & State University)
• “How does Neurodiversity differ from Neurodivergence” (Jeanette Landin, Landmark College)

Action Modules

• “Inclusive Syllabi” (Joanna Schwartz, Georgia College & State University)
• “Leveraging Technology to Create an Equitable and Inclusive Learning Environment” (Markus Ahrens, St. Louis Community College and Cathy Scott, University of North Texas at Dallas
• “Addressing Subtle Bias in Classroom Dynamics” (Mateo Cruz, Bentley University)
• “The Use of Specific Technologies to Create an Equitable and Inclusive Learning Environment” (Markus Ahrens, St. Louis Community College and Cathy Scott, University of North Texas at Dallas)
• “The Tension Between Ableism and Academic Rigor in an Inclusive Classroom” (Jeanette Landin, Landmark College)*
• “Strategies to Work with Neurodiverse Students in the Classroom” (Cathy Scott, University of North Texas)