Associate Professor Kim Watty

BBus (Vic), MAcc (RMIT), GradCert TT+L, PhD (RMIT)
Director Teaching & Learning Unit

Kim recently joined the TLU as Associate Professor and Director of the TLU in August, 2007. Prior to joining the TLU, Kim was the Director of Teaching Quality in the School of Accounting and Law at RMIT University

With a discipline background in accounting, she has a keen research interest in assessment design; quality in higher education; and an emerging interest in threshold concepts. Most recently, she completed a research project funded by the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education titled: Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Universities and an AVCC funded project titled: Enhancing the Professional Standing of Postgraduate Accounting Programs in Offshore Locations.

Current grants

Research

Enhancing Assessment Feedback Practices in Accounting Education: Issues, Obstacles and Reforms

Australian Learning and Teaching Council ($238,927)

This project which has the full support of CPA Australia and AFAANZ aims to achieve a discipline-wide improvement in feedback practices by:

• Specifying current practice in student feedback within accounting programs nationally.
• Identifying the various factors that have resulted in below sector average scores on CEQ for accounting in Australia in the area of student feedback.
• Identifying workable solutions to the present deficiencies in the area through engaging with accounting schools, AFAANZ as the peak academic body for the discipline and CPA Australia as the key stakeholder in the accounting profession.
• Raising awareness of and implementing workable solutions that will result in an improved student experience and systematic sectoral change.

To achieve these aims a four stage process will be undertaken. First a comprehensive literature review and focus groups with staff and students to scope out the current issues and identify obstacles to improved practice. Second, informed with these findings a comprehensive survey will be developed and administered to a broad range of students and staff and the survey responses analysed to obtain the major themes and recurring responses. Thirdly, a report will be produced detailing current practice and problems in assessment feedback and providing recommendations for improved practice in student feedback. A website and an implementation working party will be used to detail and implement the study findings and recommendations. Lastly, dissemination and adoption of the study findings will occur through presenting the findings at the AFAANZ conference, Heads of Accounting Schools meeting hosted by CPA Australia, a colloquium being convened and working with CPA Australia to integrate assessment feedback ‘best practice’ into the accreditation audit of university accounting programs.

Members of the team come from a diverse range of universities within Australia, and are a blend of accounting educators and teaching and learning staff representing an important alliance across institutional boundaries.

A/Prof Kim Watty, Professor Colin Ferguson, Professor Brendan O’Connell (James Cook University), Associate Dean T & L Audrey Milton (James Cook University), A/Prof Paul DeLange (RMIT University), A/Prof Bryan Howieson (University of Adelaide), Ben Jacobsen (James Cook University)

In conjunction with the following institutions:

• James Cook University
• RMIT University
• University of Adelaide
• CPA Australia
• AFAANZ

Contact: Associate Professor Kim Watty (The University of Melbourne)

The Accounting Professional of the Future: Never Mind the Quality Check the Look!

Using legitimacy theory this paper contrasts the values portrayed by public accounting firms via their recruitment practices and society’s expectations of the responsibilities of a professional accountant. It is argued that there is increasing incongruence between the value system of public accounting firms (that employ accounting graduates) and society’s value system that includes an expectation of accountants to act in the public interest.

This study draws on evidence from recent corporate collapses, to question whether the attributes/skills displayed by accountants have reduced their capacity to act in the public interest. Interviews with employers show that preferences for employment are given to graduates who ‘fit the culture’ of the organisation and have the ability to ‘market’ the firm to clients. Attributes that define the professional accountant appear to be less highly valued. It is concluded that the attributes valued in the workplace today have the potential to increase the risk of ‘severing the social contract’ between the accounting profession and society.

 Contact: Associate Professor Beverley Jackling (RMIT University)
Associate Professor Kim Watty(The University of Melbourne)

Multidisciplinary Learning and Assessment: Reflection on Practice

While designing assessment for student learning outcomes is always difficult, the task is made more challenging in an interdisciplinary context.  How much focus should be placed on assessment of discipline specific knowledge, how much on the interdisciplinary knowledge that emerges as students work together in a non linear, co-rational design, and how much on the group dynamic (generic capabilities) being developed?  While additional learning outcomes can be expected from the activities in which students engage in an interdisciplinary context, there is also an expectation, (particularly for disciplines such as accounting, engineering and architecture where courses are professionally accredited) that discipline specific learning outcomes are not compromised. This research considers assessment issues as they relate to the implementation of a pilot course designed as an experiential real-world of work challenge for student. 

Contacts: Associate Professor Sandra Jones (RMIT)
Associate Professor Kim Watty (The University of Melbourne)

How Do Academics Conceive Quality in Higher Education? A Comparative Study between Australia and Turkey

Using a questionnaire survey, this research will identify how quality is conceived and constructed by accounting academics in a Turkish University. The survey will illicit responses based on attitudes (what is currently occurring) and beliefs (what ought to be occurring). The theoretical model for this study is an adaptation of the model used to define quality in higher education by Harvey and Green (2003).

The results will be compared to a previous study by Watty (2006) of accounting academics from Australian universities.

Contacts: Associate Professor Kim Watty (The University of Melbourne)
Associate Professor Nurdan Kalayci (GU, Gazi Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Science)

Publications

Journal Articles

Watty, K., Bellamy, S., and Morley, C. Changes in Higher Education and Valuing the Job: The Views of Accounting Academics in Australia, (2008), Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management (JHEPM).

Watty, K. (2007), Quality in Accounting Education and Low English Standards Among Overseas Students: Is There a Link?, People and Place,Centre for Population and Urban Research, Monash University, Australia, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 22-29

Watty, K. (2006), Want to Know About Quality in HE? Ask an Academic, Quality in Higher Education, Carfax Publishing, UK, Vol 12, No. 3, November, pp. 291-301.

Magdziarz,  S., Watty, K., Hilliar, K., Ji, S., and Simpson, M., (2006), Reflecting on the A Student-Centred Evaluation of Assessment Practice: The Reflections of Academics Who Have Entered a ‘New’ Educational Experience. Asian Review of Accounting, Vol. 14, No.1/2, pp. 24-36

Watty, K., Magdziarz,  S., Hilliar, K., Ji, S., and Simpson, M. Reflecting on the Mentoring Process with Academics Entering a ‘New’ Educational Experience’, Asian Review of Accounting, Vol. 14, No. 1/2, pp. 37-48

Watty, K., (2006), Addressing the Basics: Academics’ views of the Purpose of Higher Education, The Australian Educational Researcher, Vol. 33, No.1,July, pp. 23-39

Watty, K. (2005), Quality in Accounting Education: What Say the Academics?,  Quality Assurance in Education, 13 (2), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp.120-131

Watty, K. (2003), ‘When Will Academics Learn About Quality’, Quality in Higher Education, Carfax Publishing, UK, Vol 9, No. 3, November, pp. 213-221.

Bellamy, S., Morley, C. and Watty, K., (2003) ‘Why Business Academics Remain in Australian Universities Despite Deteriorating Working Conditions and Reduced Job Satisfaction: An Intellectual Puzzle, Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management (JHEPM), Vol 25, No. 1 >

Watty, K., Cahill, D. and Cooper, B., (1998) ‘Graduate Attributes: Perceptions of Accounting Academics’, Asian Review of Accounting, Special Edition Education Issue, Vol 6, No. 1. pp. 68-83.

Watty, K and Carlson, P. (1998), ‘Demand for International Accounting Standards: A Customer Quality Perspective’, Advances in International Accounting, Vol. 11, pp.133-154

Published Reports

Jackson, M., Watty, K. Yu, L. and Lowe, L., (2006) Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Universities. Prepared for The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Ltd.

Jackson, M., Watty, K. Yu, L. and Lowe, L., (2006) Inclusive Assessment: Improving Learning for All. Prepared for The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Ltd.

Conference Publications

Fallshaw, E., Watty, K., Jackson, M., and Yu, X., (2007), Enhancing Professional Standing of MPA Programs Delivered in Asia, Published Conference Proceedings, Academic Business World International Conference, Nashville, Tennessee

Richardson , J. and Watty, K. (2006), Using a Systems Approach to Promote the Value of Teaching and Learning Leadership at the School Level, Published Conference Proceedings, ATN WexDev (Women’s Executive Development) Conference, Change in Climate? Prospects for Gender equity in Universities, Adelaide, Australia

Watty, K., (2005), Academic Accountants’ Views of Quality in Accounting Education: Beliefs and Attitudes, 2005 AFAANZ Conference Proceedings, Melbourne, July, 2005. (ISBN 0-9756976-1-7)

Watty, K. (2005), Declining Quality in Accounting Education: The Views of academic Accountants, International Conference on Innovation in Accounting Teaching and Learning, UTAS, School of Accounting and Law, 6-8 February.

Professional Non-Refereed Journals

Watty, K. (2003), ‘Adding A Fifth Dimension: Moving Triple bottom Line Reporting and Accountability to Centre Stage, National Accountant, pp. 18-20, Feb/Mar

Watty K. (2001), The Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA): Assuring Quality in Higher Education, Public Sector Bulletin, November, Vol. 7.

Watty K. (2001), Getting in on the Act, (Designing the BSC in School of Accounting and Law) Australian CPA June, pp. 44-45

Watty K. (2001), Managing for Improved Performance: The Potential of the Balanced Scorecard, Public Sector Bulletin, April, Vol. 5.

Media

2007 Radio 3RPH, Talking Point: English Support for International Students, 12 February, 30 minute interview with Marjorie West.

2007 Australian Financial Review, Money talks, but not always fluently, Comments included in article written by Geoff Maslen.

2005 The Australian:  Higher Education Supplement 16/11/05. Exams give business simulation real results, Expert opinion sought by Brendan O’Keefe reporting on the international development of business simulation games.

2005 The Australian Financial Review 29/11/05, Accounting courses slip, Reported by Sophie Morris as a result of RMIT media release outlining PhD findings.

2003 Campus Review Vol. 13, No. 7 July 16-22, 2003, Overworked and alienated academics hang in, Geoff Maslen reporting on the conclusions of the paper:  Bellamy, S., Morley, C. and Watty, K., (2003) ‘Why Business Academics Remain in Australian Universities Despite Deteriorating Working Conditions and Reduced Job Satisfaction: An Intellectual Puzzle, Journal of Higher Education Policy & Management (JHEPM), Vol 25, No. 1

Conference Papers and Presentations - Non-Refereed (2005 - Current)

Watty, K. Inclusive Assessment: Improving Learning for All, Workshop presentation, Innovation in Accounting and Corporate Governance Education, 2007, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania

Watty, K. and Yu, L., Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Higher Education, European Association for Research into Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Excellence in Assessment, 2006, August, Redworth, County Durham, UK.

Watty, K., Quality in Accounting Education: Who is Charting the Course?, AFAANZ Annual Conference, 2006, July, Wellington, New Zealand.

Watty, K. and Yu, L., Culture as a Dimension of Students’ Orientations to Learning: Analysis of its Interaction with the Learning Context, AFAANZ Conference, Accounting Education SIG Symposium, Poster Presentation, 2006, July, Wellington, New Zealand.

Watty K. and Mitrione, L., Assessing Students Unfamiliar with Assessment Practices in Australian Higher Education, Accounting Educators’ Forum, CPA Australia, Sydney, 2005.

Watty, K. (2005) Student-centred learning: What does it mean and are we really interested in the views of students? Special Interest Group – Teaching and Learning Seminar of AFAANZ (Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand).

Hilliar, K., Ji, S., Magdziarz, S., Simpson, M. and Watty, K.,  A Student-centred Evaluation of Assessment Practice: The Reflections of Academics Entering a ‘New’ Educational Experience, Special Interest Group – Teaching and Learning Seminar of AFAANZ (Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand), 2005.