Spreadsheet-Based Modeling for Teaching Finance and Accounting Courses

The teaching of the quantitative aspects in accounting and finance poses inherent challenges and even if students have such quantitative skills, they often find it hard to really grasp the meaning of such theories or concepts. This paper advocates embedding the teaching of these concepts into spreadsheet and computer modeling exercises. The approach is motivated by the author's experience of teaching dedicated spreadsheet-based modeling courses in finance whose structure and content is documented with this article. These courses put modeling into the centre while students acquire truly applicable concepts in finance and accounting almost automatically along the way. This practical "hands-on" method does not only provide a means of enhancing understanding and retention but it is also bound to improve employability of students as they become more adept in their use of analysis tools widely used in today's work environment