Rethinking Accounting Education Webinar Takeaways

In our recent webinar, Rethinking Accounting Education, Erin Steinberger shared her journey of digitizing accounting education to better meet the needs of today’s students. Erin, a CPA, professor at Santa Monica College, and founder of StackerU, brought a wealth of insight into how educators can modernize their classrooms for engagement and real-world preparation. Here are the key takeaways from her session:

The Need for Change

During her work on career education redesign, Erin realized that traditional course content often failed to resonate with Gen Z learners, who are deeply influenced by short-form media and real-world applications. She piloted new modular course designs to increase engagement and retention, emphasizing the importance of student-centered learning.

"The reason I started digitizing was student-centered and driven by student need." – Erin Steinberger

Student-Led Innovation

Recognizing the entrepreneurial spirit of her students, many of whom operate online businesses on platforms like Etsy and Shopify, Erin created a custom accounting course to teach skills like cash flow management and budgeting. Her course empowers students to apply accounting principles to their own side hustles, bridging the gap between theory and practical application.

Challenges with Traditional Tools

While Erin successfully incorporated tools like QuickBooks, ADP, and Gusto to give her students hands-on experience, she faced a gap when it came to teaching foundational concepts like cash-flow budgeting. These concepts, often taught through Microsoft Excel assignments, required time-intensive manual grading that wasn’t scalable for her classroom.

Despite using multiple resources, Erin struggled to find a solution that automated grading while maintaining the flexibility to align with her course objectives. ExPrep bridged this gap, allowing Erin to streamline grading without compromising her teaching goals.

Why ExPrep?

Discovering ExPrep was a game-changer. Erin integrated its features to automate grading for assignments like cash budgeting and fiscal year planning. By using ExPrep, she could set clear parameters, scale assignments, and save time—all while focusing on innovative, real-world topics her students care about.

Example: Erin developed a Shopify-based cash budget assignment, where students manage finances for a print-on-demand store.

Tips for Educators

Educators can learn from Erin’s strategies to create more impactful learning experiences

• Leverage modular content: Customize assignments to fit evolving student interests and demands.
• Integrate real-world tools: Partner with platforms like QuickBooks and Excel for practical applications.
• Automate grading: Use tools like ExPrep to provide instant, actionable feedback without the burden of manual work.
• Focus on relevance: Develop assignments that resonate with students’ career goals, such as managing small businesses or side hustles.

The Future of Accounting Education

Erin’s work exemplifies how educators can adapt to the changing landscape of education. By digitizing content and leveraging the right tools, professors can better prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving world. Interested in learning more about digitizing your accounting courses with automated Excel assignments? Request a live demo here.