Who did I talk to? Prof. Jade Jansen CA(SA) Subject Head: Financial Accounting University of the Western Cape Why did I talk to him? As we walk the path of a very tough journey, we constantly ask ourselves whether we’ll make it to our goal, whether we’ve got what it takes and how this…
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Management Accounting is probably the subject in UNISA CTA that most students struggle with. Understanding why this is, can be the first step in figuring out how to approach it and get through it successfully. For those of you who know me, you know that Man Acc wasn’t my strong point in CTA. I sympathise…
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Students who are studying Accounting often battle to visualise exactly where their learning will be used in the ‘real world’. People who aren’t studying Accounting often have no idea what the Finance department does, and why they want certain information. There are also people who wonder about studying ‘accounting stuff’, but aren’t sure what they’d…
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we measure ourselves against everyone How often do we compare ourselves to others? In life, studies, career, earning potential, beauty, (yes ladies, this means clothing sizes too!), relationships… we have a tendency to compare our space in life with those around us as an evaluation of how ‘far’ we are in the ‘game of life’.…
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Background & Why this article is important I first wrote this article in mid-2014. It was going to be the first year that SAICA’s second Board Exam candidates would write the new APC exam instead of the old PPE exam. in 2013, I worked for a training company that wanted to develop an official APC…
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It’s nearly here. As much as you want it to be over, you have to go THROUGH it first! Auditing has never been a popular subject with students. To my eternal sadness, students don’t see the value of the skills and knowledge the way I do. I have to work so much harder when I…
DetailsIn my experience, Management Accounting is responsible for more nightmares and tears than any other part of a student’s qualification journey! For a lot of students, this is the killer. This is the hateful, painful, awful subject that threatens to be the monster that prevents them from qualifying. I imagine that there’s a lot of…
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A lot of people (mainly those that don’t study it, or haven’t worked in the fields!) don’t really understand the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant. I created an infographic to try explain it to non-students or people who don’t work in finance at all! It’s probably a little over-simplified, but if your family…
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So… Heritage Day is to celebrate your culture and the culture of those around you. You, however, have a different culture… the Student Culture. It’s represented by books and calculators, study schedules and calendars mark down the days, hours, until D-Day, and there are probably summaries and notes on your wall to remind you of…
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Distance-learning students (especially UNISA students) miss out on the types of discussions that normally take place in classes. They use these discussions to relate to other students and ‘measure’ themselves up against the group to gain comfort (or panic!) about their studying. How can we simulate that discussion? I lecture the online FAC1502 course for…
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Every semester, students face the dilemma of how to prepare for their exams in the limited time that they have available to them. The balance between theory and questions is a tough one, and is debated every semester! [expand title=”Why are exam courses so popular?”] One of the most popular solutions to the exam-preparation challenge…
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A quick visual look at ISA 240 – The auditor’s responsibility for Fraud in an audit of Financial Statements
These two modules seem to cause endless grief for a lot of students who need them to finish their degree; those who haven’t studied Accounting in High School or for a while since then and even those who are planning on taking Accounting as a major for their degree. Why should I make an effort?…
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It’s good to know where you fit into the current academic landscape. Knowing what the big picture of higher education looks like puts your position, achievements and future employment into perspective, and also highlights challenges faced by students around you. Employment statistics by education levels Looking at statistics published by Stats SA for the first Quarter…
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I’ve lectured for over eight years, most of that being in the face-to-face environment. Shifting from that to our online learning platform has been fascinating and challenging for me, and I’m loving it! I often get queries from people about the pro’s and con’s of this form of learning, so I thought it was time…
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Regardless of how last semester went, take a deep breath and appreciate that it’s over, even just for a little while. The second semester is coming… but for now, enjoy the respite! For most students, no semester goes as planned. The great study plans become “How am I going to get through all this?”; the…
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Think for a moment about the students around you if you’re in a class environment. If you’re working, think of your friends, colleagues, seniors or even your bosses. If I told you that you had to lead a team to finish an important project with five other people, for which you would take ultimate responsibility,…
DetailsA lot of students study procedures off-by-heart so they can remember all the tests they should perform for Machinery or other items. I’d prefer students to visualise what they’re auditing, so that they can generate and apply relevant procedures in exams without having to memorise them Below, I’ve added a link to a tool that…
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There has been a lot of noise in the news and in accounting / auditing student circles about the pending changes to the path to qualifying as a Registered Auditor with IRBA. This, (and an article that appears to have been written by someone who doesn’t understand the field!) has completely, and understandably, confused a lot…
DetailsThis is an infographic I created to simplify the new path to qualification as an RA. I’ve also written an article with more detail.
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As an Accounting student, the communication levels required in Auditing WAS NOT what you signed up for! Numbers, formulae, disclosures, calculations… that’s what this was all supposed to be about. Then Auditing sneaks up on you and laughs at your discomfort! This is especially frustrating for students who are not studying in their first language.…
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What do exams expect of you? Whether you’re writing Auditing for your degree, CTA, or ACCA (Audit and Assurance, F8 and P7), you need to be able to identify risks from a case study, and explain how they affect you as an auditor. It’s always applied. You’re not learning Risk in order to define it,…
DetailsHere’s some help to visualise the intentions of the Fundamental Principles of the Code of Professional Conduct… but might be a nice quick revision for third year and CTA 🙂 I’ve created this for our online course: AUE2601 Tabaldi Online Course
DetailsWhen students are studying the King III Code, they mostly study the functions and compositions off by heart. Here’s an explanation of why each requirement is in place for the compulsory committees.
We tend to think that by the time we finish studying or we qualify, we’ll know everything, be wise and have it all worked out. Truth is… it’s only the beginning! I learn everyday just how much I don’t know and gain insights and understanding all the time. So, here’s what I learnt last year,…
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A lot of UNISA students seek help with their studies. Thus, there is now a large supply of people and organisations who offer services to UNISA students. Question is… what is the right solution for you?! What are your options? Here are some different types of assistance available to you: Face-to-Face classes on a campus (Full-time;…
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A lot of students are unsure as to why the Companies Act is included in their Auditing studies. I’ve often heard them propose that it must be because it doesn’t really fit into any other subject, so it was just dumped into Auditing! This isn’t true, of course, but why is it so important then,…
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As you study and consider your future career, and wherever that may take you, take a few moments to consider your personal brand. Branding is hugely important. Companies spend an enormous amount of money on this on an annual basis. If they value it so much that they pay a fortune for it… could it…
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‘Think different’ is an oft-quoted phrase from Steve Jobs, who has been arguably one of modern societys’ most well-known entrepreneurs. ‘Think different’ was his response to people asking how he came up with such ground-breaking (more importantly… money-making) ideas and products! Whether you like Apple’s products or hate them, you can’t argue with their multi-billion…
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Your results are out! Now what?! Your academic year ends when your results are finally released, but that doesn’t mean your focus on your studies should stop completely! So what should you do / think about to mentally prepare for your next set of studies? How much time do you REALLY have for your Accounting…
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