Connecting With Social Media: Using Instagram in Introductory Accounting to Enhance Student Engagement and Performance

Abstract

This paper discusses ways to engage students in accounting outside of the classroom on a resource they’re already using, Instagram. Instagram can be used for a variety of activities, including practice questions to keep them thinking about accounting outside of class and interviews with professionals to share experiences with students that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to have in a classroom. By interviewing professionals and sharing their perspectives and experiences, insight and value are added to the course. After a semester of using Instagram in the introductory accounting course, survey data from students in the course stated they found it unique, engaging, and a fun way to interact with accounting and engage in the course material. Nearly 92 percent of the respondents involved in the Instagram activity agreed that it should continue to be used in the course.