Teaching Blockchain to Accounting Students

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of these teaching notes is to provide an outline for offering blockchain related foundational knowledge to accounting students so they can evaluate and prepare for the effect of blockchain on the accounting profession. The approach is driven by the following principle: Given that accounting students do not want to become programmers or cryptographers, what is the essential blockchain knowledge that they need to know? Based on my own teaching and research experience, I propose and explain how I use a combination of storytelling and scaffolding approach to focus on the delivery of the following topics: (1) why study blockchain? (2) general foundational knowledge (i.e., element of complete transactions and double spending), (3) interactive exercises to explain technical knowledge on topics such as hashing and proof-of-work (mining), and (4) blockchain implementation in a supply chain setting.