Awaiting their fate, sophomore Lucrecia liverpool picks up a card as junior Nick Dalton watches Sept. 25 in Assistant Professor of Accounting Gary Ross' managerial accounting class. "We actually play the game after the students have learned some accounting so they have some practical application," said Ross, who had refined this project each year since the early 1990s. -Chelsea Roberson mr. monopolg Professor brings famous game into the classroom Tiny, finely polished metal pieces; thin, fake , mu lti-colored bills of money; 28 possible properties to own; a couple of "get out of jail free" cards; little green houses. These were the essential ingredients in a game of Monopoly, which had been around since the 1930s. The board game, based on acquiring properties and obtain ing wealth, gai ned popularity as a teaching tool for the accounting concepts that it encompassed in one classroom. Gary Ross, assistant professor ofaccounting, recognized me strengths ofme famous board game as a hands-on approach to applying real-li fe accounting problems. Ross first used Monopoly in his Accounting 206 class in the early 1990s after he read about the idea in an accounting publication. "I began using it at the beginning to help students review some concepts they should have learned in their first semester," Ross said. "As we study topics, we Stop for a day or two so they can incorporate the topics in their Monopol y projects." Students participating in the Monopoly project recorded all ofthe transac– tions they made in an ongoing game ofMonopoly throughout the semester. At the end of the semester, students presented a report describing the transac– tions, incorporating principles used in real-life accounting. Students responded wel l to Ross' innovative approach co teaching. "Mr. Ross uses Monopoly as a great teaching cool," junior Flor Cruz said. "I took both Accouming 205 and 206 with him, and for me, he is the best teacher I have had for accounting." Senior Lisa Dunyon, a former scudent of Ross', agreed. "I'm pretty sure that 1would not have been able to answer any accounting questions ifit weren't for the game," Dunyon said. "I know that I remember things a lot better when I can accuall y apply the information fo r myself." There were other long-term benefits of having scudenrs complete this project. Ross said by havi ng students keep accurate records of the various transactions that occurred during the game. the scudenrs were encouraged to use and learn Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and other similar software that would be used in the workplace. "Using [Monopoly] makes us realize how a real company might wo rk, and we apply everything we learn," C ruz said. "Many times theoretical con– cepts are difficult to understand, but when they are put into practice, like in Monopoly, the concepts were easier to grasp." This application of concepts from the classroom to the business world seemed to be working for students. "TypicaJ comments I have received are, ' Definitely keep doing Monopoly,'" Ross said. Ross was pleased that students had positive reactions to this interactive approach to learni ng. "Whenever people say they are taking accounting, 1always recommend Mr. Ros~," Dunyon said . "Playi ng games is better than listening to lectures any day. -Jordan Dyniewski
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