STUDENT-EDUCATOR INTERACTION Qureshi et al. (2021) assert that interacting with educators stimulates and improves students’ interest in collaborative learning. AIC3 educators launched the group assignment, and the students were taken through various aspects of the assignment. This places students in a better position to ask questions and seek clarity before engaging with the assignment. TEAMWORK Teamwork is counted among the powerful tools in collaborative learning (McKay & Sridharan, 2023). The students were grouped in teams of not more than five. Setting smaller groups allows the groups to be manageable. The lecturers did the group allocation on a random basis. This was uncomfortable to students initially, but students were encouraged that this is precisely how the workplace will be. Educators created a Microsoft Team for each group for their formal engagement. This is where students held their meetings to discuss the group assignment. Microsoft Teams is among the most effective online learning tools (Varachia et al., 2023). ALLOCATION OF TASKS Students were responsible for allocating tasks to each other and holding each other accountable. In this way, students can learn leadership skills and leverage each strength while realising their weaknesses and start working on them. RESEARCH Providing further information to research is critical to collaborative learning (Stanley & Marsden, 2013). The group report includes questions that should be answered by conducting further research. Groups should also provide references for the literature used when performing their work. This could result in the development of research skills. REVIEW PROCESS Students were required to review each other’s work before the group report was compiled, which was another area to learn from each other and minimise weaknesses relating to individual members. PARTICIPATION Challenges relating to group work, such as free riders and conflict, should not be overlooked (McKay & Sridharan, 2024). To respond to these challenges, students were required to document group members who did not participate fully in the group assignment and provide evidence to support their claim. The group awards members who did not fully participate a partial contribution, and those who did not participate are not awarded marks. WRITTEN REPORT Compiling the group report allows students to practice written communication through a written format. Written communication is critical to the audit profession (Seebeck & Kaya, 2023). DEADLINES The students were given a month to submit the group report. The amount of work included in the group report is managed by educators to enable students to complete the assignment within the stipulated time. The majority of the groups submitted the assignment within the set deadline. SUBMISSION OF THE GROUP REPORT The group assignment was submitted on Moodle, and Turnitin was used to detect a high similarity index. This way, students are encouraged to be ethical and acknowledge the sources used. Each member’s completion certificate of the online internship is attached at the end of the group report. CONCLUSION The paper reflected on the teaching pedagogies employed by AIC3 educators for auditing subjects in diploma qualification to make the module understandable and produce employability skills. A step-by-step guide was provided as to how the hybrid assignment was handled. This approach could be followed in different modules experiencing challenges similar to auditing. The hybrid assignment sets students apart by allowing students to learn individually and contribute to the group. Challenges relating to group work, such as free riders and conflict, should not be overlooked (McKay & Sridharan, 2024). To respond to these challenges, students were required to document group members who did not participate fully in the group assignment and provide evidence to support their claim. The group awards members who did not fully participate a partial contribution, and those who did not participate are not awarded marks. Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching Innovation Projects 2024 59
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