Nicola joined the Department of Accountancy and Finance at the University of Otago in 2010. Since that time she has had several teaching accolades, including being named in the Otago University Student Association (OUSA) awards (student voted) as the 'Premier Lecturer, Commerce Division' in 2017, the OUSA 'Overall Premier Lecturer' in 2018, and the '2019 University of Otago Award for Excellence in Teaching'. In addition to her department role, Nicola is a 'Research Leader' for the Office of Student Success.
Nicola has a passion for accounting education and she is student focused, both in teaching and research activities. Her areas of research expertise are 'Accounting Education', 'Self-efficacy Beliefs', Student Engagement and Motivation', 'Teaching and Learning, and 'Non-cognitive Learning Variables'. She is seeking PhD candidates for a number of projects all based in these broad research areas. Nicola's enthusiasm for her research saw her win the PhD Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in 2017, after winning the same competition for Masters students in 2015.
Nicola enjoys several service roles within the department including as a course approver and advisor, a member of the AKO teaching and learning committee, being the tutor coordinator for the department, and as the Kaiāwhina Māori in Accounting and Finance.
In 2017, Nicola was appointed a College Fellow for Cumberland College, one of Otago's residential colleges. College Fellows have the special purpose of relating with residents to facilitate and expand College residents' network within and beyond the University. Visit the Cumberland College website.
Nicola is an active member of the Accounting Education community, shown by her committee membership on the Accounting Education, Special Interest Group, for Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ). She has editorial roles on Accounting Education, Journal of Accounting Education, and Heliyon.
Publications
Beatson, N., de Lange, P., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B., Smith, J., Scott, S., & Greatbanks, R. (2023). An examination of self-efficacy and sense of belonging on accounting student achievement. Accounting & Finance, 13160. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1111/acfi.13160
Journal - Research Article
Sithole, S. T. M., Ran, G., de Lange, P., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B., & Beatson, N. (2023). Data mining: Will first-year results predict the likelihood of completing subsequent units in accounting programs? Accounting Education, 32(4), 409-444. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2022.2075707
Journal - Research Article
de Lange, P., O'Connell, B. T., Tharapos, M., Beatson, N., & Oosthuizen, H. (2023). Accounting graduate employability: Employer perspectives on skills and attributes of international graduates. Accounting Education, 32(3), 249-277. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2022.2059383
Journal - Research Article
Luong, H., Man, Y., Botafogo, F., & Beatson, N. (2022). Sense of belonging during a global pandemic: A case of accounting students. Accounting Education, 31(6), 652-666. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2022.2134732
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., Oates, G., Patel, S., & White, A. (2022, July). First year accounting, how to enthuse and engage students with a fresh approach. Verbal presentation at the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia & New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference, [Hybrid].
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N. J., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B. T., de Lange, P., Carr, S., & Copeland, S. (2022). The gradual retreat from academic citizenship. Higher Education Quarterly, 76, 715-725. doi: 10.1111/hequ.12341
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N. J., de Lange, P., & Oosthuizen, H. (2021). A question of balance: Study-work–life, perspectives from accounting students. Pacific Accounting Review, 33(3), 257-273. doi: 10.1108/PAR-09-2020-0137
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., de Lange, P., O'Connell, B., Tharapos, M., & Smith, J. K. (2021). Factors impacting on accounting academics' motivation and capacity to adapt in challenging times. Accounting Research Journal, 34(2), 184-195. doi: 10.1108/arj-08-2020-0240
Journal - Research Article
Oosthuizen, H., De Lange, P., Wilmshurst, T., & Beatson, N. (2021). Leadership-in-teams, ready, willing and able: Perspectives of international accounting students. Meditari Accountancy Research, 29(1), 161-182. doi: 10.1108/medar-05-2019-0499
Journal - Research Article
Oosthuizen, H., De Lange, P., Wilmshurst, T., & Beatson, N. (2021). Teamwork in the accounting curriculum: Stakeholder expectations, accounting students’ value proposition, and instructors’ guidance. Accounting Education, 30(2), 131-158. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2020.1858321
Journal - Research Article
Venkatraman, I., & Beatson, N. (2021). Story of a local community response to International Students' needs during COVID-19 induced lockdown. Proceedings of the Coronavirus and its Impacts on International Students Conference. Retrieved from https://impactinternationalstudentscorona.wordpress.com/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Beatson, N., & Smith, J. (2021, July). Sources of self-efficacy beliefs in learning accounting: Does gender matter. Verbal presentation at the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference, [Online].
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N., Delange, P., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B., Smith, J., Scott, S., & Greatbanks, R. (2021, July). Do self-efficacy beliefs and a sense of belonging influence the ability to learn accounting? Verbal presentation at the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference, [Online].
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B., de Lange, P., Carr, S., & Copeland, S. (2021, July). Low response, no response: The gradual retreat from academic citizenship. Verbal presentation at the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference, [Online].
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N. J., Berg, D. A. G., & Smith, J. K. (2020). The influence of self‐efficacy beliefs and prior learning on performance. Accounting & Finance, 60, 1271-1294. doi: 10.1111/acfi.12440
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., Berg, D., & Smith, J. K. (2020). Facing failure. Accounting Research Journal, 33(2), 287-306. doi: 10.1108/ARJ-10-2018-0164
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., Gabriel, C.-A., Howell, A., Scott, S., van der Meer, J., & Wood, L. C. (2020). Just opt in: How choosing to engage with technology impacts business students’ academic performance. Journal of Accounting Education, 50(100641). doi: 10.1016/j.jaccedu.2019.100641
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., & Smith, J. (2020). Do self-efficacy beliefs and a sense of belonging influence the ability to learn accounting? Proceedings of the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference. Retrieved from http://www.afaanzconference.com
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Beatson, N. J., Berg, D. A. G., & Smith, J. K. (2019). The Sheldon effect: Fixed mindset does not always mean fragile confidence. Accounting Education, 28(5), 532-552. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2019.1661858
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N. J., Berg, D. A. G., Smith, J. K., & Smith-Han, C. (2019). Progression to intermediate level courses; Is a “pass” enough? Pacific Accounting Review, 31(2), 275-287. doi: 10.1108/PAR-03-2018-0025
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N. J., Berg, D. A. G., & Smith, J. K. (2019). Where does confidence come from? A study of the sources of self-efficacy beliefs in accounting education. Proceedings of the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Annual Conference. Retrieved from http://www.afaanzconference.com
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Rogers, T., Wass, R., Berg, D., Brown, K., Smith-Han, K., Beatson, N., & Tagg, J. (2019). Enhancing PASS through structured metacognitive awareness training. Proceedings of the Australasian PASS and Peer Learning Conference: Excellence and Innovation: The Future of Peer Learning. (pp. 10). Retrieved from https://www.uow.edu.au/engage/pass-centre/conference
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Beatson, N. J., Berg, D. A. G., & Smith, J. K. (2018). The impact of mastery feedback on undergraduate students’ self-efficacy beliefs. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 59, 58-66. doi: 10.1016/j.stueduc.2018.03.002
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., Berg, D. A. G., & Smith, J. K. (2018). Facing failure: Insights and reflections from six students repeating a first-year accounting course. Proceedings of the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference. Retrieved from https://www.afaanz.org/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Beatson, N. (2018, June). Networking and collaboration. Verbal presentation at the SERGE Symposium 2018, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N., & Carr, S. (2018, June). Student engagement research: What next? Verbal presentation at the SERGE Symposium 2018, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N., Howell, A., van der Meer, J., Gabriel, C.-A., & Wood, L. (2018, June). Benefits of mobile apps to improve first-year student engagement. Verbal presentation at the SERGE Symposium 2018, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Graham, A., Toon, I., Wynn-Williams, K., & Beatson, N. (2017). Using 'nudges' to encourage student engagement: An exploratory study from the UK and New Zealand. International Journal of Management Education, 15(2, Part A), 36-46. doi: 10.1016/j.ijme.2017.04.003
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N., Berg, D., & Smith, J. (2017). Confidence matters: Self-efficacy beliefs in accounting education. Proceedings of the Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Conference. Retrieved from https://www.afaanz.org/conferences
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Full paper
Beatson, N., & Carr, S. (2017). The barriers to using tools and techniques for transformational teaching. Proceedings of the Talking Teaching Conference. Retrieved from https://akoacademy.ac.nz/programme
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Smith, J., Beatson, N., & Berg, D. (2017). Course performance feedback as a source of university students' sense of self-efficacy. Proceedings of the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) Conference. (pp. 646). Retrieved from https://earli.org/earli-2017
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Beatson, N., Berg, D., Smith, J., & Smith-Han, C. (2017, November). Progression to intermediate level courses: Is a 'pass' enough? Verbal presentation at the Accounting Educators’ Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Copeland, S., Beatson, N., & Carr, S. (2017, November). Low response, no response: The unintended retreat from academic citizenship. Verbal presentation at the Accounting Educators’ Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Marriott, N., Sangster, A., Lowe, A., & Beatson, N. (2017, November). Quality in accounting education research: Issues and suggestions [Invited]. Panel discussion at the Accounting Educators’ Conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Wynn-Williams, K., Beatson, N., & Anderson, C. (2016). The impact of unstructured case studies on surface learners: a study of second-year accounting students. Accounting Education, 25(3), 272-286. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2016.1165125
Journal - Research Article
Beatson, N. (2016, November). The impact of summative mastery feedback on accounting students' self-efficacy beliefs. Verbal presentation at the RMIT Accounting Educators' Conference: Accounting Education: What It Is, and What It Is Not, Melbourne, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Beatson, N., & Berg, D. (2016, July). Mind-set and self-efficacy beliefs: A study of repeating students taking a first year accounting course. Verbal presentation at the Accounting & Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand (AFAANZ) Accounting Education Special Interest Group (SIG), Gold Coast, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Wynn-Williams, K., & Beatson, N. (2015, May). Accounting students and the work-study balance. Verbal presentation at the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) Accounting Education Special Interest Group (AE SIG) Annual Conference, Manchester, UK.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Wynn-Williams, K., & Beatson, N. (2014). Learning in today's academic environment. Proceedings of the Ako Aotearoa Southern Hub Projects in Progress Colloquium II. (pp. 4). Wellington, New Zealand: Ako Aotearoa. Retrieved from https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Wynn-Williams, K., & Beatson, N. (2014, May). Learning in today's academic environment: Participation and first-year accounting students' desired outcomes (FP). Verbal presentation at the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) Accounting Education Special Interest Group Annual Conference, Bristol, UK.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Wynn-Williams, K., Beatson, N., & Anderson, C. (2014, May). Learning in today's academic environment: Deep and surface learning in second-year accounting students (FP). Verbal presentation at the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) Accounting Education Special Interest Group Annual Conference, Bristol, UK.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Wynn-Williams, K., Beatson, N., & Anderson, C. (2013, May). Learning in today's academic environment: The impact of group formation on first-year accounting students. Verbal presentation at the British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) Accounting Education Special Interest Group Annual Conference, London, UK.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Senior Lecturer