Turner College Accountant Charles Boster Building an Impressive Record in Accounting Education

Since joining the Turner College just a few years ago, accounting professor Charles Boster has steadily built an impressive record in accounting education. His students consistently rate his teaching effectiveness at 4.8 (out of 5) or above. Boster's recipe for success is simple. As he explains, "I continually assess teaching methods, teaching materials, and learning goals to improve content relevance, instructional quality, and student satisfaction. Through continuous improvement activities, my goal is 'better.' I am always trying to find ways to make my courses better. I seek to ensure course content reflects current business environments." Boster's approach to accounting education has also been consistent with CSU's recent focus on the development of students' critical thinking skills. "While I focus on practical applications of course concepts, I know from experience that time management, critical thinking, and problem solving are more important than accounting facts. The three specific areas apply to all areas of life and serve as a strong basis for students of any discipline or desired path. My goal is to improve each student’s understanding and performance through stewardship, individual contribution, and personal goals," Boster stated. Boster uses classroom examples and cases to encourage discussion of topics. This approach develops student confidence and encourages problem solving based upon creative thinking. The assessments utilized by Boster primarily focus on a group project culminating in a written report and project presentation. Students are encouraged to integrate technology such as artificial intelligence, spreadsheets, word processors, and presentation software for efficiency in research and communication. In line with continuous improvement approaches, students complete and receive feedback on subsections of the project throughout the semester and are allowed to revise work until the final submission is due. "In each case, I take a formative approach to emphasize learning over grades. In addition, students complete homework assignments to gain a better understanding of application of individual concepts. All individual assessments are outside of class with unlimited attempts to encourage mastery. I find students stress less about already knowing how to answer questions and put more effort into understanding why correct answers are correct," Boster explained. Ultimately, Boster succeeds as an accounting educator because his goals for the student are quite simple. "I want students to gain an understanding of core course concepts to facilitate communication and performance in their futures. While roles in the community and definitions of success differ, I want every student to appreciate the perspective of others and become life-long learners," Boster concludes.