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Effect of Accounting Mentoring Circles on Students’ Professional Confidence among Accounting Education Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Professional confidence is an important attribute among Accounting Education students because confidence can influence students’ willingness to communicate, participate in accounting activities, solve practical problems, interact with professionals, and apply accounting knowledge in academic and workplace situations. Accounting Education students may possess theoretical knowledge but experience uncertainty when performing professional tasks, communicating accounting information, making decisions, or preparing for workplace responsibilities. Accounting Mentoring Circles provide a collaborative mentoring approach in which students interact regularly with peers, lecturers, accounting professionals, or experienced mentors to discuss accounting-related issues, share experiences, receive guidance, practise professional activities, and obtain constructive feedback. Such interactions may provide students with opportunities to develop confidence through observation, participation, encouragement, reflection, and repeated exposure to professional situations. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of Accounting Mentoring Circles on students’ professional confidence among Accounting Education students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on Social Cognitive Theory, Experiential Learning Theory, and Self-Efficacy Theory. Social Cognitive Theory explains how students may develop professional behaviours and confidence through observation, modelling, social interaction, reinforcement, and feedback from mentors and peers. Experiential Learning Theory emphasizes the development of competence through practical experiences, reflection, conceptual understanding, and active participation. Self-Efficacy Theory explains how successful experiences, encouragement, observation of competent role models, and constructive feedback may strengthen students’ belief in their ability to perform professional accounting tasks. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how Accounting Mentoring Circles may influence students’ professional confidence. The study will adopt a quantitative quasi-experimental research design. The population will comprise Accounting Education students enrolled in selected Nigerian universities and polytechnics. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select institutions, departments, levels of study, classes, and eligible students. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, professional-confidence scales, mentoring-participation records, professional-task assessment instruments, observation checklists, self-efficacy measures, and pre-test and post-test assessments. Accounting Mentoring Circles will be assessed using indicators such as mentoring-session participation, frequency of mentoring meetings, mentor availability, peer interaction, professional accountant interaction, accounting-career discussions, practical accounting discussions, professional experience sharing, role modelling, guided practice, academic guidance, workplace guidance, career guidance, communication activities, group discussions, case discussions, problem-solving activities, professional scenario discussions, feedback activities, peer support, mentor feedback, reflective activities, professional networking, goal setting, progress monitoring, individual mentoring support, group mentoring support, collaborative learning, professional etiquette discussions, workplace-behaviour discussions, accounting-practice discussions, professional responsibility discussions, ethical-accounting discussions, leadership discussions, teamwork activities, presentation activities, interview preparation, workplace-readiness activities, career-planning activities, CV-development guidance, job-search guidance, professional-development discussions, industry interaction, professional association interaction, accounting-workplace exposure, practical demonstrations, mentoring assignments, peer mentoring, mentor-led exercises, student-led discussions, question-and-answer sessions, experience sharing, constructive criticism, encouragement, recognition of achievement, and sustained mentoring engagement. Students’ professional confidence will be assessed using indicators such as confidence in applying accounting knowledge, confidence in performing accounting tasks, confidence in recording transactions, confidence in preparing accounting documents, confidence in analysing financial information, confidence in solving accounting problems, confidence in making accounting decisions, confidence in communicating accounting information, confidence in oral presentations, confidence in written communication, confidence in professional conversations, confidence in asking questions, confidence in seeking clarification, confidence in interacting with accounting professionals, confidence in working with colleagues, confidence in participating in teams, confidence in leading group activities, confidence in completing accounting assignments, confidence in handling practical accounting tasks, confidence in using accounting software, confidence in using spreadsheets, confidence in interpreting financial records, confidence in preparing reports, confidence in presenting accounting information, confidence in handling workplace scenarios, confidence in responding to professional questions, confidence in accounting interviews, confidence in career discussions, confidence in networking with professionals, confidence in professional decision-making, confidence in ethical decision-making, confidence in handling workplace responsibilities, confidence in meeting deadlines, confidence in working independently, confidence in working under supervision, confidence in receiving feedback, confidence in correcting errors, confidence in learning new accounting procedures, confidence in adapting to workplace environments, confidence in communicating with clients, confidence in handling professional disagreements, confidence in resolving accounting-related problems, confidence in taking responsibility for tasks, confidence in demonstrating professionalism, confidence in seeking professional opportunities, confidence in career planning, confidence in job-search activities, confidence in professional development, confidence in workplace adaptability, confidence in demonstrating employability skills, confidence in presenting oneself professionally, confidence in communicating personal competencies, confidence in participating in professional events, confidence in engaging in professional learning, confidence in accepting challenging tasks, confidence in managing unfamiliar accounting situations, confidence in applying classroom knowledge to practical situations, confidence in responding to changing accounting requirements, confidence in collaborating with mentors and peers, confidence in learning from professional experiences, confidence in evaluating personal performance, confidence in identifying areas for improvement, confidence in setting professional goals, confidence in pursuing career opportunities, and overall professional confidence. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students’ demographic and academic characteristics, participation in Accounting Mentoring Circles, mentoring experiences, and professional-confidence levels. Inferential statistical techniques, including paired and independent t-tests, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of Accounting Mentoring Circles on students’ professional confidence. Where a quasi-experimental design is adopted, professional-confidence scores before and after participation in the mentoring circles may be compared with those of a control group receiving conventional accounting education to determine changes associated with the intervention. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that Accounting Mentoring Circles have a significant positive effect on students’ professional confidence in Nigeria. Students who participate regularly in structured mentoring circles are expected to demonstrate greater confidence in applying accounting knowledge, performing practical accounting tasks, communicating professionally, solving accounting problems, making decisions, interacting with professionals, and preparing for workplace responsibilities. Mentoring-session participation may provide students with regular opportunities to discuss academic and professional concerns. Peer interaction may reduce students’ hesitation to participate in accounting discussions. Professional accountant interaction may expose students to realistic workplace experiences and professional expectations. Career discussions may improve students’ confidence in understanding possible accounting career pathways. Practical accounting discussions may help students connect theoretical knowledge with workplace applications. Professional experience sharing may provide students with realistic examples of accounting responsibilities. Role modelling may enable students to observe competent professional behaviours. Guided practice may strengthen students’ confidence in performing unfamiliar accounting activities. Mentor feedback may help students recognize their strengths and correct weaknesses. Peer support may create a supportive environment for learning and participation. Group discussions may improve students’ ability to express accounting opinions. Case discussions may strengthen confidence in analysing practical accounting situations. Problem-solving activities may improve confidence in handling accounting challenges. Professional-scenario discussions may prepare students to respond to workplace situations. Reflective activities may encourage students to evaluate their progress and identify areas for improvement. Professional networking may strengthen confidence in interacting with accounting practitioners. Goal-setting activities may help students develop clearer professional objectives. Progress monitoring may enable students to recognize improvements in their competencies. Individual mentoring may provide personalized guidance on areas of difficulty. Group mentoring may strengthen collaborative learning and communication. Professional-etiquette discussions may improve students’ confidence in appropriate workplace behaviour. Workplace-behaviour activities may strengthen understanding of professional expectations. Accounting-practice discussions may improve students’ confidence in applying accounting procedures. Professional-responsibility discussions may strengthen students’ willingness to accept workplace responsibilities. Ethical-accounting discussions may improve confidence in recognizing and responding to ethical situations. Leadership activities may strengthen students’ confidence in taking responsibility for group tasks. Teamwork activities may improve confidence in collaborating with colleagues. Presentation activities may strengthen oral communication and public-speaking confidence. Interview-preparation activities may improve confidence in responding to professional interview questions. Workplace-readiness activities may prepare students for practical employment situations. Career-planning activities may improve confidence in making career decisions. CV-development guidance may strengthen students’ confidence in presenting their qualifications. Job-search guidance may improve confidence in pursuing employment opportunities. Professional-development discussions may encourage students to take responsibility for continued learning. Industry interaction may increase students’ familiarity with accounting workplaces. Professional-association interaction may expose students to professional expectations and career opportunities. Workplace exposure may reduce uncertainty about accounting responsibilities. Practical demonstrations may provide students with clear examples of professional tasks. Mentoring assignments may strengthen independent task completion. Peer mentoring may encourage students to learn from fellow students. Mentor-led exercises may provide structured professional guidance. Student-led discussions may strengthen communication and leadership confidence. Question-and-answer activities may encourage students to seek clarification without hesitation. Experience sharing may help students understand that professional challenges can be managed through learning and practice. Constructive criticism may help students improve their performance without undermining their willingness to participate. Encouragement and recognition of achievement may strengthen students’ belief in their capabilities. Sustained mentoring engagement may provide continuous opportunities for professional-confidence development. However, the effectiveness of Accounting Mentoring Circles may be constrained by inadequate availability of qualified mentors, limited participation by accounting professionals, irregular mentoring meetings, large student populations, insufficient institutional support, limited funding, poor coordination of mentoring activities, inadequate mentoring materials, weak university-industry collaboration, students’ limited participation, scheduling difficulties, inadequate professional exposure, limited opportunities for practical activities, and insufficient monitoring and feedback. The study therefore expects structured, accessible, supportive, professionally oriented, and consistently supervised Accounting Mentoring Circles to contribute significantly to improved professional confidence among Accounting Education students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on Accounting Mentoring Circles, professional confidence, Social Cognitive Theory, Experiential Learning Theory, Self-Efficacy Theory, accounting education, mentoring in accounting education, professional development, practical accounting education, peer mentoring, professional mentoring, career development, workplace readiness, employability skills, professional communication, professional decision-making, leadership development, teamwork, professional networking, accounting career preparation, workplace adaptability, professional competence, self-efficacy, Accounting Education students, Nigerian universities, Nigerian polytechnics, and Accounting Education in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education, university and polytechnic administrators, Accounting Education departments, accounting educators, professional accounting bodies, accounting firms, employers, industry partners, career-development units, and policymakers regarding strategies for strengthening students’ professional confidence and workplace preparedness. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating Accounting Mentoring Circles into Accounting Education programmes, establishing structured mentoring systems, increasing interaction between students and accounting professionals, strengthening peer-support mechanisms, providing professional role models, incorporating practical accounting and workplace scenarios into mentoring activities, improving career guidance, strengthening university-industry collaboration, providing continuous mentor training and support, monitoring mentoring outcomes, and aligning Accounting Education programmes with the professional and workplace expectations of the Nigerian accounting environment.

Keywords: Accounting Mentoring Circles, professional confidence, accounting education, professional mentoring, peer mentoring, self-efficacy, experiential learning, professional development, workplace readiness, employability skills, career development, professional competence, Accounting Education students, Nigerian universities, Nigerian polytechnics, Nigeria.