Red X iconGreen tick iconYellow tick icon
Nicola MitchellSenior Lecturer
BCom (Otago), MCom (Otago), PhD (Otago)

Tel +64 3 479 8321
Office OBS 5.08a
Email nicola.beatson@otago.ac.nz

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.

Further information

  • Visit Issue 46, Otago Magazine for the story on Nicola's PhD research
  • Read the Otago Daily Times story on Nicola winning the 3MT competition
  • Read the Otago Post story on Nicola's PhD research and her goal to change the world view of accounting
  • Watch Nicola compete in the 3MT competition

Teaching

  • BSNS115

Research interests

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

Finkler, W., Davis, L. S., Ruwhiu, D., Li, L., Lloyd, N., Beatson, N., & Zhu, L. (2024). Science stories through a cultural lens: The effects of cultural framing of storytelling in the natural and social sciences. Metode Science Studies Journal, 14, 159-165. doi: 10.7203/metode.14.26592 Journal - Research Article

Beatson, N., de Lange, P., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B., Smith, J., Scott, S., & Greatbanks, R. (2024). An examination of self-efficacy and sense of belonging on accounting student achievement. Accounting & Finance, 64, 723-738. doi: 10.1111/acfi.13160 Journal - Research Article

Keevy, M., Tharapos, M., O'Connell, B. T., Verhoef, G., de Lange, P., & Beatson, N. J. (2023). Using an extended professional project to develop professional skills among rural South African accounting students. Accounting Education. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/09639284.2023.2283441 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

Back to top