Students learn in different ways. Some love to read. Others prefer to listen, watch, or do. In the School of Business Administration’s ACC 341: Accounting Information Systems, Dr. Christopher Calvin, an accounting professor and self-described “technology nerd”, is rebuilding the course around one goal: to meet students where they are so they engage more deeply and retain more.
The course at a glance
What is ACC 341?
It’s the study of how useful business information is extracted from raw data: the systems and processes that capture transactions, transform them, and produce reports that internal and external users rely on for decision-making. Students learn how data flows, how systems communicate, how to analyze results, and how to identify risks and implement mitigating controls.
What’s new?
“Modern students are digital natives who grew up with a lot of diversity in their digital access,” said Calvin. “To me, if I were a student in a very traditional, lecture-based classroom, I would be bored out of my mind.” So, he created a flexible, AI-enabled learning ecosystem that gives students multiple on-ramps into the same core concepts without the costly textbook price. “I am giving them a menu of experiences to choose from, and let them choose how they’re going to learn and increase engagement.”
A textbook that adapts to you (and it’s free)
Traditional publisher texts can be expensive, rigid, and locked behind paywalls or apps. Dr. Calvin has created a no-cost, AI-assisted textbook delivered as a PDF so students can study the way they prefer:
- Read on any device or print it easily (formatted for 8.5"×11").
- Listen to chapter audio “podcasts” auto-generated from the text (linked and QR-coded).
- Interact with embedded links to learning tools with no extra logins or fees.
“I don't want students to come into my class and suddenly feel like they're on some alien planet when they use this resource,” said Calvin. “I want it to feel familiar. The textbook, at its core, looks like a textbook and reads like a textbook.” But it is not “just” a textbook. Built-in AI tools interact with students based on how they want to engage with the material, deepening their learning.
“The class felt less intimidating and more like I was learning skills I could actually use in a future accounting career, especially in audit or other data-driven roles,” said Thomas Harris, junior accounting major.
Accessibility by design
UD’s Marianist tradition emphasizes inclusive excellence, welcoming diverse backgrounds, strengths, and learning preferences.
- Prefer audio? Use the chapter podcast.
- Learn best through conversation? Ask the Learning Partner to re-explain it with a new example.
- Need more practice before the exam? The Q&A Agent generates an unlimited number of questions with coaching.
- Want a physical paper in hand? Print the PDF so you can still scan QR codes to access audio and interactive tools.
“I see students' preferred learning methods as one of those areas where we just differ from person-to-person,” said Calvin. “You are welcome in my learning environment. I'm going to give you as many options as I can and let you do your preferred learning style. To me, that's a way to contribute to the inclusive excellence that we hold at the university.”
What is Dr. Calvin’s preferred way to learn?
“I love to read for pleasure, but I don’t necessarily like to read for learning,” he admits. “I am a multi-tasker! I love to listen to the extent where I could be cooking, washing dishes, exercising, while also hearing the material I need to know by 9:00 a.m. tomorrow.”
The AI Learning Tools
In Calvin’s textbook, students can access any (or all) of the following tools to help them learn:
- Learning Partner (AI Tutor): An always-available helper that explains concepts in simpler language, offers examples, and connects ideas across topics. It can also generate study aids such as chapter outlines and flashcards,
- Q&A Agent (Practice Generator): Students choose a topic and a question count, and the tool generates endless variations, including multiple-choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank questions. It offers encouraging feedback when students get it right and constructive guidance when they don’t, helping them quickly zero in on tougher concepts.
- Audio Summaries: AI-generated podcasts that cover chapter concepts in an easy-to-listen, conversational tone.
- Case Study Coach: Guides students through real-world cases, asks prompting questions, and brings in outside context to show how classroom ideas play out in real-world business scenarios.
Together, these tools create a “chain of learning” from deep, detailed reading to quick recall so students can enter at their comfort level and climb toward mastery.
So, what happens in class? More engagement!
Imagine walking into class and not sitting down for a traditional lecture.
Because the reading, listening, and practice can happen anytime, class time shifts from lecture to dynamic Q&A, presentation of content “primers,” and hands-on activities and teamwork for ultimate student and faculty engagement.
Imagine this: you and your classmates tackle a challenge to figure out how a company actually runs payroll. Not from a textbook, but from an interview with the payroll manager. The twist? That “manager” is an AI agent designed by Dr. Calvin to act like a real professional.
The AI doesn’t give you neat, step-by-step answers. It responds the way people do at work, a little vague and messy, forcing you to ask smart questions, piece together the process, and build your own understanding. From there, you work with your peers to turn your findings into a visual flowchart, identify potential risks, and brainstorm ways to protect sensitive data, all with AI as a coach. Not a crutch.
Professor Calvin moves around the room, pushing your thinking, sparking discussion, and helping teams connect the dots. It’s hands-on, collaborative, and feels a lot like solving real business problems because that’s exactly the point.
The result? More engagement, stronger retention, better peer interaction, and a clearer sense of how classroom learning matches real work.
“This class is very different from what you might expect,” said Harris. “You don’t just sit through lectures and PowerPoints taking notes; instead, you work through real-world situations and collaborate in groups to think about how to improve AI systems. It really makes you engage with the material.”
Preparing for the Future
Dr. Calvin’s integration of AI extends well beyond the classroom, directly strengthening students’ confidence in discussing their AI skills with future employers.
“In almost every interview I have had, there was typically always a question around my familiarity with AI,” said Jack Klebba, junior accounting and finance major. “Now, going through this class, I am confidently able to say "very". We have learned to make AI work for us in doing anything from formatting and making slideshow presentations and graphics, to creating flowcharts and process descriptions.”
Klebba says the experience has also helped him understand how valuable these skills are in today’s hiring landscape.
“In a recent networking chat, I learned that the best way to stand out with your resume is to highlight any work that involves the use of AI or technology systems,” said Klebba. “Digital literacy is important to see on resumes today, and that is exactly what ACC 341 is doing.”
AI in the Business Classroom: About the AI Fellows Initiative
This article is part of the AI in the Business Classroom blog series, highlighting how the University of Dayton’s business faculty is shaping the future of business education through artificial intelligence.
The AI Fellows Initiative at the University of Dayton’s School of Business Administration equips students with hands-on AI experience and the ethical mindset needed to lead in a rapidly evolving business world.