Accounting ethics games should be introduced into your classroom as a fun and engaging way to get your students discussing ethical dilemmas that come up in accounting. Whether it is keeping numbers off the books or writing off numerous questionable items for tax benefits, ethics questions present themselves in the workforce on a regular basis. Classroom games can make the topic less dry and facilitate intense discussions surrounding morality and ethics.
The ethics challenge is a board game designed by economics professor Al Roline using the popular cartoon characters from "Dilbert," including the title character and Dogbert. The game, structured similarly to a traditional board game, forces you to roll a die and land on different squares. Each square presents you with an ethics question, represented in a case file or video, which you must answer correctly to move forward on the board. The winner of the game is the group who gets to the end first.
The deductions test will reward students for properly filing taxes. Start the game by giving your students each the same individual's tax returns. Tell them that you will get the most points if you find the most deductions in the return. After each student has turned in his paper, reveal that the actual high score will go to the individual who answered in the most responsible and ethical way. This means that no improper deductions or questionable deductions can be found in the return.
The Shades of Grey game is designed to teach your students about the complexity of ethical accounting questions. Have your students divide into groups. Give each group a piece of paper with 15 multiple-choice ethical-dilemma questions specifically pertaining to accounting. While multiple-choice questions will have one right answer, this game has answers with positive and negative results. As a result, each team's goal is to pick the most ethically correct answer. The team with the most positive results at the end of the quiz wins.