Winchester university students use AI to create songs

The students, with guidance from senior lecturer Lim Keong Teoh, used the technology to compose songs that help them understand financial accounting topics better.

This initiative is part of learning activities aimed at developing practical skills and enhancing creativity in accountancy.

Among the imaginative songs created during the session are two catchy titles: Double Entry and Accounting Mashup.

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Senior lecturer Lim Keong Teoh used AI to create the songs (Image: University of Winchester) The first is a rap highlighting the principles of double-entry bookkeeping, while the second, set to a jazzy tune, helps students distinguish between assets, capital and liabilities.

Mr Teoh said: "The songs are a good way of helping with learning and revision, but just as importantly, students gained practical experience using AI in their creation, which enhances their employability. I believe anyone who doesn’t know how to use AI will be at disadvantage in the future."

Mr Teoh, always on the lookout for innovative ideas to make his classes enjoyable, has been shortlisted for a prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) Award.

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Known for incorporating gaming technology and real-world scenarios into his lectures, he is in the running for the Most Innovative Teacher of the Year title.

The awards will be the climax of Campus Live in Birmingham on Thursday, November 28, where Mr Teoh will also be sharing some of his innovative practices, including the two new AI-generated accountancy songs.

His other teaching innovations include a mobile phone app that places students in a virtual café where they act as waiting staff, and another set in a bowling alley where students score a strike if they give the correct answer.

If Mr Teoh wins the THE trophy, it will be his second major award of 2024, as he was named the PQ Magazine Public Sector Lecturer of the Year in April.

The University of Winchester's accounting and finance programmes focus on student employability, practical real-world learning, commercial awareness and digital skills.

According to the HESA Graduate Outcomes data 2023, the accounting and finance programme achieved 95 per cent employability.

The programme also scored highly in the 2023 National Student Survey (NSS), receiving a 100 per cent positive response to questions about the quality of teaching staff and the support they provide.

Courses also received more than 90 per cent positive responses to questions about the fairness of marking, access to learning resources, and academic support.