AL TACCONE

MCC Logo
  • ACCOUNTING Instructor
  • ACCT 101, Practical Accounting
  • BS, Bryant College
  • MBA, Anna Maria College
  • PHd, Walden University
  • TEL: 760.757.2121 x6807
  • EMAIL: ataccone@miracosta.edu
Al Taccone
 
ACCT 101 Class

Al Taccone currently serves as Dean of Career and Technical Education (CTE) at MiraCosta College.  He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Education degree from Bryant College in Smithfield, RI, an M.B.A. from Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA, and a Ph.D. in Management and Decision Sciences from Walden University in Minneapolis, MN.  From 1987 to 1995 Al was assistant professor of business administration at Dean College in Franklin, MA where he taught classes in accounting, business administration, mathematics, economics, and computer science.  In 1991 he became coordinator of business programs at Dean College.  From 1995 to 1998, he held the position of Dean and Associate Professor of Humanities, Social Sciences and Business Technologies at Jefferson Community College in Steubenville, OH where he also continued to teach courses in accounting, statistics, and economics.  From 1998 to 2001, Al held the position of Dean of the School of Business, Computer Studies, and Technologies at San Diego Mesa College.  From 2001 to 2007 he served as Division Dean of Instruction at Cuyamaca College before joining MiraCosta College as Dean of Career and Technical Education in 2007. 

As an administrator Al is actively involved in planning for accreditation, operations, technology advancement and implementation, budgeting curriculum development.  He has received the Out-of-the Box Thinker award from the Community College League of California and was a League for Innovation finalist for innovation of the year.  Al has presented for CCLC on the topic of change in community colleges, for TechED on the topic of distance education, and serves as a team member on ACCJC accreditation visits.  Since he is also in the classroom, Al sees first-hand the results of a college’s mission, institutional planning and can monitor the effectiveness of both.  He is actively involved in all aspects of the personal and professional development of students, faculty and staff and is known to be accessible to students and is deeply concerned for their academic, personal, and professional progress.

SYLLABUS LINKS

ACCT 101:1259 Spring 2016

ACCT 101:1016 Fall 2016

VIDEO LINKS

ACCT 101

 

IMPORTANT NOTE on CLOSED Classes: All the online classes and many of the on-campus classes close quickly. You should register ASAP if you are interested in any class. If you change your mind, please drop the class immediately so others can enroll. If the class is closed, consider the Wait List procedures; be aware of the rules and the limitations. Otherwise, consider these options: 1) register for another section if available; 2) register for another class; 3) consider registering in a future semester; 4) show up for the first day of an on-campus class and discuss with the instructor; or 5) forget about it and move on. The instructor will not intervene with the wait list procedure.

Please be aware that, once a class reaches maximum enrollment and “closes,” on or after the first day of the semester, even if “available” spaces appear on SURF due to drops, it is within the instructor's complete discretion on whether to add more students at that time. Drops after the first day are normal attrition and are factored in when setting the maximum enrollment. The class has started and important assignments and subject matter have already been covered. Please do not email the instructor. Thank you for your understanding.

CTE Open House Powerpoint 1-31-14 (ppsx)

Teaching Philosophy/Style and Class Management/Activities

As dean of career and technical education at MiraCosta College I feel that teaching is a terrific way for me to continue to be actively involved in teaching and learning at the college.  I find the one class I teach per semester, ACCT 101: Practical Accounting, to be a rewarding experience for me and my students.  I thoroughly enjoy being in the classroom and the ongoing process of developing my class to ensure the best possible educational experience for my students and to assist them in meeting their educational, personal, and professional goals.  Further, I work with students to develop strong organizational skills and study habits that are essential to success my classes and all future classes they take.

ACCT 101 is required in many of the accounting certificates at the college and is a great course to help prepare students for their ACCT 201: Financial Accounting course that is the first in a series of courses required of accounting and business majors at MiraCosta College, University of California and California State University.

Student success is the primary goal in all of my classes.  I offer a variety of grading criteria that is sure to meet the learning styles of all students.  Exams are essential to test students’ knowledge and abilities related to solving accounting problems and thinking critically.  As a result my exams are approximately 70% problem solving and 30% objective questions.  I provide a study guide for all exams that includes exactly what problems students should practice in preparation for exams.  I also offer exam reviews prior to each exam.  Besides exams students will complete online problems using a web based software program that comes with their textbook.  Students will also complete a practice set that requires them to complete an entire one month accounting cycle for a business.  This is a three quarter of the semester project that will truly give students an idea of how well they know accounting for a sole proprietorship.  Finally students are required to turn in a number of serial problems that are done for homework and test students’ cumulative knowledge of material throughout the semester.  All of these grading requirements result in a multiple of ways to measure student success and spreads the points students may earn over a wide variety of criteria rather than relying on exams alone counting towards final grades and determining student knowledge and subject mastery.

Students should expect 3-4 hours of homework per week.  Completing all assignments and homework is critical to success in my courses as completing and understanding all assignments will enhance success on all exams and future assignments. 

My course Blackboard site includes a wealth of material to enhance student success.  Though my classes are not completely online the Blackboard site, if used by students, can supplement the in lass experience.  I also use Blackboard as the main method for me to communicate with my students.  This allows for regular and effective contact with students which is critical to student success.

I look forward to working with my students towards mastering this first step in mastering “the language of business.” 

"Hi, I just want to thank you for being such an amazing teacher. I couldn't have made it through this class without you. You are so right when you say practice is the key. I may not get the best grade but I know I will pass and it will be because if how you teach, your help, and suggestions." comment from a Fall 2013 ACCT 101 student