Preparing Tax Returns Improves Students’ Problem-Solving Skills

What is it about?

Educators often suggest that real-world experiences help students develop the skills needed to be successful, however, evidence to support this claim is rarely provided. We measured students’ problem-solving skills before and after participating in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, a real-world tax preparation experience. We found that problem-solving skills significantly improved among students who participated in VITA.

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Why is it important?

Our study demonstrates that real-world experiences preparing tax returns improves students’ problem-solving skills.