Xtra-Ordinary: Teaching Personal Finance With Xtranormal Videos Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP® Rutgers Cooperative Extension

Four Workshop Objectives Explain NY Public Library staff training program Demonstrate sample Xtranormal videos Discuss how to make an Xtranormal video Have participants start writing an Xtranormal video script

Program Overview Money Matters– Information Not Advice: A NYPL Staff Training Program Series of 11 NYPL staff training programs Offered in Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island Online content: Leader’s Guide and e-Learning Modules

Money Matters Objective To help build skills and confidence to help patrons to access timely, accurate, and trustworthy information about personal finance. This project was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

NYPL Staff Role: Information Not Advice Giving information lets someone know what the options are so he/she can make a decision about the best course of action. Giving advice is telling another person what he/she should do. It may send an unspoken message that the listener is not capable of making his/her own decisions, but needs to be told what to do.

Virtual World Educational Content How many are familiar with Second Life? How many regularly use Second Life? How many are familiar with Xtranormal? How many have made Xtranormal videos?

Virtual Learning Platforms Second Life Requires users to be able to access and use Second life Good for in-depth content Requires payment for land, clothes, etc. (Linden dollars) Xtranormal Users access content through online searching or links sent to them Good for short content “sound bites” of 2-3 minutes Requires payment to publish videos (Xtranormal XP points)

Xtranormal Video Use Used in training New York Public Library staff on financial education resources Short videos (approx. 2-3 minutes) featuring a library staffer and patron Ends with a question posed to the library staffer Segue to group discussion

Sample Xtranormal Videos Banking: money-matters-banking-lifeline-accountshttp:// money-matters-banking-lifeline-accounts Credit 1: money-matters-credit-debt-10http:// money-matters-credit-debt-10 Credit 2: money-matters-credit-debt-20http:// money-matters-credit-debt-20 Identity Theft: matters-identity-theft matters-identity-theft Retirement Planning: matters-retirement-jerry-your-money matters-retirement-jerry-your-money

How to Make an Xtranormal Video Decide on video title and content Write out dialogue between characters (use template) Set up Xtranormal account with username and password –Get 300 free points Click “Create” Pick a “collection” (unique style of actors and sets); select 1 actor or two actors Select a set Choose actors and their voices

How to Make an Xtranormal Video Add background sounds (optional) Enter dialogue (prepare in advance in Word) Add animations and camera angles Add title bubble at end for branding and credits Listen to test dialog changes Preview to test audio and video Publish when complete; pay points

Xtranormal (XP) Points 300 XP at sign-up to publish first video Sold in bundles; various points plans –1,200 XP for $10 –15,000 XP for $50 –40,000 XP for $100 –80,000 XP for $150 Purchase with credit card or PayPal Also professional and educator plans “Points bar” at top of page tells number of points needed to publish a video

Helpful Things to Know Xtranormal has excellent tutorials with screen shots: Simple words are best –Example: “maybe” instead of “possibly” Spell words out as they are pronounced –Example: Four oh one kay for 401(k) Previews take a LONG time to load Review the10 camera angles and make a list of what they show (before you start) Beware: commas = awkward pauses

More Helpful Things to Know Save published videos in “My Stuff” Can click a button to publish video on YouTube Can publish a simple video in < 300 XP points –Purchase “assets” (sets and actors) –Can reuse actors & sets previously paid for Expect some “intonation issues” (like a GPS) Can view video dialogue in preview mode Can edit published videos –Requires additional XP points

Let’s Start YOUR Xtranormal Video Video title –What do you want to teach or promote? Two Characters A few rounds of dialogue between characters Comments? Questions?