1. Kristie Clawson EDTECH 541
Financial Literacy
Kristie Clawson
EDTECH 541
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2. Rational for using Digital Games in Financial Literacy
Traditional Teaching methods
Utilizing Digital Games
Lecture and notes Students are not engaged Students hear but don’t experience Students memorize concepts
Engaged Experience with real life financial decisions Encourages learning through intrinsic motivation

3. Rational for using Digital Games in Financial Literacy, continued
Andrew Miller from Edutopia.org states that games can:
Be used as a "hook" or anchor activity
Be used as an instructional activity that is revisited throughout a unit of instruction
Help scaffold the learning of important content
Provide context for application of content
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4. Rational for using Digital Games in Financial Literacy, continued
Katie Ash from Education Week goes on to explained:
The recent nations economic struggles
This has sparked financial literacy interests
Some states are requiring some type of finance class as a graduation requirement.
Other state require it to be incorporated into a math or social studies class
Teachers are turning digital games to teach finances and investing

5. Rational for using Digital Games in Financial Literacy, continued
Tina Barseghian from KQED wrote an article about a study if digital games boost students’ test scores. Her findings were:
97% of student play digital games in some form
An SRI study stated that “when digital games were compared to other instruction conditions without digital games, there was a moderate to strong effect in favor of digital games.”
Students could raise 12% in cognitive learning if they played digital games
Survey of 505 teacher, the majority reported that games increase motivation.

6. Quotes by leading financial experts and game designers:
“Kids today thrive in digital environments, and they learn so much from there. The digital-based medium is a way that we have to embrace.” ~ Jack A. Naglieri, a professor of psychology at George Mason University, in Fairfax, Va. “A game-based environment allows us to simulate these skills. [Students] can experiment for different outcomes, and they can, through trial and error, begin to develop those skills. We have persisted for too long to try and teach this subject in a lecture format, when in fact learners have to practice to become skilled.” ~ Katherine Griffin, the founder of the Rockville, Md.-based Griffin Enterprises, a designer of online financial literacy courses and games, which created MoneyU. “Games are a particularly good way to have [teachers] teach a subject that they may not feel that degree of confidence in. One doesn’t have to be an expert to facilitate a game.” ~ Jason Alderman, the director of financial education for the San Francisco-based Visa Inc.

7. Game #1: Bite Club
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Players/students manage a club type business for vampires. They earn money by keeping customers happy. Then they choose what they do with their money. Do they reinvest in their company to make it better, or do they pay off loans, or save for retirement, or do they do a combination of all?
This game’s focus is to encourage students to:
Pay down debt (Standard 4.2)
Save for retirement (Standard 3.2)
Reinvest (Standard 3.2)

8. Game #2 Stock Market Game
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This game is useful when teaching students about investing. This game allows students to invest $100,000 in the stock market. Students are encouraged to conduct research about possible companies to invest in.
This game:
Engages students in a real life situation
Improves financial knowledge
Improves saving and investing habits
This game focuses on Standard 3.

9. Game #3 Financial Football and/or Soccer
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These two are fast-paced video games developed by VISA were created to help students test their money manage skills. By correctly answering financial questions, students’ teams’ move down the field in hopes of scoring touchdowns. Students are allowed to pick levels. The harder the level, the harder the question, but the further the play will take them down the filed. All standards (1-4) are covered and can be used as test reviews or end of unit reviews.

10. Game #4 Celebrity Calamity
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In this game, students become a celebrity’s manager and have the responsibility of managing their clients finances:
Selecting gigs for their client (Standard 2.1)
Managing clients credit cards (Standard 4.2)
Collecting their clients money (Standard 2.1)
Make financial decisions (Standard 4)

11. Game #5 Reality Check
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Students have the opportunity to take a good look at their future lifestyle.
After answering some questions about how they see their future, students will be given information about:
How much they need to earn to support their future lifestyle
Possible jobs that will support their lifestyle
Education needed to obtain a job that will earn enough money for this lifestyle
This information covers all of Standard 2.

12. References:
Ash, K. (n.d.). Games Evolve as Tools for Teaching Financial Literacy. Retrieved March 12, 2016, from Barseghian, T. (n.d.). Can Digital Games Boost Students’ Test Scores? Retrieved March 13, 2016, from students-learn-better-with-digital-games/ Miller, A. (2013). Games to Teach Financial Literacy. Retrieved March 10, 2016, from andrew-miller