OnTheMoneyTrail – Interactive Book for the Financial Education of Children Erasmus Project

Project Title

OnTheMoneyTrail – Interactive Book for the Financial Education of Children

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for school education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Economic and financial affairs (incl. funding issues); Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills

Project Summary

In the background of OnTheMoneyTrail project lied the importance of the financial literacy. When preparing the proposal the partnership admitted that those who are less financially literate are more likely to have problems with debt, are less likely to save, to plan for the future. In addition, as recognized by EC’s COM(2007) 808 and OECD studies, because the levels of financial literacy in Europe are low, acting since young ages, since kindergarten, to improve financial literacy should be a priority. The project aim was to produce an interactive learning eBook – OnTheMoneyTrail eBook – for the financial education of pre-school children (3 to 6 years old), that could be used in formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts and that could be freely available online for widespread and greater impact.The participants directly involved in the development, were 5 organisations composing the consortium: • The Center of Education and Entrepreneurship Support (Poland): non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 2004 working in the field of youth, cooperating with businesses, universities, schools, enterprises and educational institutions. • Advancis (Portugal): private company that provides consultancy and training services in Education and People Development, with competences also in ICT based learning methodologies• BOON (Portugal): private company that provides services in design and illustration.• The Institute “Maestre Pie Addolorata” (Italy): religious congregation born in 1839 that is strongly committed to education. The Institute is qualified by Italian Educational Authorities for teaching from kindergarten to High School, providing the students a legal certification. • Dječji vrtić “Radost” (Croatia): Educational Organization with 9 dislocated facilities in which there are 43 educational groups.Besides the above, the project involved target groups: children, School Teachers/Trainers, parents and Decision Makers in the area of education. The main result is the eBook, integrating interactive features, a dynamic storyboard, mini-games, puzzles and other elements embedded in the story. The eBook, as planned, was developed considering the frameworks for financial education that are currently in use in European countries. Together with the interactive story, Facilitator’s Guide was developed which is dedicated for teachers and parents, to help them make the most out of the learning opportunity provided by the interactive learning eBook.The undertaken activities included the creation of the comprehensive and pedagogically sound storyboard. During its development, a group of teachers and children was consulted and asked for input and feedback. Then the beta version of the eBook was developed which implied strong interaction between writing, illustrating and animating. At the same time, the partnership worked on the development of the Facilitator’s Guide, designing activities and exercises that complemented the experience with the eBook. This development relied mostly on desk research and experience of the partners, but especially teachers from the associated partners. The beta version then was tested by teachers, parents and children. 20 Teachers were trained on how to use the eBook and Facilitator’s Guide and then they implemented the pilot in different schools. During the pilot the technical aspects (general usability, engagement, etc.), easiness of use and impact in knowledge, skills and attitudes of the children using the eBook were tested. The suggestions collected in the testing phase led to the development of the final version of the eBook and Facilitator’s Guide. Besides those activities leading directly to development of the main results, partners ensured a set of management, quality and valorization activities which included 4 multiplier events. The project already had positive impact on Teachers/trainers who have access to an innovative and user friendly tool for financial education which they can use in various settings, that also contributes to improve their own financial literacy level. Also parents have access to an innovative and user friendly tool they can use with their children to teach them financial concepts and the principles of a responsible use of money. Children also have access to a tool which is entertaining and helps them to develop key financial competences but also transversal competences, like critical thinking, literacy, storytelling, ICT skills. Organisations active in financial education have a new tool and knowledge to improve financial literacy. As for long-term benefits, in the future, as children become young adults, they will be more informed citizens, contributing for a healthier European society.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 207536,54 Eur

Project Coordinator

STOWARZYSZENIE CENTRUM WSPIERANIA EDUKACJI I PRZEDSIEBIORCZOSCI & Country: PL

Project Partners

• ADVANCIS-BUSINESS SERVICES, LDA
• Boon Unipessoal, Lda.
• Scuole Paritarie dell’Istituto delle Maestre Pie dell’Addolorata
• Djecji vrtic Radost Zadar