Those who are less financially literate are more likely to have problems with debt, are less likely to save, are more likely to engage in high-cost credit, and are less likely to plan for the future. Financial literacy provides greater control of one’s financial future, more effective use of financial products and services, and reduced vulnerability to overzealous retailers or fraudulent schemes. The levels of financial literacy in Europe are, however, low, as recognized by EC’s COM(2007) 808 and OECD studies. Acting since young ages to improve financial literacy should be, therefore, a priority. Along these last few years, many European Countries have established national financial education strategies that start in kindergarten. The project aim is to produce an interactive learning eBook – OnTheMoneyTrail eBook - for the financial education of pre-school children (3 to 6 years old), that may be used in formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts. Furthermore, the learning book will be freely available online for widespread and greater impact. The eBook will be developed considering: • The frameworks for financial education that are currently in use in European countries, thus guaranteeing the robustness of the pedagogical approach and ensuring the alignment with the end users needs (children, teachers and parents). • Good practices of storytelling and interactive stories, specifically for this age group. As an interactive ebook, it will integrate interactive features, namely a dynamic storyboard that enables for different endings depending on the children’s response to questions, mini-games, puzzles and other elements embedded in the story. This main outcome will be available online and in 5 languages - EN, PL, PT, IT and HR. Along with the interactive story, it will be developed a Facilitator’s Guide - OnTheMoneyTrail Facilitator’s Guide - for teachers and parents, to help them make the most out of the learning opportunity provided by the interactive learning ebook. Additionally, the project OnTheMoneyTrail will also deliver along its lifespan: • Workshops to present and train teachers, trainers and parents how to use the OnTheMoneyTrail eBook and Facilitator’s Guide (20 participants should be involved) • Pilot training to test the OnTheMoneyTrail methodology (Interactive eBook and Facilitator’s Guide (at least 60 children should participate) • Website and a FaceBook page on Financial Education with a repository of the materials produced in the project (but not only) and that can be a meeting point for people involved or interested in the topic. • Sustainability Strategy that will present the guidelines for the future exploitation of results and to ensure the future impact of the project. • Contact Database for organisations and people from the project’s target groups at European level • Project presentation in external events, i.e. events not organised by the partnership but in which partners will be able to present the project and its results, in the partner countries and others. This is the case of the presentation of the project in events specially targeting teachers. This initiative gathers 5 participants: • The Center of Education and Entrepreneurship Support (Poland) is a 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" is a 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" is an Educational Organization with 9 dislocated facilities in which there are 43 educational groups.
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.