Integrating Technology in Personal Financial Literacy
Alex WolfLoch Raven Academy/ Baltimore County
Why Teach Financial Literacy?
• “Great Recession” highlighted the need• Cannot rely on parents to pass on skills• Majority of Americans lack complete
understanding of key economic concepts.
What we teach at LRA• Magnet
– 75 students across 6th, 7th, and 8th grades– 6th grade’s focus is Personal Finance– 7th grade’s focus is Entrepreneurship– 8th grade’s focus is Global Finance
• School wide– Based on county curriculum– Delivered during ARE time
School Wide• ARE lessons are delivered to
instructional staff digitally• Presentation materials available in
PowerPoint and ActiveInspire formats• Minimal use of paper • Classroom activities as interactive as
possible
Engaging Students Through Tech
• Short instructional videos embedded each week– BrainPop Spotlight on Financial Literacy
• Student Response systems help engage the students
• Lab rotations
Magnet Program• Students apply in 5th grade• Meets every other day for 80 minutes
for half the year• Students work collaboratively on many
assignments
Budget Activity
Stock Market Game• Teams of 3-4 students compete for 10
weeks• Start with $100,000• Research, buy, and sell stocks using
Internet portal• Track portfolios via mobile apps or web
resources
Stock Market Project• Maintain weekly digital journal of all
decisions for team portfolio• Maintain Excel for portfolio• Use Edmodo to communicate with team
members outside of class• Create final PowerPoint summarizing
portfolio performance
Value of real word financial data
• Comparing investment tools• Examining bank accounts• Tracking interest rates• Researching Credit Cards• Requesting Credit Ratings
PNC Christmas Price Index• Calculated Annually• Fun way for the students to understand
PI concept
Mobile tech• Students may use personal devices for
finance research• Apps include Market trackers,
calculators, browsers, bank apps
Literacy Fair• Students work in groups to research
key financial topics– Credit, Banking accounts, Insurance,
Investing, etc• Information is presented is a “science
fair” format, with at least part of their presentation being computer based– PowerPoint or Video
Tablet program• For 2012-2013 school year• Each Law & Finance Magnet student
will be issued an Android tablet– Includes keyboard, webfilter, teacher
managed system• True 1 to 1• Paperless class