Serious Games to Build Teens' Financial Capability - Update

by on 15 August, 2008 - 03:07

Serious Games help children learn about managing their finances

Via: Caspian Learning & Experian - Creditability Game

I had briefly touched on the partnership between Caspian Learning and Experian in my previous post Serious Games To Build Teens' Financial Capability.

Here is some updated info.

Basically, Experian together with Caspian Learning has launched a performance simulation game for children to learn about money, borrowing and spending.

Creditability is set in four different environments: university, a shopping precinct, TV studios and a village. The purpose of the game is to successfully complete the various tasks and challenges within each environment, building up knowledge on budgeting, managing money, renting or buying a property, identifying fraud, and applying for and managing credit

The free game was tried and tested by a number of students at Chilwell School in Nottingham and is now available for download via the Experian site for students and teachers alike at http://www.experian.co.uk/creditability/play.html

Teachers interested in using the game as part of lessons will be provided with full teachers notes and lesson plans. Players can exchange views and tips by visiting the games very own Bebo page - www.bebo.com/creditability

PRESS RELEASE

Experian®, the global information services company, has made learning about money, borrowing and spending, easier and more fun for children with the launch of its new Creditability 3D role-playing computer game.

Creditability, powered by Caspian Learning’s Thinking World’s technology, is aimed at children and young adults and provides a unique way for them to learn about managing their finances. Creditability takes players on a journey through four separate environments where they learn, through a range of challenges, about different financial scenarios.

Creditability has been developed and tested in secondary schools across the country and comes with teacher notes and lesson plans.

Tony Winfield, Head of ICT at Chilwell School in Nottingham, comments: “We've had a group of 10 students playing the game and their response has been absolutely great. Creditability engages the children in an innovative, interesting and fun way, helping them to learn about managing their own finances - which has often been seen as a dry subject.”

James Jones, Consumer Education Manager at Experian, comments: “As financial decisions become ever more crucial and complex, it’s essential we equip our youngsters with the skills and knowledge they will need to manage money and credit successfully. While Experian is well known for promoting responsible lending, under our long-running consumer education programme we also work on a number of initiatives to encourage responsible borrowing. We hope young learners will find our latest resource, Creditability, a fun and engaging way to learn about money and credit.”

The game is already gaining recognition in the education sector after being awarded a Quality Mark by pfeg, the Personal Finance Education Group.

Creditability is also receiving praise from the credit industry. Philip King, Director General of the Institute of Credit Management, comments: "The ICM is pleased to be lending its support to Creditability, which brings the issue of credit directly into the classroom. It is a well-thought out and executed learning project for young people that introduces them to the positive aspects of credit as well as the dangers of financial mismanagement."

About Experian

Experian is a global leader in providing information, analytical and marketing services to organisations and consumers to help manage the risk and reward of commercial and financial decisions.

Combining its unique information tools and deep understanding of individuals, markets and economies, Experian partners with organisations around the world to establish and strengthen customer relationships and provide their businesses with competitive advantage.

For consumers, Experian delivers critical information that enables them to make financial and purchasing decisions with greater control and confidence. Clients include organizations from financial services, retail and catalogue, telecommunications, utilities, media, insurance, automotive, leisure, e-commerce, manufacturing, property and government sectors.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Experian has corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and has operational headquarters in Costa Mesa, California and Nottingham, UK. The Group employs approximately 15,500 people in 38 countries worldwide, supporting clients in over 65 countries around the world. Continuing sales for the year ended 31 March 2008 were $4,059m (£2,020m / €2,858m).

For more information, visit

www.experiangroup.com.

About Caspian Learning

Launched in 2002, Caspian Learning is a provider of 3D learning based games applications to the education, public sector and private industry.

Caspian Learning combines research into learning and memory processes with the interactivity and engagement benefits offered by 3D computer games technologies.

Caspian Learning can take content from any subject area and utilise its technology to create specific learning applications within a tailored 3D games based environment.

Original Post: http://elianealhadeff.blogspot.com/2008/08/serious-games-to-build-teens-financial.html