The Financial Literacy Project
How to use the Financial Literacy Modules
The MQED financial literacy modules are part of an initiative based at the Financial Literacy Center, supported by that center and the Department of Mathematics at Dartmouth College. Designed to be used at a variety of levels across a range of courses, these modules may be used directly from the online web source if so desired. Each module is structured as a slide presentation, supported by numerous activities, discussion questions, ideas for writing assignments, and advice to the instructor. Each module includes explicit ties to quantitative reasoning skills. When appropriate, explicit connections are also made to issues confronting future teachers.
Our research into existing materials supporting the teaching of financial literacy disclosed multiple modes of discourse. The words mathematicians use to describe important concepts are quite different from those used by economists. These differ in turn from words used by financial advisors, while the average person speaks in yet another way about money. Our goal is for students to recognize concepts from across this range of discourse, and to connect them in such a way that they can recall and use them later. Each module therefore includes multiple vocabularies drawn from these different backgrounds, often through the use of video. We want instructors to use all of them when teaching.
We have made these modules rich enough to support a variety of approaches. We would like the user to read through not only the main presentation, in which a particular story evolves, but also the links to support materials and instructor notes before deciding how to proceed. Done in full depth, a module could require several class periods. An instructor is free to choose among many shorter options.
Financial literacy is an important life skill. We hope these modules will inspire you to use them in mathematics, economics, social science, business, writing, and quantitative reasoning courses.