The Challenge:
New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority (NHHFA) contracted Designing Digitally, Inc. to develop a program that would guide students through achieving financial freedom by managing their money and improving their credit. NHHFA knew that their students needed a push in the right direction to keep them focused on their financial goals. With a developed training program of nearly 10 learner hours, the challenge was to not only provide the student with engaging information but to keep the student coming back.
The Solution:
Designing Digitally, Inc. designed a secure website specifically to provide students with financial education, but also included activities and coaching to make learning rewarding and fun. By using a board game concept, students are faced with challenges and incentives throughout the training to keep them engaged with each lesson.
Students work through a mock scenario of paying off their debt and saving their money to purchase a house and car at the end of the program. Students start by answering some preliminary financial questions. If answered correctly, the student is rewarded. From there, the student views the information for that financial topic and is then provided a bonus question. If answered correctly, students receive a bit of extra money for scenarios such as having a yard sale or inheriting money from their uncle. If answered incorrectly, money is deducted from their savings for an unexpected expense such as new tires or medical bills.
When the student completes the program, they will purchase a house and car depending on how much money they’ve accumulated throughout the game. Students will then have the ability to enhance their home and yard using a 3D simulation. This simulation lets the student customize aspects of their home with their additional savings. Students can add a garage, patio, and even a backyard pool!
To help students succeed, the website also includes a number of tools, such as an expense tracker, discussion board, periodic savings calculators and more.
For the website administrators, we’ve included reporting features within the site to detail student progression and learning capacity.
The Results:
New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority has an engaging financial training program that allows their students the ability to learn at their own pace and from their own home. With a sense of security, students can safely input their financial information along with having the option of their coach reviewing their budget and family financial goals. Coaches encourage their students by providing them with resources and important information throughout the program.
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