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learn$ave Project: Final ReportAppendix Blearn$ave financial management training curriculumThis appendix provides a more detailed description ofthe learn$ave financial management training curriculumthan provided in Chapter 3 of the report. The curriculumcombined the concept of Prior Learning Assessment andRecognition (PLAR)with the more standard elements offinancial management training. The PLAR element wasintended to help participants recognize existing skills andpersonal attributes that they possess and that would helpthem achieve their goals. As part of PLAR, participantswere asked to identify barriers that could preventthem from achieving their goals as well as strategies toovercome those barriers. As for the financial managementcomponent, several standard financial topics formedpart of the curriculum, including spending patterns andconsumerism, household budgets, credit ratings andinvesting.In most cases the curriculum was delivered in the formof five three-hour modules; however; sometimes alternateformats were used — such as two modules presentedtogether on a Saturday. In such cases the order of theexercises was often reorganized to make them moreappropriate for an all-day session.In each of the modules the facilitators were expectedto cover all of the topics but there was some flexibilityto adapt the module to the needs of their groups. Forexample, facilitators could vary the amount of time on anygiven topic, engage guest speakers for given topics, anduse additional resources such as web sites.In order to address concerns that site staff had aboutthe curriculum, SEDI convened a workshop in the fallof 2002. Based on the results of that workshop, thecurriculum was revised. This summary of the curriculumis based on the revised facilitators’ guide and exercisesdistributed in February 2003.Module 1: Introduction to learningand learn$ave accountsThe first module introduced participants to some of thekey concepts of PLAR, which emphasizes that peoplelearn much of what they know outside formal classrooms.Some of the exercises in the first module were intended tohelp participants recognize the difference between formaland informal learning. As well, the exercises helpedparticipants to “evidence” informal learning and realizehow this learning can be transferred to different contexts.Evidencing means articulating and providing proof ofskills that have been learned — for example, a participantcould show a pair of woollen mittens to illustrate thatthey can knit.During the first module facilitators introduced thelearn$ave portfolio which participants were expectedto assemble after the course. The portfolio was meantto provide evidence of the participant’s past learningefforts and achievements and to state the participant’sfuture goals. Participants were asked to compile all ofthe relevant exercises that they had completed as part ofthe curriculum and include them in the portfolio. Theywere also encouraged to add additional documents suchas certificates that would provide proof of their priorlearning success.The first module included a review of the key aspectsof the learn$ave account protocols. Participants werealso asked about their personal financial situation as partof a “financial fitness quiz.” For a home assignment theywere given a template and asked to record all of theirspending transactions for a period of one week. Theywere also encouraged to obtain their personal creditreport and were given information on how this report canbe obtained.Module 2: Traits, passions, dreams, and goalsDuring the second module, facilitators asserted thatmoney is a value-laden term. Participants engaged ina discussion about the perspectives that their family,friends and society have on money and how those viewshave influenced them. They also debated the relationshipbetween spending and making choices. A central issuethat often arose in this discussion concerned the extentto which many expenses are fixed or can be varied, i.e.,postponed. These discussions led into a discussion aboutbudgeting: facilitators presented templates with whichparticipants could record their income and expenses anda template to summarize the important features of theirbudgets.The other component of this module concernedpersonality type, values and goals. Participants engagedin a series of exercises to help determine their personalitytype and values. During one exercise, participantswere told that they had been invited to six parties andthey had to select three of them. Each party was intendedfor one of the six Holland Code personality types:Realistic/Practical, Investigative/Inquiring, Artistic/Creative, Social/Helping, Enterprising/Persuading, andConventional/Organizing. Participants were then askedto relate their personality type and values to the skillsnecessary for their learn$ave goal. It was hoped that bylearning more about themselves they would be in a betterposition to make better choices about possible learn$avegoals. As an assignment, participants were asked toSocial Research and Demonstration Corporation Appendix B | 119