3 Reasons Why Tech Must Be a Part Of a Personal Finance Class

By: Brian Page
The power of mobile phones
Mobile phones have become a part of our culture, particularly for high school students. With a little research and education, they can be used safely and effectively as financial management and financial decision-making tools. At a minimum, consumers should consider using the mobile banking options and text alert reminders offered at banks and credit unions. Consumers should always comparison shop for these services, often times they can be found for free.
We should take advantage of opportunities like the America Saves text message service and encourage our students to bookmark on their smartphones, or follow on their Twitter accounts the organizations that can help them make wise and informed financial choices now and in the future.
Here is a comprehensive lesson on the topic.
Banking online
Online Banking will be an historic term for our current students – – they will just call it banking when they are our age. Online banking can be done safely from anywhere in the world, and allows you to bypass bank lines. You have access to online statements, the power to monitor and make transactions, and even upload checks.
We have to look forward and introduce our students to what they’re going to be doing, rather than teaching them what we used to do through worksheets.
Online safety
Social media tools such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are a part of the everyday lives of most of our students. Sure, there are many advantages of using social media, but we are asking a lot from our young students when their online reputation is always at their fingertips. We have a responsibility to teach our students how to build their reputations, protect themselves from online predators, and use online financial tools responsibly.
There are numerous resources dedicated to teaching students how to be safe and responsible online. My favorite resource is OnGuardOnline.
 
Brian Page is an educator with Reading High School where he was the first recipient, and Ohio’s lone winner of the 2011 Milken National Educator Award. He is the Chair Elect for the Council for Economic Education Teacher Advisory Council. Mr. Page most recently served on the Working Committee for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability

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