A Demand-Driven Approach to Financial Education: The Web Encyclopaedia of Financial Scholars in Italy

Abstract

This paper describes a financial education (FE) experiment organized in Italy by the National Association of Scholars on Financial Institutions and Markets (ADEIMF). The international experience of FE programs addressed to children, as well as findings on learning/cognitive attitudes of adults, motivate the choice of a demand-driven approach to FE. From an empirical analysis of FE needs, researchers extracted 15 financial terms and created a corresponding number of FE tools that have been included in an open-access WEB encyclopaedia. Precisely, each word has been explicated by ADEIMF scholars thanks to a homogenous ‘format’, in terms of both video-graphic presentation and length (120 seconds). The format has been designed to comply with the typical time-constraints of adults, as well as to ease/foster their attitude towards knowledge.

The WEB academic encyclopaedia has been disseminated by exploiting a network approach with Italian financial authorities and media. The expected result is an increase of outcomes and efficacy of FE programs in Italy, based on free patterns of knowledge among the academic programs and the other FE tools offered at various levels.

Keywords: Household Saving, Personal Finance, Consumer Protection, Analysis of Education, Educational Finance

JEL Classification: D14, D18, I21, I22