Toilet Paper Hands: Empowering Students with Skills-Based Economic Education to Accelerate Financial Literacy
Game-Changing Multimedia Edutech That Prepares Students for Web3.0 and Financial Independence
Meeting the global shifts in education, technology and finance head on, creators of the Toilet Paper Hands (TPH) Online Educational Program are responding to the exploding demand for online education with innovative edutech; changing the game in economic education so kids today can keep up with the acceleration of web3 integrations in a post-pandemic economy, to redefine what it is to be financially independent.
Using a vibrant UN-endorsed animation series and gamified learning management system, TPH creators deliver lessons in financial literacy, blockchain technology and insightful investing concepts as a way to bridge the gap between current economic education and the opportunities of web3.0.
THE GLOBAL EDUCATION CRISIS
Economic education is at a standstill. Since the pandemic, school systems worldwide have been forced to witness the current shortcomings in both the available financial curriculum and its lack of inclusion; which have been exacerbated by global trends moving away from traditional education and economics, towards the integration of web3 technologies.
This learning crisis is identified by the United Nations as “the greatest global challenge to preparing children for life, work, and active citizenship.” In fact UNESCO is calling for a global education mobilization to address these significant learning losses and “meet the sustainable development goals of the international community.” This real time learning curve is steep, as technology is outpacing the rate of change, forcing existing workers, as well as those entering the workforce, to constantly upgrade their skill set to keep up with the demands of employers.
The current education system isn’t able to keep up with the demand for high-quality education because pre-packaged educational content about personal finance and investing is non-existent. Schools don’t have a way to provide the education that children will need to be successful adults in a world where money is changing, meaning that many children have a lack of access to edutech that delivers next-generation curriculum. Educators are at a loss, looking for new creative ways to teach kids valuable financial information, since most of the current financial education is primarily aimed towards an adult audience.
As a result, digital learning is the quickest growing market in the education industry, showing a whopping 900% growth since 2000. With the rise of e-learning programs, it’s more possible than ever to provide alternative educational materials that students can access online. What’s more important is that educators have the resources to nurture a skill set preparing students for financial independence. It’s crucial to develop entrepreneurial citizens that know how to navigate the latest evolution of the internet, to coincide with the shifting employment landscape — since it’s evident that not just school age kids need to develop new technological and financial competencies; adults who never received this education find themselves at a disadvantage as well.
WHY IS FINANCIAL EDUCATION IMPORTANT?
Financial literacy is important not only because it provides a foundation for informed financial decision-making, but because financial responsibility is increasing. People manage their banking and credit accounts, student debt, mortgage debt, and online trading accounts, among others. In the past employers would manage employees’ retirement accounts. Today individuals assume more of this responsibility with self-directed retirement accounts. With more financial products and accessible credit, consumers have more choices; so lacking financial literacy can impact everything from the amount of money saved to debt owed.
Financial education gives us the ability to understand how money works. Economics teaches us to think logically, use data smartly, and develop strong analytical and problem-solving skills. These together develop the ability to make sound financial decisions and influence the choices we make.
Economics plays a critical role in creating informed citizens, and the lack of progress in ensuring young people have the opportunity to study economics puts them at a disadvantage for years to come. Although the Council for Economic Education (CEE) in the 2022 Survey of the States is troubled by this stagnation, they emphasize that learning doesn’t have to stop, saying “You’re never too young to learn about money.”
A finer point would be to say that it’s never too late to learn either. Financial literacy has a material impact on families as they try to balance their budget, buy a home, fund their children’s education, or ensure an income for retirement. Historically, mothers have looked after the family’s financial planning, fulfilling family needs to a great degree. A smart mother can usher in financial well-being and a sense of stability by prudently managing her family’s budget.
Equipping mothers with a basic financial plan is key for a family’s survival and progression; since financial planning is also an opportunity to indoctrinate a healthy attitude towards money in children. This is not lost on women, especially single mothers, who are more likely to take advantage of online education trends.
REINVENTING ONLINE EDUCATION FOR A TRANSITION TO WEB 3.0
Before the pandemic, the e-learning industry was growing rapidly, with over 100 million students worldwide having enrolled in open online courses. Since then online learning has now become the trend, with the global e-Learning market anticipated to reach $240 billion by 2022. By 2026, projected to reach $336.98 billion
Learning about blockchain and other web3 technologies helps students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, becoming more confident and empowered users of the internet. Empowered users will leverage the internet with increasing skill, as web technologies continue to shape the future of the internet.
Educators are challenged to keep up with the latest trends, in order to prepare students for web3.0 and the impact on their future learning. To navigate this next iteration of web technologies, learners of all ages need to develop the skill set to understand a decentralized internet and the blockchain technology powering it. To that end, educators have to start to think about how they can incorporate these topics into their curriculum.
Effective financial education needs to be well-defined for educators, relevant to learners, provided by educators who are competent in the subject matter, reflective of thoughtful educational design, started at an early age, and linked to decisions that learners are readily able to make.
TOILET PAPER HANDS: A GAMIFIED APPROACH TO FINANCIAL EDUCATION
Toilet Paper Hands (TPH) Online Educational Program is a UN-endorsed breakthrough educational opportunity, created to bridge the gap between the current state of financial education and the need to learn about web3, blockchain & entrepreneurialism. Students who successfully complete the TPH courses receive a certificate of completion — and a resume-worthy skill set to showcase.
Using insights from top educational advisors and stock traders, the lessons learned from real-life investing experience have been consolidated to empower students with the skills they need to seize control of their financial destiny.
“Toilet Paper Hands was created to push the boundaries of financial education that is currently being taught in schools. With our custom built e-learning management software and unique financial animation series, we are in a position to transform how finance is taught. Our e-learning management software will allow parents, tutors, teachers and school systems to use the TPH courses or to eventually make their own. By integrating gamified learning and rewarding incentives, Toilet Paper Hands keeps students engaged, excited and looking forward to each new animation episode bringing more financial adventures.”
Alin Ybarra, Toilet Paper Hands Creator & Founder
Toilet Paper Hands is a complete multimedia learning suite designed to nurture financial independence. The curriculum is delivered through an animated series; storytelling with plot-driving events that make a connection between the student, the animated series and the lessons. The customized learning management system is built to generate an original gamified user experience, activating children’s minds through fun characters, educational games and incentivizing rewards — reinforcing smarter, creative decision making and stronger financial foundations.
By applying the underpinning strategies games use to encourage play and learning, the educational objective is to deliver new concepts in a way that simultaneously cultivates creative, analytical & financial competencies. TPH presents a game-changing approach for educators to integrate into their curriculum and an ideal project for edutech investors to support.
The premier of the flagship multimedia learning suite is expected for Q1, 2023, when the animated series and premium intermediate TPH content will be showcased as a paid service. In order to provide a fair and equitable introduction to the technical concepts that are the basis for the Toilet Paper Hands Online Educational Program, an additional selection of fundamental educational courses have been created for the general public at no charge. The TPH Basics courses are available now, ahead of the 2023 TPH program launch.
TPH BASICS: ENTRY-LEVEL ECONOMICS TO JUMPSTART FINANCIAL LITERACY
The cornerstone of financial security is personal finance education. These (6) introductory courses teach basic financial literacy that caters towards learners of any age or degree of education, allowing a general mainstream audience an optional simplified entry into the intermediate and advanced course content of the TPH multimedia suite.
Those new to the subject matter can begin by exploring fundamental finance, banking and business principles; and earn certificates for these courses similar to students who complete the premium TPH program. This curriculum is designed to support individuals that may need to shore up their financial knowledge to manage their day-to-day financial lives.
- TPH Basics: FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE
The fundamentals of economics are explored through key concepts that explain how and why we make the purchasing choices we do
- TPH Basics: MONEY MANAGEMENT
Essentials for personal financial management, organizing and prioritizing your spending, and how to balance your budget
- TPH Basics: INSIDE BANKING COURSE
An introduction to banking as an ecosystem; including commonly used products and financial instruments
- TPH Basics: ECONOMY
See how money, industry and trade shape the wealth and resources of a country to understand how economic issues impact daily life
- TPH Basics: ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Learn how to turn an idea into a business with the best practices to create a successful business model and strategy from the ground up
- TPH Basics: STOCKS & INVESTING
The guiding principles to stock trading, measuring risk and conducting due diligence with insightful investing strategies
A COMPETENCIES-BASED LEARNING RESOURCE FOR EDUCATORS
After conducting significant industry research, the Toilet Paper Hands creators chose the LearnDash LMS as the learning management platform for TPH course content. Other notable organizations and institutions trusting the LearnDash platform to create their own courses are Tony Robbins, the University of Florida and the University of Michigan.
Like these organizations, TPH utilizes a customized version of the LearnDash LMS which is integrated for the proper conceptual reviews, skill gap analysis, tracking and reporting; with the ability to store content for future applications. Having the LMS built into the TPH platform is highly advantageous to the learning experience: as a controlled learning environment, it’s safer and more secure for private learning groups.
The features of the Toilet Paper Hands learning management system allow for extreme flexibility and take into consideration the competency level of the students. By using a proven instructional strategy, TPH ensures that the theories are put into practice through engaging activities that employ professional educational philosophy.
The education theories behind the TPH multimedia series are grounded in skills-development and experiential learning; guiding students through the different stages of comprehension: concrete learning, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization and active experimentation. Target markets which would benefit most include school districts & financial education programs, grade school students, students in developing countries, the e-learning market and in all financial markets.
Learning Outcomes & Real Life Application
- Stimulate curiosity & raise awareness of careers in finance, investing & blockchain
- Understand the concepts of economics, business & web3.0
- Learn how to think critically
- Apply multiple learning avenues to inspire lateral thinking
EDUCATIONAL TOOLS THAT CULTIVATE 21st CENTURY SKILLS
The intermediate courses of the Toilet Paper Hands Online Educational Program due out in 2023 are presented as richly illustrated original content in an animated series with a great selection of integrations. The learning resources provide comprehensive instruction with practice materials containing exercises, problems, and puzzles to reinforce the lessons and help students achieve optimal outcomes. Students and educators can implement the content for classroom or independent online learning.
Students connect with and relate to the environments and true-to-life challenges through the virtual scenarios enacted by fun relatable characters; who explain the gamified user experience in a way that outlines how to perform well and generates greater enthusiasm for achievement overall, improving the impact of learning.
With clearly established goals and rules, learners explore the cause, effect and consequences of their choices; where they are presented various social and economic incentives for their progression through the course. In this way, the TPH competency-based education is a model that allows for web3 to work within traditional educational institutions — which face their own set of challenges.
Education faces three main challenges that web3 can solve: access, cost, and certification. Access to education is limited by two big constraints: time and location. Rising tuition costs and student debt means fewer people can afford education. People are also less likely to seek extra education after being initially “educated.” Standardized certification, based on the length of time students are in the classroom, doesn’t guarantee any kind of knowledge gain.
Competency-based standardization is a step towards rewarding knowledge over time spent. The rest of the world is hurrying to accommodate that model, as the global Learning Management System (LMS) market is expected to reach $29 billion by 2026, with annual growth of 19.1%.
“Working closely with revolutionary technology such as blockchain, I’m always eager to learn about new systems to replace old and outdated technology. I feel that learning management systems and an online environment is the future of education. Being a frontrunner using new education technology is really important, especially after the lockdowns when many schools were not prepared to educate online.”
Jasper Van Ravenzwaaij — Toilet Paper Hands Technology Advisor
A GAME-CHANGING CURRICULUM LEADING TO ECONOMIC SECURITY
The Toilet Paper Hands Online Educational Program is the only pre-packaged economics, personal finance or investing educational content currently available for students and educators that includes the decentralized nature of blockchain technology.
In recent years web3 has had such a large impact on people everywhere as a result of “play to earn” models, that wealth created from the popularity of trading has given many people in developing countries opportunities to upgrade their living and gain greater access to many of the common luxuries in the developed world.
“When we talk about pillars of education and what kids need to learn in order to have a higher chance of success in life, why is no one talking about money and finances? With Google replacing any and all need to memorize all the old outdated textbooks, now is the perfect time for the great educational reset from books to online. With an adaptable, interactive, engaging platform, the Toilet Paper Hands Online Education Program is cultivating the most important skill one needs to master in life for a higher chance of success — and that is how to play and win at the game of money. The gap from wealth to poverty is never because of a lack of intelligence, it is from a lack of education. When education is fun, anyone will crave to learn more and master the skill of finances and money management.”
Randy Kujawa, Toilet Paper Hands Investor Relations
This is particularly vital, considering how content is consumed in underdeveloped countries; where advancement in technology has allowed 67% of students to complete online programs using just mobile phones. As one of the fastest-growing trends in the industry with an annual growth rate of 23%, it has been predicted that the mobile education market will be valued at over $280 billion by 2027.
Between the impetus for education to keep up with seismic economic and web shifts, and the data revealing how much achievement is possible with minimal technological resources — it’s no surprise then, that a new breed of investors, venture capitalists and educational partners are stepping up to lead the growth of edutech and online education around the world.
A WINNING IDEA FOR THE EDUTECH INVESTOR COMMUNITY
EduTech, Angel Investors & Venture Capitalists alike agree that technology-enabled projects & education make good investments. Investor groups currently active in this space tend to fund companies that share a similar vision of accelerating people in key areas of their lives; by investing in early- and growth-stage edutech companies that are preparing for the future.
The Empretec Center for Entrepreneurial Development (CEDE PANAMÁ), in an exclusive joint venture with the United Nations Empretec Program on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is establishing professional relationships between Toilet Paper Hands and their global education partners for that same reason.
With an official endorsement from the United Nations bringing significant credibility and expanded reach to the project, Toilet Paper Hands is uniquely positioned to access multiple markets. Partnering with pillar program Empretec/UN UNCTAD allows TPH the opportunity to be released to underdeveloped nations, educating children worldwide and setting a new precedent in the delivery of economics curriculum.
“For our program it is important to find partners that align with our objectives, because the formation of an entrepreneurial mindset is directly connected to financial education. Obtaining a simple, didactic and up-to-date material such as the proposal of Toilet Paper Hands allows us to integrate business skills while connecting with different cultures, languages and academic levels. As we close valuable learning gaps in favor of the United Nations SDG/2030, it is important to continue uniting people and organizations that believe in education and equal opportunities, in order to break cycles of poverty and establish truly sustainable growth for our societies.”
Lourdes Navarro, Director of the United Nations Empretec Program in Panama.
The Toilet Paper Hands Online Educational Program is UN-endorsed to nurture a new generation of internet citizens with the creative and intellectual abilities to redefine what it is to be financially independent.
EDUTAINMENT MEETS FINTECH
What the pandemic has emphasized for us is that we need to nurture an entrepreneurial skill set and internet savvy to make the most of an increasingly decentralized financial landscape and to expand our individual economic potential.
Money is changing. The shape of work has morphed into a digital meritocracy. Personal financial responsibilities are increasing in time with post-pandemic aftershocks. More and more, households need to generate multiple streams of income to survive.
It’s never been more critical to develop the financial skills acumen necessary to keep pace with the speed of change. Now gamified learning can be leveraged to lead students on the frontier of web technologies, serving to embed the fundamental competencies to strengthen their financial foundations with skills to expand their resources successfully.
By utilizing human-centric storytelling, the Toilet Paper Hands online learning management system is transcending genres, blurring the line between education and entertainment, as “edutainment” that delivers incredibly overdue pre-packaged economic education. Recent statistics show that online learning may increase the retention rate up to 60%; making the edutainment content presented by TPH a performance-enhancing e-learning solution to the demand for economic education.
For the essential key concepts needed to brush up on fundamentals of economics, personal finance, banking, entrepreneurship or investing, students will soon be able to complete any of the (6) free introductory courses that are being released ahead of the 2023 flagship launch of the TPH multimedia suite.
Education leaders can learn more about the Toilet Paper Hands learning management system and monitor the latest developments by signing up to the TPH newsletter.
As fintech continues to accelerate, financial brands are looking for ways to create deeper and more meaningful connections with consumers. For investor relations and edutech partnership inquiries, reach out to the TPH team.
The courses, newsletter and edutech opportunities are all available at https://toiletpaperhands.com/
