ESSI MONEY

Register and Overview

ESSI Money is a classroom resource and is free for Australian educators.  You need to be a member of the Financial Basics Foundation for access to the full range of Financial Basics Foundation classroom resources, including ESSI Money.

Not a member? Sign Up for Membership here.

If you’re already a Member login here to view your existing ESSI Money classes or to register a new class.

Information and documentation supporting educators when using ESSI Money

1. Registering your class
2. Game play
3. Game functions
4. Using ESSI Money in the classroom
5. Extra resources available to teachers
6. Monitoring class performance and tracking individual student progress

1. Registering your Class

We recommend separate registrations for each of your classes. For every class you register you receive an ESSI Money Game Link for students to play the game and a Teacher Only Class Link. Each game link allows for a maximum of 40 students to play 5 games each. Just register for a new game for extra classes or if you have more than 40 students playing. To keep your class management page organised, it’s a good idea to clearly label your class name, for example, 2023 Term 1 Year 9B Mathematics.

You can register as many classes as you need as often as you like.

You must provide access to the Game Link to your students. Each student must then click on the Game Link to register as a user. This user registration also allows students to manage their own password reset facility

2. Game Play

  • ESSI Money is an interactive structured financial literacy e-learning game, designed around the concept of a challenge or quest.
  • The player is required to make a series of financial decisions over a period of time in order to achieve the best possible financial result.
  • The player experiences the consequences of decisions made throughout the game.
  • Events are random, and no two games are the same.
  • The positive and negative effects of financial decisions made over an extended period of time are demonstrated.
  • The game uses educational scaffolding (through Finance Weekly articles and quizzes) to create an authentic learning experience.
  • The outcome of the game is the net worth (assets less liabilities) the student has at the end of the 6 month period.

3. Game Functions

Students are able to:

  • Apply for jobs and earn an income
  • Open bank accounts and set up direct debit authorizations
  • Set financial goals
  • Create and operate within a budget
  • Open savings and term deposit accounts
  • Pay regular living expenses
  • Buy and sell goods online for cash or credit
  • Explore a new financial topic each week in the Finance Weekly online article
  • Answer Finance Weekly quiz questions, as well as random end of week questions to earn bonus cash
  • Apply for and operate a credit card account
  • Invest in shares
  • Make decisions on financial offers and invitations through texts and emails
  • Experience bankruptcy conditions if payments exceed receipts

4. Using ESSI Money in the Classroom

  • Introduction to a topic or unit to capture interest
  • End of topic/unit activity to consolidate learning
  • Introduction and conclusion to a unit to measure shift in learning
  • Throughout a unit of study lessons can be designed around Finance Weekly articles.
  • Standalone activity
  • Reward
  • Homework
  • Assessment
  • Competition (use teacher’s class link to monitor progress)

5. Extra Resources Available to Teachers

  • You are supported by Content Notes and technical assistance via this website.
  • Full text for each of the Finance Weekly articles is provided in Finance Weekly content notes  which give you the flexibility to plan your lessons around the game.

6. Monitoring Class Performance and Tracking Individual Students Performance

Access the teacher dashboard by clicking on the VIEW CLASS tab in the ESSI Money Class Management link on your profile page, or by clicking on the Teacher Only Link sent via email. A leader board with a range of reporting data is accessible for each of your registered classes.

You are able to select and track an individual student’s weekly activity as they progress through the game. You can also review diary entries and results for both Finance Weekly Quizzes and random end of week questions.