The University of Idaho Extension Has Launched A New Video Game which Entertains & Educates.
The new video game which is called "Night of the Living Debt" combines zombies and debt, and taps into popular culture to help young people learn more about dealing with money and their personal finances. “Night of the Living Debt” offers lessons in financial literacy for young people through a video game scenario created by University of Idaho Extension educators Luke Erickson and Lyle Hansen. Funded by agricultural lender CoBank, the game was developed by New Mexico State University for the Northwest Youth Financial Education program.
Northwest Farm Credit Services funded the five-state program in 2014 to help young people develop a better understanding of the financial choices consumers face. The free game is available for distribution on Apple iTunes for use on iPads.
During the game, players must earn income by finding prizes and cashing them in. The next step is deciding whether to invest in a college education, a car or a more expensive home, and whether to save money or get a credit card. Credit cards are a key to establishing good credit in the game, a notion that goes against popular financial advice. But credit isn’t risk-free: Deciding to use credit creates a zombie that stalks the cardholder demanding payment until the debt is satisfied. Or the rent zombie appears to collect. Or the car payment zombie.
The game teaches players that some debt can help them to establish good credit. The trick is to use the card enough times and to pay it regularly so that players create a positive credit history. Overextending themselves, in the game’s world as in real life, makes them vulnerable financially.
UI's Lyle Hansen said, “Night of the Living Debt” is more about budgeting and matching income with expenses. “The core concept of having a good credit score is you have to be a good budgeter and be a good manager with your money.”
Luke Erickson said, “There’s a lot of research out there that says learning through gaming is actually very effective because it is experiential learning in a digital environment,” We’re creating a fictional digital environment but where there are real consequences to decisions.
“It’s a playful idea but at the same time you actually learn real consequences,” Erickson said. “If you don’t keep up with your bills and make your payment on time the zombies come and take a bite out of you and your credit score.”
If you'd like to view the complete story, visit the University of Idaho official website at this link:
http://www.uidaho.edu/news/news-articles/news-releases/2016-june/061016-debtgame
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