3.2 COMMUNITY BANKS & CURRENCIES

Introduction

Discuss with pupils the (long-term) consequences of the current monetary system with its built-in debt creation and possible alternatives, such as ethical/social banking, local currency, gift economy, time banking, sustainable investment and savings. This is followed by practical assignments, such as mapping existing local alternative money systems, conducting an experiment with time banking, designing a new currency and more.

Relevance

Why?

Banking systems and currencies are based on debt & unsustainable

How?

Review alternative, ethical systems

What?

Conduct alternative monetary experiments in class

SDG’s

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production; SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

Subjects

Mathematics, society studies.

Learning outcomes

  • Describes main features of debt-based monetary system
  • Recognizes the role & outcomes of interest in current monetary systems
  • Bring examples of alternative currencies
  • Explains the effect of an alternative currency to the local region
  • Bring examples of & discuss crypto currencies aimed to sustainability
  • Describes social banking and describes examples at local and regional levels
  • Explains concept of gift economy & the principles of time banking
  • Describes main features of debt-based monetary system
  • Recognizes the role & outcomes of interest in current monetary systems
  • Bring examples of alternative currencies
  • Explains the effect of an alternative currency to the local region
  • Bring examples of & discuss crypto currencies aimed to sustainability
  • Describes social banking and describes examples at local and regional levels
  • Explains concept of gift economy & the principles of time banking
  • Makes calculations of how banks issue new money based on loans
  • Conducts an experiment of time banking with pupils over period of time
  • Investigates & maps local projects / enterprises of microcredit, crowdfunding, sustainability investments & saving funds & other alternative financial measures
  • Designs a project of a potential alternative currency for the school/ local community
  • Researches and presents an example of alternative currency
  • Visits ethical / social bank with class/group

Open Learning Activities

Key concepts

  • Money and money systems
  • Experiments with local investments and local currency systems
  • Community Banks
  • Microcredit

Videos

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Last modified: Wednesday, 22 February 2023, 12:51 PM