Teaching Finance To Non Specialist Students

Information is significant to the extent that it is constructed by the learner and associated with previously attained
information. In this process, making use of concept, mind and knowledge maps facilitates information to be organised and
embodied through two-dimensional visual representations. These visual representations, which are effective in preventing
misconception or incomplete concept development, function as developers of learners’ high-order thinking skills such as
establishing cause and effect relationship, analysis, synthesis and evaluation as well as of their creativity. Learning the
legislation for taxation, which is the most important public revenue of the state and the implementation of this legislation in
an effective way, is important especially for the undergraduate students of the public finance department. Taxation course is a
course in which the information attained in previous courses “tax law”, “tax jurisdiction”, “tax enforcement law”, and
“Turkish Taxation System” is reconstructed and associated with each other. This research was done from the viewpoint that
the usage of concept and mind maps in Taxation course would contribute to embodying of information, establishment of
cause and effect relationships and development of high-order thinking skills. Participants of the study were 157 final year
undergraduate students of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Department of Public Finance of a state
university in Marmara Region. The study was designed as a case study, the practice maintained six weeks, and at the end of
the practice, students’ views were received. Data was analysed through content analysis. As a result of the analysis, it was
determined that the students had generally positive opinions towards the practices and stated that their performances were
increased especially even in a difficult course such as tax legislation.

Financial Education is an essential life skill and is a specialization module in adult education and training. Within the financial education domain, a sub-module would be on financial instruments, such as Mutual Funds. Mutual Funds are small retail investor-friendly investment tools. They are increasingly getting investor interest worldwide because they can provide potential solutions for short-and long-term investing. However, like any other financial/investing topic, teaching mutual fund concepts is challenging because of its unique vocabulary, jargon, and investment processes. The paper highlights broad modules that can be part of a typical mutual fund curriculum. Pedagogical Action Research is used to build the teaching modules focusing on narrativity, pupil's agency, curriculum development, practical theories, and ethics. Findings from this work can help teachers and trainers in the financial domain, mutual fund distributors, asset management companies, and the capital market regulators in building financial products that are easier to understand and invest in by small retail investors.