Insurance Education Institute
For Middle School and High School Teachers
Blueprint
2009 Edition
1
I.
Purpose
The Griffith Insurance Education Foundation has been conducting middle school and high school teacher
institutes since 1986. Teachers often deal with insurance as part of their basic curriculum, yet have little
insurance background, often spend little time on it, are uncomfortable with the material, have limited resources,
and often have a negative image of the industry. The Insurance Education Institutes help teachers overcome
these barriers and enable them to become effective insurance educators. The Griffith Foundation has historically
administered and funded between three and seven institutes a year. The “Blueprint for Replication (Blueprint)”
was developed to maintain high standards and to provide consistency between the programs.
II.
Description
The blueprint is a tool that creates a very specific set of guidelines required of each university to comply with
the funding requirements of the Griffith Foundation. A lot of details and planning are required by the university
coordinating the institute to make sure it runs smoothly and accomplishes the established goals. The bulk of the
blueprint consists of the “Institute Operation” which outlines topics such as curriculum guidelines, special
events, class size, faculty, teacher selection, evaluation, budget guidelines, and marketing. The blueprint is
periodically updated and modified to keep up with teacher tendencies and university requirements.
III.
Institute Objectives
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To enable institute participants to become more effective insurance educators
To provide the knowledge and tools for educators to understand all forms of insurance, with
emphasis on the relevance to students
To distribute teaching materials, instruct in the development of lesson plans, and to provide
networking opportunities for teachers
To maintain the integrity and value of the institutes by partnering with accredited universities and
respected professors to deliver the content
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IV.
Institute Operation
A. Curriculum Guidelines
1.
Curriculum Design
The curriculum is designed to provide participants with the following:
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An increased knowledge of insurance including; basic principles, coverage’s, consumer
considerations, social and economic importance, and personal responsibility
Understand basic risk management techniques and how insurance fits into risk management
Ability to make insurance relevant to students and help them become more financially literate
Access to educational resources for their classroom on insurance
An understanding of the variety of career opportunities and how students work towards
insurance careers
Three hours of graduate credit or continuing education credit upon successful completion of
the program
2.
Schedules
Universities may choose the format of their institute whether it be two weeks on campus or
online instruction leading up to on site classroom interaction and participation. Universities may
also choose a different format than listed above with prior approval from the Griffith Foundation.
3.
Topics
Institutes are to follow a common curriculum (appendix I) in order to receive funding from the
Griffith Foundation. The sequence of topics may be determined by grantee and a range of
required hours per topic is provided to allow for flexibility. Institute administrators are to furnish
the Griffith Foundation each year, in advance an agenda and a list of topics and time allotments.
Every effort should be made to incorporate the insurance standards for high school students and
how teachers can apply them in their classroom (appendix II).
4.
Field Trips
Two field trips are recommended. These field trips can be used to compliment instruction on
insurance company operations as well as provide a better opportunity to learn more about careers
in insurance.
5.
Textbook
A regular textbook on insurance is to be purchased for each participant for reading assignments
and as a resource for the teachers. Each university has the option on the text they use.
6.
Notebook
Each university will develop their own notebook (can be web-based) each year, incorporating
lecture outlines, handouts, published pamphlets, and training materials useful for high school
classes. A copy of all the material must be sent to the Griffith Foundation. Each notebook should
include:
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7.
A complete schedule of events, classes, and times
An overview of the curriculum and applicable textbook pages
A list of institute participants to include their personal and school contact information
Speaker biographies
Outlines for each subject area
Relevant policy forms
Handouts and homework problems
University policies for residents and guests
Class Picture
Evaluation forms or website links to evaluation
Group Projects
Faculty will instruct groups on the development and presentation of lesson plan or service learning
projects. Outside computer lab time should be available for the completion of these projects.
Presentations will be made as the final activity before graduation. Projects are to be submitted,
along with permission of authors to reprint, to the Griffith Foundation in electronic format upon
the completion of the institute.
B. Special Events
1.
Social Activities
It is suggested that two special events be scheduled for participants during the institute. This
could include special dinners, cookouts, participation in a cultural event, or other special activities.
2.
Graduation
A graduation luncheon/dinner should be planned for the closing, and participants should receive
certificates recognizing their completion of the program at that time. The Griffith Foundation will
provide certificates of accomplishment if names are received on the certificate template five days
prior to the graduation ceremony (appendix III). Any special awards should also be given at this time.
C. Class Size
Universities should submit the number of scholarships for teachers they would like to educate at their
institute by October 1st of the preceding year. It is recommended that class size be approximately
thirty-five to assure maximum interaction and financially viable. Class size can be adjusted prior to the
institute with permission from the Griffith Foundation.
D. Faculty
In-house, full-time insurance faculty or visiting insurance faculty will conduct the majority of classes,
complimented by select guest speakers from the industry and/or the State Insurance Department. Field
trips to insurance company offices are encouraged and can complement the classroom knowledge if
they are well planned, practically oriented, and relevant.
Faculty for the institute should hold a terminal degree in an academic area of insurance, business or risk
management and/or appropriate insurance designations. Evidence of excellence in the teaching of
insurance either in an academic or corporate setting is necessary. Ability to work with adult learners is
also important.
E. Participant Selection Process
1.
Eligibility
To meet eligibility requirements, applicants must be teaching a course leading to a high school
diploma that can contain insurance instruction.
2.
Selection
To be considered for admission to an Insurance Education Institute, interested educators must
complete a standardized application form (appendix IV).
Selection will be based on eligibility, the quality of the applicant's response as to why he or she
desires to attend the institute, the extent to which insurance will be incorporated into classes and
how they will apply what they learn at the institute to the classroom.
Applications should be reviewed by a selection committee, to be determined by each respective
university. Committee members may consist of a dean from Business Administration or
Education, an insurance faculty member, the institute administrator, or others actively involved
with the operation of the institute.
Teachers must be from a high school or middle school. However, priority must be given to high
school teachers.
3.
Waiting Lists
Grantee universities are expected to coordinate with each other in the application process to assure
that all qualified applicants are duly considered. Consideration should be given to accepting more
than thirty-five (35) teachers in order to better assure a full class. If an institute is full, teachers
should be given priority the following year.
4.
Deposit
Each University may require applicants selected for the program to provide a room and board
deposit (to be determined by Grantee University), fully refundable up to one month before
orientation. Refunds after that point are up to the discretion of institute administrators.
F. Evaluation of Institute
1. Pre-Survey
A questionnaire, provided electronically by the Griffith Foundation must be distributed to the
participants before the opening session of the institute. The questionnaire provides basic
information from the teacher which provides the university and Griffith Foundation initial results
before they complete an institute.
2. Post-Survey
In order to assess the success of the institute, a second questionnaire, also provided electronically
by the Griffith Foundation, should be completed the last day of the institute. This questionnaire will
survey participants opinions on insurance issues, career opportunities, usefulness and level of topics
covered, instructors knowledge, preparedness and ability to present, future plans for coving
insurance topics, and faculties. However, the most important information will be comparative
questions taken on the pre and post surveys that compare changes in understanding and attitudes on
insurance.
3. 1 Year Follow-up Survey
Approximately one year following completion of the Institute, the Griffith Foundation will send
each teacher a follow-up evaluation to assess the impact of the institutes on teaching, the use of the
materials, and implementation in their classroom.
4. Administrators Meeting
The administrators from each grantee university will meet periodically as determined by the
Griffith Foundation to compare experiences and evaluate results. Modifications to the institute may
be incorporated where needed, based on input from the meetings.
G. Evaluation of Faculty
Faculty and speakers will be evaluated by participants at the end of the program. Criteria may include:
meeting stated objectives, organization and preparedness, responsiveness to questions, grasp of material,
ability to explain material to participants, methodologies, use of materials and AV aids, attitude towards
participants, or other important indicators of effective teaching.
H. Budget Guidelines
1.
Grants
Grants for the institute will cover the costs for 3 hours of graduate credit or continuing education
credit, room and board (schools may wish to require the weekend meals be covered by participants),
administration, marketing, classroom materials, honoraria for instructors, travel for field trips, social
activities and graduation meals, certificates and pictures, etc.
The Griffith Foundation will remit to the university 85% of the actual registrations three weeks prior
to the institutes. Grants must be presented to the Griffith Foundation in the format provided by
November 1st of the preceding year (appendix V). The grants will be distributed on a per teacher
amount agreed upon by the university and the Griffith Foundation. Upon completion of the institute,
the university will submit a final registration list for a final grant settlement.
2.
Grant Refunds
Institutes will be responsible for refunding grant money to Griffith Foundation for any unfilled seats.
This refund will be due thirty days after the closing session of the institute.
3.
Materials
At a minimum, teachers should receive textbooks, workbooks, materials necessary to develop lesson
plans (flipcharts, markers, etc.), and a variety of handouts for use in their classrooms. The Griffith
Foundation will provide each grantee university with a selection of teaching materials available for
distribution to the teachers.
4.
Pictures
A class picture should be taken and made available to each participant and the Griffith Foundation
program coordinator. The Griffith Foundation recommends that pictures be taken throughout the onsite portion of the institute and are forwarded to the Griffith Foundation for use in marketing
materials.
5.
Participant Travel
Participants are responsible for travel to and from the school and weekend meals where designated.
Outside activities are not covered by the grant.
6.
Changes to Policy
Any changes to the policy regarding budget guidelines are subject to Board approval.
I.
Marketing
1.
Promotion
Promotion of the next institute may begin upon notification from the Griffith Foundation that the
university will receive funding for the next institute.
2.
Target Audience
This institute is for educators who teach insurance as a specific course or as an integral part of
some other subject such as business, consumer education, economics, social science, family
and consumer science, mathematics, career education, or driver education.
The primary benchmark to determine an applicant’s eligibility is the amount of time an
applicant devotes to classroom instruction on insurance. The institute is for teachers teaching
students about risk management and insurance principles.
3.
Method
Several methods can be used to market this program. Examples of best practices include:
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The mailing of brochures and cover letters to teachers, administrators and past
institute participants for referrals
Listing the workshop in the respective universities' summer session catalogs
Sending information to state departments of education, state educational associations,
and other professional teacher associations for inclusion in their newsletters
Press releases sent to major newspapers in the targeted geographic areas
Posters sent to teachers and principals for posting on bulletin boards
Personal visits to local schools
Obtaining mailing lists from professional organizations
Sending "save the date" fliers or postcards before the end of the year
Website promotion and links to other institutes and organizations
Availability of on-line registration
Contact with state and local educational providers
Attendance at business and family and consumer sciences conferences, including
presentations and exhibits
University alumni who are business and family and consumer science teachers
4. Printed Material
Institutes may design their own brochures; however, a draft is to be sent to the Griffith
Foundation for final approval before submitting to printer. In the promotional brochure, it is
extremely important to publish verbiage about applications being sent to only one institute
location.
5.
Appropriate Consideration for all Applicants
Many applicants are willing to attend more than one location. Therefore, schools must
coordinate closely in the marketing activity to assure that all qualified applicants receive
appropriate consideration.
J. Summary Report
A report on the techniques used and the degree of success of each is due to Griffith Foundation
30 days from completion of each institute. The administrator’s checklist provides key dates that
reports and materials are due to the Griffith Foundation (appendix VI). The report should also
use the provided templates to report attendee’s information and guest speaker information
(appendix VII & VIII).
APPENDIX I
CURRICULUM GUIDELINES
Subject
Range of
Hours for each
Topic
Standard
Introduction and Overview of How Insurance Works
2-3
1
Risk Management
2-4
1
Property and Liability Insurance
2-4
2
Renters and Homeowners Insurance
3-5
2
Automobile Insurance
3-5
2
Life Insurance
2-3
3
Annuities and Pensions
2-3
3
Worker's Compensation
1-2
3
Health Insurance and Disability Income
3-5
3
Social Security and Medicare
1-2
3
Family Financial Planning
2-4
3
Types of Insurance Companies and Marketing Systems
1-2
4
Insurance Company Operations and Careers in Insurance
2-4
4
Insurance Regulation and Legal Environment
1-3
4
Reinsurance
1-2
4
Current issues in insurance
3-4
throughout
Group Presentations
2-4
throughout
Using Technology to teach Risk Management and Insurance
1-3
throughout
Lesson Plan Development
4-8
throughout
Application Form
2009
Insurance Education Institute
Sponsored by the Griffith Insurance Education Foundation
(Graduate Credit Course)
(Please print clearly or type.)
 Mr.  Mrs.  Ms.
Name:
Date of Birth:___________
Teaching Position:
Number of Years You Have Taught:
Grade Level:___________________________________
School Name:
__________
School Principal:
School Address:
Home Address:
Telephone:
Day:
Evening:
Fax:
Email:
College degrees received and institution:
Subject(s) taught that include(s) insurance in the curriculum:
______
_____
Have you taken an insurance course for academic credit or received insurance-related training of any kind?
 Yes
 No
If yes, please indicate your experience working in the insurance industry:
Housing: Check if you will require housing by the university (housing is free)
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On a separate sheet of paper, please tell us: 1) what you hope to learn in this institute; 2) your goals for attending the
program; and 3) how you will apply what you learn in the institute to your classroom.
RETURN APPLICATION TO THE INSTITUTE OF YOUR CHOICE.
(Apply to only one institute please!)