Illinois Marketplace and Maker Literacy Program

Aric Rindfleisch &Vishal Sachdev

MakerLab, College of Business

Madhu ViswanathanSubsistence Marketplaces Initiative &

Marketplace Literacy Project

Ron Duncan Unit 27, U of I Extension

Philip Fairweather Bethel New Life

What is Marketplace Literacy

• Focus on marketplace literacy instead of financing or market access

• Socially embedded form of marketplace literacy; not basic literacy

• Emphasizes know-why about marketplaces as basis for know-how about being informed consumers or entrepreneurs

Illustrating Marketplace Literacy –Running a food shop to survive?

• Have cooking skills to make and sell food (vocation or trade skills)• But to run it successfully – know-how

designing menu ensuring raw material identifying good location

• To adapt to changing circumstances and opportunities – know-why or a deeper understanding of marketplace retailing partly-prepared food to households supplying restaurants even changing from food to some other business based on a broader consideration of opportunities

Exploring Marketplace Literacy• Levels of marketplace literacy Vocational/trade Know-how

how to design products how to communicate benefits

Know-why Deeper understanding of

marketplace Why choose an enterprise Why strive for customer value

Generic Business Education

Localized Research

Customized Consumer and Entrepreneurial

Literacy

Marketplace Literacy Approach

• Begin with know-why as basis for know-how• Build on social skills irrespective of literacy level• Use role-plays, picture sortings, simulated shopping• Treat consumer and entrepreneur as two sides of the same coin• Concretize, localize, “social”ize

Marketplace Literacy Example Task – Prioritizing Elements of Business

Wholesale Rice Shop

Rice Producer/Harvester

Wholesale Rice Delivery

Retail Rice Shop

Currency

Consumers

Method• Bottom-up research to learn strengths and

vulnerabilities

• Curriculum development• Broad learning goals• Specific content/topics• Instructional methods• Materials

• Piloting and customization

• Documentation

                                                                                  Viswanathan, Madhu, S. Gajendiran, and R. Venkatesan (2008), Enabling Consumer and Entrepreneurial Literacy in Subsistence Marketplaces, Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.

Assessment• Qualitative• Consumer literacy• Entrepreneurial

literacy• Quantitative• Self-reports• Ability

• Skills, self-confidence, and awareness of rights

Wider Deployment Through Teacherless Multimedia

• Movie as emotional platform• Embedded with marketplace literacy issues• 14 video-based modules

• Community based television programs

Marketplace Literacy Education• Two states in India• Tamil Nadu

• Movie and teacherless video-based education

• Andhra Pradesh• Facilitator-based community videos

• Tanzania• Ongoing small program with

Maasai tribe• Argentina Pilot• Illinois

Maker Literacy

EmpowerTrain

Make

What if…

3D Printing Benefits

1. Zero set up time2. No material waste3. Complexity is free4. Self assembly5. Precise replication

Content of IMMLP• Consumer Literacy

– Before, during and after shopping• Sustainability Literacy• Generic marketplace literacy– Examples

• What is important in forming a business• The value chain

• Entrepreneurial Literacy– Examples

• Philosophy of doing business• Choosing a business• Creating, communicating and delivering value

• Maker Literacy– Integrated into topics above

Introduction• What• How• Examples

Ideation• Groups• Empower

Application• Demand• Design• Value Chain

Maker Literacy and 3D Printing

Road Map• Pilot and Launch – Urbana Adult

Ed – 2010-14• Pilot: Summer 2014

– Bethel New Life, West Side, Chicago– Unit 27; Anna, Illinois

• Ramp-Up Now– Programs with different partners

• Full speed– Weekly programs in Southern Illinois

by January– Bimonthly programs in Chicago

Beyond the Face-to-Face Program

• Parallel development of Online Portal– Manuals– Teaching videos– Exercises– Caricatures/animations– Local content