CRREST Academy Challenge

Purpose of the Study  

The purpose of this research study is to assess participation, learning and impact of an online financial education platform for postsecondary students. 

Procedures  

If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to complete a registration form, a pre-test, a video-based learning program, a post-test, and a feedback survey. 

The registration form will require you to enter your First Name, Last Name, and email address. You will be asked to answer five demographic questions including two optional questions (Gender Identity and Race). You have the option to enter your phone number. If you choose to enter your phone number, you will receive text reminders only during the one-week duration of the study.  

After you complete the registration, the first activity is to complete a pre-test. The test will have 12 multiple choice questions and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

After you complete the pretest, the second activity is to complete individual learning modules. There are 18 modules divided into six pillars: Creditworthy, Ready, Resilient, Empowered, Successful, and Thriving. Each learning module consists of a video and an experiential learning exercise with a few questions about the exercise. Each video will take approximately 3 minutes to watch. The experiential learning exercises should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. In total, each module should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. You can complete the activities at your own pace until the Challenge ends on June 15, 2026. You will receive one email per day that corresponds with the pace of completing one pillar per day. Each pillar includes three modules and should take no more than 45 minutes to complete. 

The third activity is a post-test. The post-test will have 12 multiple choice questions and should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

The final activity is a feedback survey. If you register to participate in the challenge, you will be asked to complete the feedback survey even if you do not complete the learning modules. The survey for registrants who complete the Challenge will be made available, automatically, upon completion of the post-test. The survey for registrants who do not complete will be made available on the last day of the Challenge (June 15, 2026) and should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete. 

You will be expected to complete the activities by June 15, 2026. With six pillars, the total amount of time to complete the Challenge should not exceed 4-5 hours from start to finish. 

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria

To participate in this study, you must be 18 years old and a current student attending Morgan State University during the Spring 2026 semester.

Risks/Discomfort  

To our knowledge, there is no risk (or possible harm) to you from your participation in this study. 

You may experience distress when answering certain questions or completing study procedures. If you become upset, you can discontinue the study at any time without penalty. You may also skip any questions you do not want to answer. If you are experiencing distress for any reason, whether related to the study or not, you are encouraged to seek services through the Morgan State University Counseling Center. You may find information about the counseling center, as well as contact information, at the following website: https://www.morgan.edu/counselingcenter. You will also be provided with a list of resources you can access if you are experiencing distress, whether or not it is related to your study participation. If you have a crisis at a time when MSUCC is not available, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 1 (800) 273-8255.  

If you choose to provide your phone number and have reminders sent to you during the study, the study will involve sending text messages to you. You should understand that you will be responsible for covering the costs associated with sending or receiving text messages for the purposes of this research. 

Benefits  

The current study is intended to help us evaluate a new online platform for postsecondary student financial education. The results of the study will provide insights for future efforts to support financial education for Morgan State University students and college students in Maryland.   

You may benefit from your participation by increasing your knowledge of resources to improve academic performance and personal finance skills and building your capacity to make informed financial decisions. 

Alternatives to Participation  

Participation in this study is voluntary (that is, it is up to you whether or not to participate). You are free to withdraw or discontinue participation in this study at any time without penalty.  

You may also choose not to answer any questions that you do not want to answer.  

If you do not want to participate in this study, you can explore student financial education on your campus.

Cost Compensation    

You may earn prizes for achieving completion milestones. Achieving certain completion milestones will allow you to be entered into raffle drawings for prizes. The Incentive Schedule is below. 

• Participants who finish 1 pillar (3 modules) by 11:59 PM on Day 1 of the Challenge will be entered into a raffle for 4 participants to receive a gift card ($15-$25).  
• Participants who finish 2 pillars by 11:59 PM on Day 2 of the Challenge will be entered into a raffle for 4 participants to receive a gift card ($15-$25). 
• Participants who finish 3 pillars by 11:59 PM on Day 3 of the Challenge will be entered into a raffle for 4 participants to receive a gift card ($15-$25).  
• Participants who finish 4 pillars by 11:59 PM on Day 4 of the Challenge will be entered into a raffle for 4 participants to receive a gift card ($15-$25).  
• Participants who finish 5 pillars by 11:59 PM on Day 5 of the Challenge will be entered into a raffle for 4 participants to receive a gift card ($25).  
• Participants who finish 6 pillars by 11:59 PM on Day 6 of the Challenge will be entered into a raffle for 4 participants to receive a gift card ($25). 
• Participants who complete all modules, the pre- and post-test, and Feedback Survey by June 15, 2026, will be entered into the grand prize raffle for 10 participants to receive a $1,000 scholarship. 

Note: Gift cards will be for on-campus and/or local restaurants, the campus bookstore, and/or food delivery services. 

Confidentiality

To ensure the confidentiality of the data you provide, your responses will be coded using a unique identification number. A master list that links your name and unique identification number will be maintained in a locked file cabinet in the PI’s office and will be accessible only to study staff and one individual from the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness.  

This list will be destroyed after a period not to exceed 3 years and 3 months after the study has been completed.  

The data are being collected via the online platform, Thinkific. To address any concerns you may have about the confidentiality of data collected in this manner, please see Thinkific's Data Privacy Policy at https://www.thinkific.com/privacy-policy/. You should specifically look at the section entitled, 12. End Users’ personal information. No data matched with your name or email address will be shared or reported.