Blockchain technology has the potential to transform the education sector. Some of its benefits are better data security and greater accessibility. Education has been undergoing many changes over the past few years. One of these is the accelerated adoption of digital learning. Blockchain will bring even more changes to education. It could transform interactions between educational institutions and students.
Understanding the Basics – What is Blockchain?
Blockchain is a technology that allows for secure sharing of information. Data is stored in a decentralized, distributed public ledger. This is maintained across computers linked in a peer-to-peer network. The decentralized nature of blockchain means that details aren’t stored in a single node. They are stored in distributed nodes across the chain. Every node has a copy of the digital ledger that exists across the distributed network. Each block includes a timestamp and links to the previous block. This way of recording information makes it virtually tamper-proof.
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Why Blockchain is the Future in Education?
Old ways of keeping records in the education sector are no longer effective. It is difficult to keep track of qualifications when using manual identification processes. Faking credentials has become far too easy. Manual and paper-intensive processes are time-consuming and reduce efficiency.
Educational institutions can use blockchain technology to store important documents. By storing them in an encrypted digital ledger they are secure from malicious actors. Only authorized personnel can get access to them. This can help to reduce the market for fake degrees and certificates. Here are some of the use cases of blockchain education.
1. Student Records
Blockchain provides the ideal way to store and track student records. Students can easily access their records and share them with potential employees. They have control over their data when it’s on the blockchain instead of university servers. Blockchain not only enhances the security of the records. It also reduces administration tasks and increases accessibility.
2. Student Transcripts
It takes time and energy for educational institutions to create transcripts. Manually cross-checking each entry is necessary to ensure accuracy. Blockchain reduces the time and effort to manually verify transcripts.
- Automating the transcript request process saves costs.
- Transcripts are tamper-proof and impossible to falsify.
- Students can own and control their transcripts.
- Easy access to transcripts is useful when applying to new institutions.
- Students can share their transcripts securely from any device.
3. Smart Contracts
A smart contract on blockchain consists of lines of code that execute automatically. Meeting certain conditions triggers these contracts. A smart contract can outline all the details of student projects. It can include requirements, instructions, due dates, etc. It also automates the delivery of materials. This could include documents, videos, etc.
Automation allows for tracking of student progress. Educators can see how students progress through courses and complete assignments. Educators can also personalize learning paths for students using smart contracts.
Using smart contracts can reduce the administrative burden for educators. This would give them more time for critical thinking tasks. Smart contracts could also make a big difference for administrative staff. They could help them to process student loans, enrolment, etc.
4. Intellectual Property Protection
A common difficulty in the field of education is protecting intellectual property. Blockchain has the potential to solve this problem. It can record the process of creation and ownership of assets. This can ensure protection of intellectual property rights. Distribution and use of digital resources through blockchain could prevent wrongful use.
Challenges of Blockchain in Education
There are various challenges that come with using blockchain in education.
Scalability is a concern as educational institutions generate plenty of data. As data grows, blockchain transactions slow down. Peer-to-peer verification lengthens transactions. Finding new ways to scale blockchain systems is necessary.
Many educational institutions still rely on legacy systems. They are hesitant about the process of moving systems to the blockchain. Understanding the benefits could accelerate adoption. This also leads to a shortage of qualified manpower in this field at present and in the future. With AI and blockchain developing at a breakneck speed, the need of the hour is to introduce more and more crypto and blockchain courses at school and higher learning levels.
Setting up blockchain systems can be costly and this can overshadow the benefits. Government incentives and bringing down costs could help to overcome this hurdle.
Future of Blockchain in Education
With the use of digital records in education, data privacy is essential. Blockchain technology ensures protection for this sensitive information.
Encryption of data before storing it means unauthorized parties can’t access it. Blockchain’s immutable nature means that once data is entered it cannot be changed. Network-wide consensus is required for this. The inability to manipulate data ensures that academic records are secure and reliable. This helps to increase credibility. It prevents students applying for jobs from falsifying their credentials.
Giving students more control over their data means there is no need for intermediaries. They can manage access permissions for third parties, such as potential employers.
The use of smart contracts could reduce the administrative burden on educators. They could focus more on improving how students learn. They would have time to work on making learning more engaging and immersive.
It is likely to take a while for blockchain in education to become mainstream. It has the potential to benefit educational institutions, educators, and students.
Conclusion
The education sector has at large waited for the much-needed overhaul but it is now turning into a reality with technology. In this change process, blockchain has the potential to bring about significant change in education. Some of its use cases include storing student records, e-transcripts, and the use of smart contracts. Blockchain could help to make education more accessible, secure, and transparent. There are certain challenges to implementing blockchain. These include increasing amounts of data and scalability issues. Unwillingness to switch from legacy systems and its costs are other issues. Solving these issues could promote the widespread use of blockchain in education.