Technology is playing a tremendous role in enhancing the way students receive education and how they deal with other individuals in the same sector. One of the most innovative technologies that are still into consideration and has no potential disadvantages yet is blockchain technology. A centralized, distributed and public digital ledger that is used mainly for recording transactions which makes sure that any record involved in the computer cannot be modified without first modifying all the subsequent blocks. Here are a few initiatives being taken through this innovation and how it will change the education division:
1. Payment via cryptocurrency
In many universities like the Simon Fraser University that is situated in Canada has started to accept cryptocurrency as their payment of the tuition fees. They are initiating this step so that the students who are enrolled in technology-related courses, which seems logical, as there is a need of adding extra infrastructure to the system for people to actually accept this form of payment and only a low number of students have made their payments through this process.
2. Certification on the blockchain
It takes a lot of time and effort to verify and validate if the degree of the undergraduate is eligible and suitable. This process requires the companies to verify from the universities if the students have actually had studied form there. To avoid wasting a lot of time in this process, some universities are now trying out with pilot programs where the diplomas and degrees of the graduates are available on an app built with the help of blockchain technology. According to assignment help experts, this makes things easier for the graduates by letting them share their credentials whenever they like and makes their credentials unquestionable because of the security and the inalterability that this ledger technology is dedicated to providing.
3. E-portfolio for academic candidates
Furthermore, educational institutes are now focusing on taking their credentials on the blockchain to a completely new level. They are now trying to implement this technology by putting a whole folder of the education records of the student on a decentralized platform. Many famous and reputable technology-based companies like IBM and Sony have collaborated with each other to share the data and educational records of the students to the potential employers in the future without the fear of infringement or any other security issue. According to AssignmentAce, such portfolios will include the credit, competencies, micro-certificates and other records of achievements and accomplishments. This would further decrease any costs associated with the verifying process of the students. Moreover, even schools can benefit from this innovation. Student transcripts, transfer records, school lunch, attendance or any other work can be put on this ledger to reduce the amount of paperwork the school will have to do.
4. The lifelong learning passport
Other initiatives that are being considered for integration in the educational sector, is the lifelong learning passports. For instance, many universities have developed open badges, which are basically tokens that are given to students for their achievements, affiliation and authorization that gives another person insight on the individual’s life, official certification, their involvement with the community and other skills and capabilities that could help them in professional life. These open badges are easy to share in job applications and over social media.
In addition to open badges, another such platform is Knowledge which is currently in the pre-ICO stages where users can freely share what they know, their expertise and their knowledge. This platform will then reward them. It’s necessary for this initiative to have a wide-scale change to the education world many might some adopt but will still take time to be adopted by other people. This is a great way to measure unconventional learning outside the boundaries of educational institutes.
5. Transportation
To educate the students, the first part is to get them to the school. It has been predicted that in the future, blockchain technology will enable ride-sharing applications to organize carpools for pupils that have special needs. This will become more important as roadways are going to become more complicated and congested and carpooling will become a necessity. Such applications will also ensure the parents that their children are reaching universities and colleges safely
Conclusion
To conclude, the above-mentioned points are some of the changes being introduced in the world of education to make a student’s academic and professional life both easier. These changes involve payment via cryptocurrency, certification, E-portfolio and lifelong learning passport such as open badges and knowledge appreciative and sharing systems, transportation systems. All these changes will be either already implemented or are under implementation. This innovation is still being explored and it is clear that the possibilities it provided are unlimited and endless.