How Can Blockchain Be Used in Education?

Today, blockchain is the top trendy word globally. It penetrates all spheres of life, from finances and medicine to hospitality and politics. It was inevitable for the sphere of education to also join this list. The primary benefits that blockchain can offer students and academic workers are:

Higher transparency.
Optimized storage of data.
Decentralization of control adding to security and transparency.

This article will introduce these aspects. It may serve as a starting point to learn the potential of blockchain technology in education.

Blockchain in Education: Background

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was the pioneer in figuring out the best ways to use blockchain in education. Its lead scientists arranged research to clarify Bitcoin blockchain potential. The latter implied registration and storage of educational documents. During this process, they tested the OP_RETURN function. The one allowed them to write extra bits of information to each transaction. The team suggested using the SHA256 algorithm to calculate the document’s hash. An encrypted signature served as a tool to add it to the transaction. The ultimate principle was simple. It implied five confirmations in the blockchain securing the certificate in the system for good.

Unresolved Problems and Value of MIT & MachineLearning Cooperation

Sadly, two problems still needed to be solved: high cost and data save limits. This motivated scientists to keep elaborating blockchain applications in education. As a result of the joint efforts of MIT and MachineLearning, the academic circles came up with Blockcerts. The difference was about the approaches to issuing a certificate. The terms of the project allow the graduates to share the public key with the educational institution. The key serves to hash and register the document. The app displays a personal digital ID. It also secures the record from external alterations, which validates the diploma’s authenticity.

The MIT project has quickly found allies to continue its work. The team partnered with Yale, Stanford, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After a little while, the trend spread to Europe and other parts of the world. A few years ago, experts from the University of Nicosia (Cyprus) presented distributed ledger technology. It works as an instrument to advance the educational process. The academic institution used its storing and searching functions. These functions help process documents related to the graduates and their specializations. This solution has inspired a massive wave of open online courses for citizens of almost a hundred countries. As of 2022, the university's blockchain stores all diplomas, certificates, and graduates' papers.

ARCHANGEL system and its meaning

To keep up with the international pace, the University of Surrey (Guildford, England) designed the ARCHANGEL system. These guys championed blockchain in higher education. All of it is due to the original use of distributed ledger technology. In 2019, the first ARCHANGEL tests were conducted. It united scientists across the borders of the United Kingdom, Norway, and the United States. This technology eventually proved to be capable of keeping the UK national archive safe.

Using Blockchain

The use of blockchain in education in the form it exists has a broad way to go. Currently, it involves documentation control, stimulating factors, and payment optimization.

Documentation control. Blockchain technology makes the academic document flow simpler by recording data chronologically. It allows tracking of attendance and the progress of students. Blockchain also secures all assignments that the student turns in. Even more, students get a digital version of their diplomas.
Stimulating factor. Blockchain and crypto assets, when used together, can bring even more benefits to the field of education. For example, the professor uses of blockchain in education to encourage students. This is about digital rewards for their academic achievements and devotion. Such gamification can substantially boost the teaching process.
Payment optimization. Handling tuition is highly inconvenient. Many stakeholders are involved, from students to scholarship providers and financial institutions. Blockchain makes the procedure more straightforward. The point is to lower the cost of education and all associated expenses.

Challenges of Learning About Blockchain in Education

Learning all details about blockchain in the academic field can be challenging. The same is with writing a review or a research paper on this topic. To make it easier, Customwritings.com has launched a new direction in its work as a professional paper writing service. This direction represents cooperation with the best authors and professional writers. The latter work with smart tech subjects. Its list includes blockchain, digital, and crypto technologies. The service offers 24/7 support. Everyone may learn more from an expert and write original papers and reviews. The range of topics is broad. It could be any subject of interest. The customers have guarantees of high-quality service. This includes academic English used to complete the assignments.

Benefits of Blockchain in Education

As a matter of fact, academic writing services can help with multiple topics. Our authors can give comprehensive perspectives on the benefits of blockchain in education. The basic ones to learn are as follows.

Publications. Blockchain can open doors to many young researchers who need help finding resources to publish their works. The technology is particularly good with copyright aspects. Data duplication upgrades the preservation of information inside the blockchain.
Uncomplicated exchange of academic materials. Blockchain makes scholarly resources more accessible, whether podcasts or print issues. This technology also inspires a secure and affordable exchange of these materials.
Smart contracts. Professors and students sign a digital contract. It raises the levels of academic responsibility from both sides. It particularly refers to plag, grading, deadlines, and other aspects.
Transparency of documentation. Each member of a blockchain network has access to the entire list of academic materials and documents. Moreover, blockchain almost entirely excludes any form of cheating in academic papers. Employers hiring graduates and postgraduates can be sure about a candidate's skills.
Lifetime “decentralized” access. Student access to their academic data no longer depends on the central authority. The blockchain does not rely on one control mechanism or storage location. Maintaining the functionality depends on at least a few stakeholders.

Blockchain Platforms and Academic Contracts: Non-Stop Discoveries

Blockchain systems can keep educational records via open blockchain platforms. The list includes Ethereum, Cardano, Hyperledger, and others. The first phase of this way is to create a private blockchain. It stores all essential information: study disciplines, schedules, and marks. Students and teachers start from registration and then proceed to the learning block. All these phases and blocks are connected as a chain. The chain data form a complete picture of the student’s success. Thanks to this, tracking all strengths and weaknesses gets more manageable. Afterward, it upgrades the training model to a more personalized one.

To guarantee the safety of students’ data, copies of blockchains are stored on multiple network nodes. Institutions’ authorities may request a copy of this chain to check the rates and data validity. In this regard, smart contracts represent a powerful aid. They have a form of algorithms and a software code programmed to execute the agreement automatically when all conditions are met. For a student, it means completing the control points of the learning process, such as tests, assessments, and exams. Basically, blockchain incorporates immeasurable realms of possible improvements in educational systems. It moderates the control mechanisms. Also, it saves material and academic resources for students and other stakeholders.