Blockchain For Microcredentials: A Macro System For Micro Learning

How an anonymous source is changing the world, one byte at a time. 

Hungry to Learn?

Cyberspace. An accelerated current of energy has clinched this society in its entirety, a digital web spinning, while interconnecting endless global systems. A network of networks, linking itself to devices, swiftly replacing analog devices of yesteryear.

We’ve cut the cord, unplugged completely, now floating in a world wildly granting anything to materialize.

Blockchain was first conceptualized in 1991 but is appearing in financial macrocosm, as a way to organize a public list of records, joined together through cryptography. Cryptography, the practice of encoding secret messages, dating back to Greek times, aka “hidden secret.” κρυπτός kryptós.

Modern cryptography is profoundly based on mathematical theory and computer science practice; cryptographic algorithms designed to be unbroken. Theoretically, these schemes are termed secure, however cybersecurity in this realm has recently raised eyebrows and is testing the possible infrangible system.

How can the orb of American Enterprise and Education, benefit from this creation? By expediting the process…

Micro-credientials are mini-degrees or certifications in a specific topic area. Using electronic badges – living on the blockchain. All of which, circle back around to the everlasting infrastructure that uses shared and open technical standards. 

Micro-Certification is a non-traditional learning path where students gain skill sets in a specific technical area and receive a credential in a matter of DAYS, unlike a multi-year program that requires both lengthy time and financial commitments.

Think of Micro-Certification as a time-stamped credential, living on the blockchain system, between the student and institution. Certifications are designed to be shared across Social Media, on LinkedIn or Edmodo as well as Company Collaborations, like Google, Facebook, IBM, Amazon, Coursera, PwC and more.

Let’s Coin them Cryptic Degrees or Cryptic Certificates (no pun intended ;)). We will continue to see video learning as the choice of teaching for these micro-credentials with intuitive Lecture Capture Tools enhancing the learning journey. Soon enough we will see blockchain find its purpose in an Open-source Digital Media blockchain platform, probably with its own coin or token. Thoughts, predications?

As the Harvard Business Review states, national competitiveness is in the forefront of these gains: “A tax plan that hurts education will hurt U.S. competitiveness.”

Which raises the question? How does Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and the Educational systems financial downfall, all piece together for the future success of Micro-Certification?

Phil Long from University of Texas, at Austin, says it best, “Instead of thinking of [credentials] as a fixed, static thing, it’s thinking of them as pieces of software that are dynamic and you can build on a number of them.” – EdSurge.

Pushing the point, employers are falling in love with the idea of streamlining the education experience, away from broad-based learning. For example, Udacity, an online education company, offers nanodegree programs in areas such as self-driving cars, AI, machine learning, mobile and web development and robotics, a popular micro-credential option.

“More than 10,000 people have graduated since the nanodegree program launched in October 2014, and there are currently more than 53,000 students enrolled.” – CLO/ Chief Learning Officer.

EdSurge is grasping the long-view on this conversation with ongoing webinars for higher learning, since the topic is taking flight.

Academia is facing a series of challenges in recent years, pushing standards out of the classroom into computers, libraries, STEM labs, and now online micro-certified courses.

Anthony P. Carnevale from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce says,“Colleges and other post-secondary providers are responding to the newly burgeoning market with a blizzard of degrees, certificates, licenses, certifications, badges and other micro credentials, all of which purport to qualify the recipients to enter an occupation. Who really knows what they all mean?” 

How is an already imploding education system expected to sustain such change?

The world will have to wait to see how this incredible opportunity will unfold amongst America’s education institutions. We’ve already crossed the bridge of embracing technology in whole. We’re now sitting on the sidelines, watching it diversify and expand right before our eyes. These exciting days are loaded with promise. The future is now. Type Less – Show More

Written by: Chelsie Foster @chelsiefoster

@HarvardBiz @EdSurge @GeorgetownCEW @CLOmedia @collaajcorp @washingtonpost

#Collaaj #HigherEd #Microcredential #Blockchain

Collab: Kati Mac