BLOCKCHAIN FOR EDUCATION: A STUDY ON DIGITAL ACCREDITATION OF PERSON AND ACADEMIC LEARNINGRESEARCH PROPOSAL PRESENTED TO THE JRC10/03/2017

Alex Grech & Anthony F. Camilleri

REFERENCE-WORKS

On Virtual and Cryptocurrencies: a general overview from the technological aspects to financial implications", (2015). ???

OpenCred: exploring issues around the recognition of non-formal learning via MOOCs in Europe

Overview and Analysis of the Concept and Applications of Virtual Currencies (2016)

WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN FOR EDUCATION AND HOW CAN IT BE APPLIED?

What is the blockchain, what are the technologies and concepts that underpin it? How is blockchain different from conventional ledger systems? What are the applications of blockchain technology? How is blockchain being applied in credentialisation in education?

Specifically, what are the features of the following systems: Blockcerts (developed and supported by MIT Media Lab and Learning Machine) on the Bitcoin Blockchain OpenBlockChain (supported by the Open University) on the Ethereum Blockchain

What are the differences between these systems?

WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN FOR EDUCATION AND HOW CAN IT BE APPLIED?

Concepts

Digitally Signed

Certificates

Distributed vs.

Central Ledgers

Technologies

Bitcoin

Ethereum

Applications

CryptoCurrencie

s

Smart-Contracts

Solutions

BlockCert

Open Block Chain

CAN BLOCKCHAIN BE USED BY TEACHERS AND LEARNERS AS A TRANSPARENT, TRUSTED SYSTEM FOR SECURING, SHARING AND VERIFYING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN EUROPE?

What ways exist for different users to interact with the blockchain? What training would be required by different users to interact with the blockchain? What user interfaces are necessary to enable interaction with the blockchain?

What features of the blockchain (distinguishing between Ethereum & Bitcoin blockchains as necessary) enable: Transparency Trust Security Sharing Verification

Is blockchain technology fit-for-purpose, i.e. efficient and effective, for recording academic achievements?

CAN BLOCKCHAIN BE USED BY TEACHERS AND LEARNERS AS A TRANSPARENT, TRUSTED SYSTEM FOR SECURING, SHARING AND VERIFYING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN EUROPE?

What is the equivalent infrastructure for blockchain?

Source: http://badges.thinkoutloudclub.com/modules/what/reflect/

CAN BLOCKCHAIN BE USED BY TEACHERS AND LEARNERS AS A TRANSPARENT, TRUSTED SYSTEM FOR SECURING, SHARING AND VERIFYING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS IN EUROPE?

Which design-features of a quality credentials system are addressed by blockchain?

Source: Validation of Non-formal MOOC-based Learning: An Analysis of Assessment and Recognition Practices in Europe (OpenCred)

WHAT IS THE LIKELY TAKE-UP OF BLOCKCHAIN BY EUROPEAN UNIVERSITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS SHOULD IT BE DEPLOYED AS AN OPEN STANDARD? WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO THIS END?

How 'open' are the current blockchain specifications for education? Can these specifications be considered a standard?

If not, what is required to standardise them? Is there demand for a technology such as blockchain from Higher Education Institutions in Europe, or from any

of their clients (employers, students or governments)? What are the challenges for take-up in Higher Education Institutions in terms of:

Policy & legislation Technology Institutional culture Resources Knowledge

ELEMENTS FOR ANALYSIS OF AN OPEN LICENCE (MIT)

OPENNESS IN TERMS OF STANDARDISATIONISO proposes that International Standards should be evaluated according to principles stipulated by the World Trade Organization's Technical Barriers to Trade Committee (WTO/TBT):

• Transparency• Openness• Impartiality and

consensus• Effectiveness and

relevance• Coherence• Addressing the concerns

of developing countries.

HOW WILL BLOCKCHAIN INTERACT WITH AND POTENTIALLY SUPPORT BOTH MAINSTREAM AND ALTERNATIVE ACCREDITATION FRAMEWORKS IN EUROPE?

How does the metadata collected by the two blockchain for education specifications compare with European educational standards, including: ECTS Europass (all tools including CV) Diploma Supplement EQF

How does the metadata collected by the two blockchain for education specifications compare with common alterative accreditation frameworks, in particular: Open Badges e-portfolios Continuing Professional Education 'points' schemes

What changes to the blockchain for education specifications (if any) are required to support interoperability with the frameworks outlined above?

Can the centralised nature of accreditation and the decentralised nature of the blockchain be reconciled?

HOW WILL BLOCKCHAIN INTERACT WITH AND POTENTIALLY SUPPORT BOTH MAINSTREAM AND ALTERNATIVE ACCREDITATION FRAMEWORKS IN EUROPE?

Which meta-data needs to be included in the one-way hash?

How should we standardize meta-data between: EU Level MS Level Institutional Level

Source: Blockcerts.org presentation at Malta Presidency State of Digital Education Conference

HOW COULD BLOCKCHAIN HELP BRIDGING ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS AND INDIVIDUAL'S LEARNING PORTFOLIO?

What are the potential risks and benefits of adopting blockchain for education for: European public authorities

Education ministries The public service more widely

European Higher Education Institutions Non-University providers of tertiary education European Employers (distinction for SMEs if necessary)

What actions are necessary to maximise benefits and mitigate risks? What role can the European Commission play in enabling the technology, should this outcome be

proved to be desirable?

HOW COULD BLOCKCHAIN HELP BRIDGING ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS AND INDIVIDUAL'S LEARNING PORTFOLIO?

There is a significant case for proposing a semi-open system of recognition of credentials

Source: Beyond the Blockchain:Adding Trust to Academic Credentials, Brendan Farmer - Jared Dunnmon

HOW COULD BLOCKCHAIN HELP BRIDGING ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS AND INDIVIDUAL'S LEARNING PORTFOLIO?

How Blockchain fits into the wider picture

blockchain

HOW COULD BLOCKCHAIN SUPPORT INCREASING EU EFFORTS TO OPENING UP EDUCATION IN MEMBER STATES?

How can blockchain support opening up education in terms of: improving access to educational opportunities? improving transparency of qualifications? contributing towards open-data / open-government initiatives?

HOW COULD BLOCKCHAIN SUPPORT INCREASING EU EFFORTS TO OPENING UP EDUCATION IN MEMBER STATES?

Analysis of Blockchain, through the lens of appropriate Dimensions of the OpenEdu Framework

QUESTION ON POSITIONING OF RESEARCH

Blockchain for Educational Credentials

Digital Credentialling (with a Blockchain Focus)

vs

METHODOLOGYWORK PLAN AND TIMETABLE

WP 1: DESK-RESEARCH, INTERVIEWS AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Lite

ratu

re r

evie

w o

f any

pub

lishe

d lit

erat

ure

on: Applications of

blockchain for education

Non-financial applications of blockchain more generally

Any new and relevant material on blockchain technology more generally, since the 2015 JRC blockchain study

Digital methods for storing, securing, sharing and verifying academic credentials

Des

k Re

sear

ch u

tilisi

ng p

rimar

y so

urce

s cov

erin

g: The Blockcerts

technical specification, governing structure, operations and intellectual property arrangements

The OpenBlockChain technical specification, governing structure, operations and intellectual property arrangements

Inte

rvie

ws

with

repr

esen

tativ

es o

f all

rele

vant

stak

ehol

ders

in b

lock

chai

n an

d ed

ucat

ion,

nam

ely:

Employers (Business Europe, Eurochambres)

Students (European Students' Union, Erasmus Students Network)

Teachers (Education International)

Accreditors, validators and testers (ENQA, EUA, EURASHE, EADTU, EQAR)

WP 2: CASE STUDIES

Blockcerts.org• State-of-the-art and future plans, based on semi-structured

interviews with leaders of project• Initial feedback from community to open standard (methodology:

workshop conducted online)

Open Block Chain

• State-of-the-art and future plans, based on semi-structured interviews with leaders of project

• Initial feedback from organizations who have piloted each initiative based on semi-structured interviews

• Analysis of publicly available reactions to each of the schemes in industry-press.

Malta Blockchain Pilot

• Interrogation of the reasons for piloting blockchain in Malta (based on open interviews with key stakeholders in the Maltese Ministry for Education and Employment) – needs analysis

• Description of the specific plans for and desired results of the Malta pilot, based on analysis of the Memorandum of Understanding, Open Interviews with all project leaders and observation of initial steps taken under the agreement

WORK-PLAN

Phase Deadline

Project Scoping & Inception End of MarchWP 1• Literature Review: 2 weeks• Analysis of Specifications: 1 week• Interviews: 2 weeks• Preparation of WP 1 deliverable: 1 week

15 May

WP 2• Initial Contact with Case Study Leaders: 1 week• First Interviews and Observations: 1 week• Analysis: 1 week• Second Interviews and Observations: 1 week• Reporting and Peer-Review with Case-Leaders: 2 weeks

30 Jun

WP 3• First Draft: 1 week• Response from IPTS: 1 week• Second Draft: 1 week• Finalisation and Editing: 1 week

30 Jul

METHODS

WP 1 Collection of bibliography from open sources Trend & Policy Analysis Semi-structured interviews (recorded not

transcribed) WP 2

Open-ended interviews Document analysis based on material provided

by interviewees Follow-Up Semi-structured interviews

WP 3 Recommendations with confidence and impact

analysis (not based on external panels)

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Herman de Leeuw

RISK MANAGEMENTRisk Severity Likelihoo

dMitgating Measures

Major Blockchain Developments lead to need to rewrite / redo parts of research

Low: May Result in Delays, but will ensure excellent results

Low Foresight of trends has been taken into account in study design

Unforseen Availability of Primary Researchers (sickness etc)

Medium: Could cause significant delays in study

Very Low Researchers working as team – one researcher can take over fromm the other

Unavailability of Senior Persons for Pilots

High: Would result in diminished outcomes

Low Contact pilot leaders through personal contacts / introductions

Pilots maintain proprietary data / strategies

Medium: Would lead to incomplete foresight

Medium Allow for off-the record briefings to understand wider context

Political / Admin Delays to Malta Pilot

Low: would change focus of pilot from implementing blockchain to problems with blockchain implementation

Medium Focus study on the process of implementing a blockchain pilot