This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to improve your website experience and provide more personalized services to you, both on this website and through other media.
Accept
EdTechReviewEdTechReview
  • News
  • Trends
  • Insight
  • eLearning
  • Research
  • Dictionary
  • EdTech Voices
  • Explore
    • Data & Statistics
    • Reviews
    • AWS for Education
    • Events

    Resources

    • Infographics
    • Reports & Case Studies
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Webinar

    Needs

    • 1:1 Learning
    • 21st Century Education
    • 21st Century Leadership
    • 21st Century Learning
    • 21st Century Teaching
    • 3D Printing
    • More Tags

    For

    • Students
    • Teachers/Educators
    • Administrators
    • Entrepreneurs/Startups
    • Govt. Officials/Policymakers
    • Parents
Contribute
  • Submit A Post
  • EdTech Trainers and Consultants
  • Your Campus EdTech
  • Your EdTech Product
  • Your Feedback
  • Your Love for Us
ETR Resources
  • About
  • Mission/Vision
  • Team
  • Services
  • Testimonials
  • Authors
  • Sponsor
  • Partner
  • Advertise
  • Our Clients
  • Media Kit
  • Press Release
  • FAQ’S
Reading: Why Are Universities Still Hesitant About Blockchain?
Aa
EdTechReviewEdTechReview
Aa
  • News
  • Trends
  • Insight
  • eLearning
  • Reviews
  • Dictionary
  • EdTech Voices
  • Data & Statistics
  • Research
  • AWS for Education
  • Events
  • Voices
  • Tags
  • About
  • Contribute
  • FAQ’S
  • Our Clients
  • Partner
Follow US
Home > Trend & Insight > Trends > Why Are Universities Still Hesitant About Blockchain?
Trends

Why Are Universities Still Hesitant About Blockchain?

Christin Bohnke
Christin Bohnke Published Mar 19, 2022
Share
6 Min Read
Why Are Universities Still Hesitant About Blockchain?
Why Are Universities Still Hesitant About Blockchain?
SHARE

Blockchain has become a buzzword in the EdTech sector.

AdvertisementWhy this Ad?

The technology is commonly connected with cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or, more recently, with so-called NFTs or “non-fungible tokens” that currently shake up the art world. In essence, Blockchain is a system of recording information that secures digital data in a way that makes it traceable and difficult to forge. On a public blockchain, the information recorded is unchangeable and shared in a community with each community member maintaining their copy of the information. Updates must be validated collectively. Each update is a new “block” added to the end of a “chain”. The technology can be used to authenticate the identities of people, to determine ownership, or to verify data. As such, it has wide applicability, for instance in the finance, legal and copyright, or healthcare systems.

Education presents several compelling use cases for blockchain technology, for example in student records or certification. Blockchain would allow learners to track and prove their lifelong learning progress or to preserve their educational data. Institutions could use the technology to administer certificates and credentials and to create a more seamless international exchange of students and researchers through recognition and certificate management. Blockchain can also become a real gamechanger regarding education in conflict zones. If a country’s education record-keeping system collapses, or people are displaced without access to their credentials, Blockchain’s ability to permanently secure digital degrees will allow a person to prove their educational or employment pathways.

Yet, in a 2021 study by the Center for Innovation, Technology, and Organization, University College Dublin, Dr. Quinn DuPont, and his team found that excepting the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), universities remain hesitant about employing Blockchain in meaningful and disruptive ways. Educational organizations adopting blockchain technology besides MIT are relatively recently founded, institutionally peripheral, and follow an online business model. If Blockchain provides such high value and potential for higher education institutions, why are they so hesitant to employ the technology? Three constraints prevent blockchain from being more widely adopted: technical knowledge, questions of sustainability, and specific cultural issues within the realm of education.

In terms of technical knowledge, universities would have to invest substantially into staff training and create user-friendly solutions. Administrative staff might be hesitant to employ new technology if its use case is not made clear to them. Blockchain technology is not trivial and evolving quickly so the training would have to be constantly updated and administered. This presents an ongoing expense – both in terms of time and financial resources – that universities and staff might be hesitant to commit to. A two-year Blockchain Innovation Challenge, paid for by the U.S. Department of Education and overseen by the American Council on Education (ACE) that funded four blockchain projects within higher education came to a similar conclusion, calling for administrative training early on and underlining the importance of staff’s technical understanding. 

Apart from technical barriers, questions of sustainability might inhibit the widespread use of blockchain in higher education. Blockchain mining is the task of verifying a new block by the shared community. This act of “mining”, also known as “proof-of-work”, requires computing powers and energy. Bitcoin has already come under fire for its carbon footprint as mining the coins come with high energy costs. According to Park’s research on Blockchain, an “intra-school blockchain created, used and mined within one single education institution or small consortium is likely to be sustainably operated.” However, as the technology and its applicability in the EdTech sector evolves, sustainability needs to be kept in mind. Sustainability is at the core of many higher education institutions’ visions and plans. Universities might shy away from implementing blockchain technology if the potential environmental footprint remains unclear.

Lastly, cultural issues should not be neglected. An education blockchain creates a permanent and unchangeable record. While this is certainly useful in the realm of finance and health, education is by principle an area of growth and change. Audrey Watters points out the danger of such unchangeable data. Watters is critical towards the hype surrounding Blockchain in EdTech, pointing to the fact that both educators and institutions carry prejudices. Permanent, unchangeable data entry might solidify these prejudices to the detriment of certain subsets of students. The question of who would own this data, students, or educators, also remains unsolved. Universities might be unwilling or unable to address these questions and therefore remain wary of blockchain technology. 

 As of today, Blockchain is more of a hype phenomenon than a realistically implementable tool.  Universities might not be willing or able to make investments in a technology that still has many unknowns attached to it. It remains to be seen if they are right to hesitate or if they will have to play catch up with smaller institutions later.

TAGGED: Administrators, Blockchain, Higher Education, Tech Skilling, Tips for Administrators, Universities
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Reddit Telegram Email Copy Link
Previous Article Tips for Your Journey from Educator to Edupreneur Top Tips For Your Journey From Educator To Edupreneur
Next Article Global Companies on Student Well-being Global Companies Working On Student Well-Being
AdvertisementWhy this Ad?

Latest EdTech News To Your Inbox

Stay Connected

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin
AdvertisementWhy this Ad?

Latest Post

Glion-institute-of-higher-education-partners-with-essec- B-school
Glion Institute of Higher Education Partners With ESSEC B-School to Offer Hybrid Master’s Program on Hospitality
News Jan 30, 2023
Brightchamps-announces-m-esops
Upskilling Platform BrightCHAMPS Announces $1M ESOPs for 400 Teachers
News Jan 30, 2023
Emocional-raises-5k-in-new-round
Spanish HRTech Startup Emocional Raises $435k in New Round From RedArbor
News Jan 30, 2023
Quantasing-raises-m-in-us-ipo
Chinese Online Learning Service Provider QuantaSing Raises $41M in US IPO
News Jan 28, 2023
AdvertisementWhy this Ad?

Latest EdTech News To Your Inbox

Stay Connected

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin
AdvertisementWhy this Ad?

You Might Also Like

Glion-institute-of-higher-education-partners-with-essec- B-school
News

Glion Institute of Higher Education Partners With ESSEC B-School to Offer Hybrid Master’s Program on Hospitality

Jan 30, 2023
Iisc-bangalore-partners-with-talentsprint
News

IISc Bangalore Partners With EdTech Startup TalentSprint to Launch Certification Programme in Micro, Nanoelectronic

Jan 25, 2023
Timespro-announces-scholarships
News

Higher Education Platform TimesPro Announces Scholarships Up to INR 2 Cr for EWS Students

Jan 24, 2023
Hindustan-online-code-launches-hash
News

Hindustan Online CODE Launches Student Support Platform HASH to Solve Queries

Jan 23, 2023
Jaro-education-partners-with-wharton
News

Jaro Education Announces Partnership With Wharton Interactive to Bring Ivy League Learning Experience to India

Jan 20, 2023
New Survey Data Confirms Student Mental Health Remains Leading Challenge on College Campuses
News

New Survey Data Confirms Student Mental Health Remains Leading Challenge on College Campuses

Jan 18, 2023
Top Geography Books for Students to Start the Year 2023 with
Trends

Top Geography Books for Students to Start the Year 2023 With

Jan 14, 2023
Hr Management & Technology Trends to Watch out in 2023
Trend & Insight

HR Management & Technology Trends to Watch Out in 2023

Jan 13, 2023
Show More
EdTechReviewEdTechReview

H433, 2nd Floor, Vikaspuri, New Delhi, India, 110018
Phone: 011 41321030

Follow US

Copyright © EdTechReview. All Rights Reserved.

  • Home
  • Advertise
  • Event Associations
  • Press Release
  • About
  • Services
  • Contribute
  • News
  • Trend & Insight
  • Data & Statistics
  • eLearning
  • Reviews
  • Research
  • Voices
  • Dictionary
  • Tags
  • Resources
  • Events
  • Courses
  • EdTech Product Reviews
  • Our Clients
  • FAQ’S
  • Contact Us
  • Important Links
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
Join 100K+ subscribers!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter that brings the latest EdTech news, trends, insights, reports, interviews, etc. for educators, school leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, & others.

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?