IntoTheVerse — “Web3 and Education: Transforming Learning through Decentralized Systems.”
Welcome to another IntoTheVerse Journal!
A metaverse that is focused on creating utility, impact and provides players with total control.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” (Nelson Mandela)
Web3 technologies will revolutionize many industries worldwide, but perhaps the most significant change will occur in Education. Decentralization has the potential to innovate and radicalize traditional learning models. Blockchain’s transparent nature will empower both educators and students by creating a more inclusive learning environment and giving them greater access to knowledge than ever before.
At IntoTheVerse, we wanted to study how Web3 can transform learning and reform the education system.
What is Decentralization in Web3?
Decentralization gives individuals direct control over their data because it removes the need for a central authority by distributing the power across a network of participants or nodes. They can then participate in decision-making processes and engage in peer-to-peer interactions that eliminate monopolization of the system and creates user autonomy by developing a transparent, trustworthy, and democratic infrastructure.
What are the current limitations in Education?
Access to Education
Disparities in education systems, resources, and funding worldwide create inconsistency and inequality for students, especially in developing regions and marginalized communities, where learners may not receive the same in-depth teaching, opportunities, and access to education.
The rising costs of tuition fees and learning materials also create a barrier to learning and limit access to higher education and long-term career progression opportunities.
Out-of-touch curriculum and teaching pedagogies
In the last 30 years, there have been huge technological advancements, which have resulted in many educational systems struggling to keep up-to-date with technology, creating a deficit in learning. This can impact students long-term, leaving them unprepared to join the workforce. Further issues can also arise because students may only have limited skills due to their education system focusing on academic achievement rather than practical implementation.
Shortages of qualified teachers and reliance on memorization and spoon-feeding information for exam success, rather than cultivating critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, can result in students receiving an inadequate or incomplete education, impacting their future and potential life-long learning.
Lack of Scope in Learning Culture
Many education systems also focus only on national or regional issues in their established curriculum. Standardized education goals should promote greater global awareness.
Why is Decentralization important in Education?
Decentralization is important in education because it moves the authority away from archaic government or educational bodies and places control in the hands of educators, students, and their communities. The main reasons why this has the potential to reshape education is:
It empowers learners
Decentralization puts individuals at the heart of the decision-making process. By giving educators and students the responsibility to design and manage the curriculum, assessment methods, and educational policies, Web3 technologies can improve student engagement and learning and create new innovative ways for them to access high-quality education.
It also encourages educators to be more creative, refine and improve their teaching pedagogies, and monitor and carry out reflective practices in their teaching through the transparent nature of blockchain.
Differentiation
All learners have a diverse range of needs and should be able to enjoy an individual learning process that is catered to their unique personality and learning style. Decentralization enables educators to customize resources to reflect cultural preferences, ability levels, and different VARK learning models. This focuses on 4 strands that contain visual, kinaesthetic, aural, social, solitary, verbal, and logical components.
Decentralization also has the potential to create a set standardized worldwide education system that provides high-quality learning that is accessible to all.
Accountability
Like all industries, education is besieged with too much paperwork to show accountability. Decentralization will make every action transparent and accountable on the blockchain while freeing up time for educators to spend inspiring their students.
By giving local communities and parents the authority to make decisions in the education system, decentralization can encourage greater accountability to ensure educational goals are achieved.
What are the current limitations of using Web3 in Education?
As Web3 continues to evolve, the same limitations are hindering its assimilation on a global scale. These limitations will also affect the use of Web3 in Education. These are:
Gatekeeping because of Technical Difficulties
Web3 must ensure documentation on how to use blockchain, decentralized applications (dApps), and smart contracts are simple to understand and implement. Lack of knowledge and accessibility may mean many educational systems may never adopt Web3.
Scalability is also an issue, with educational institutions catering to numerous students, educators, and administrators.
Digital discrepancies
There is also a worldwide issue between those who have access to technology and those who don’t in education. Adopting Web3 could exacerbate this divide if measures are not implemented to tackle this issue.
Even integrating Web3 technology into an existing educational system would be time-consuming and complex as there may be inequality issues, as well as interoperability issues, and even resistance to change from educators.
How can Web3 revolutionize learning in Education?
Web3 will revolutionize how we live, work and interact with each other in the future. It can also be used to transform the education industry in the following ways:
Adaptive learning formats
Web3 has the potential to create new ways of learning through decentralization by enabling learners to connect and collaborate with peers from all over the world. Using smart contracts in education will also increase trust and accountability in peer-to-peer collaborations by giving credit for contributions from learners and ensuring they are recognized and rewarded.
Creating new learning systems
Web3 has the capability to create new learning management systems that place each individual learner in control of their progress and personalization of their learning experiences by eliminating a central authority. This creates a more independent way of learning.
Decentralization in Web3 also encourages the creation and sharing of educational resources and lessons. By having everything on blockchain, students can adapt their routines to suit their lifestyles, backgrounds, and preferences while benefiting from the same high-quality educational materials.
Web3 can also use smart contracts to create certified credentials for degree qualifications. Storing them in the blockchain will confirm their authenticity, which will also open students up to more opportunities.
Tokenization
Tokenization can also be used to engage students in their learning by offering cryptocurrency rewards for educational achievements and promoting Web3 incentives that line up jobs for dedicated learners.
Tokenization can also be used to promote greater engagement in practical incentives so students gain real-world experiences and skills, alongside cryptocurrency rewards, that will prepare them for the workforce.
In conclusion, the emergence of Web3 and the decentralized nature of blockchain can shift the status quo in education by prioritizing inclusivity, accessibility, and equality. Web3 will also increase innovation, encourage greater engagement with knowledge and promote a love of lifelong learning. By empowering students, educators, and communities with a learner-centric approach, we can build an interconnected education system globally that champions independence and celebrates each individual’s unique set of talents and skills.
Stay tuned for more tech articles from IntoTheVerse.
IntoTheVerse is building a mobile-first, composable, NFT-Utility & Impact driven gaming Metaverse.
Follow us on Twitter, and LinkedIn, Instagram, Medium, and join the Discord community to stay up-to-date on news and events.
We are also live on Solana RealmsDAO and CeloHub
The IntoTheVerse team
🌎 Visit IntoTheVerse
👾 Join our Discord
🐦 Tweet with us
� Read with us on Medium
Aimee Gilmore is a Creative Writer at IntoTheVerse. Come say hi to her on Twitter or Discord.
