{"id":65099,"date":"2022-10-05T00:20:15","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T04:20:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=65099"},"modified":"2022-10-05T00:20:15","modified_gmt":"2022-10-05T04:20:15","slug":"why-blockchain-could-mean-fewer-hassles-for-students-and-workers-proving-their-credentials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/why-blockchain-could-mean-fewer-hassles-for-students-and-workers-proving-their-credentials\/","title":{"rendered":"Why blockchain could mean fewer hassles for students and workers proving their credentials"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Microcredentials \u2014 attestations of proficiency in\u00a0a specific skill or knowledge base<\/a>\u00a0that are certified by an authority \u2014 can provide evidence of a person\u2019s skills to employers.<\/p>\n

While microcredentials are becoming more popular, the concept is hardly new: A driver\u2019s licence or the\u00a0St. John Ambulance certificate<\/a>\u00a0could be considered as microcredentials, attesting respectively to a person\u2019s driving skill or their competency in administering first aid.<\/p>\n

Blockchain technology is\u00a0appropriate for microcredential implementation<\/a>. Blockchain can best be described as a digital ledger that records information that can be shared among a community of users. Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies are the\u00a0best-known examples of blockchain<\/a>, but blockchain has uses beyond financial transactions.<\/p>\n

Student records stored in blockchain for security limit access only to legitimate users, such as institutional administrators and potential employers selected by students or job seekers. Traditionally, institutions own and control certifications like degrees, but that could shift with \u201cdigital degrees\u201d and microcredentials that rely on blockchain.<\/p>\n

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Blockchain can attest to students\u2019 accomplishments. (Shutterstock)<\/p><\/div>\n

Verifying accomplishments<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Besides providing effective security and privacy for users, blockchain can also facilitate the maintenance and dissemination of the credentials, while ensuring that access is readily available for students under their control.<\/p>\n

Because of its immutability, blockchain can be used to attest to and verify students\u2019 accomplishments. This is important for students seeking to\u00a0have their credits recognized<\/a>\u00a0whether because they are studying to obtain new professional accreditation, studying in multiple institutions or because they are moving for study or employment.<\/p>\n

Blockchain is distributed, meaning that multiple copies of the same information are stored on different computers. So, blockchain is not controlled by any central authority and the \u201cblocks\u201d in the \u201cchain,\u201d linked chronologically, are shared in a\u00a0P2P (peer-to-peer) network<\/a>, which can be accessed from\u00a0any node or point on the network<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These blocks are immutable, as any change to the original leaves the first iteration intact and accessible.<\/p>\n

When students or job seekers want to have credits transferred between institutions, gatekeepers \u2014 for example, post-secondary institutions or employers \u2014 typically insist on receiving copies of diplomas and degrees directly from each institution. As more students gain credentials from multiple institutions, this process becomes increasingly untenable.<\/p>\n

Students need to control this process and blockchain can provide a solution.<\/p>\n

Securely validates learning<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In 2019, McMaster University announced it was awarding \u201cdigital degrees\u201d using blockchain to Faculty of Engineering students after the university\u00a0implemented microcredentials using blockchain<\/a>\u00a0to securely validate students\u2019 learning.
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