Integrating Technology Colleagues,
Perhaps you have heard of Bitcoin. It is based on something called a blockchain. Perhaps you have wondered what a blockchain is and how it is -- and might be -- used. Here's a relatively simple Reuters Graphics explanation that may help you -- and your students, if this interests them -- to understand blockchain technology. The article ends with several potential uses of blockchain technology: by banks; hospitals and other health organizations for health records; for voting; as a way of recording the history of purchases of a product; and for property records. Not mentioned in the article is an active group called Badgechain that has been working to use blockchain technology to develop secure education records for micro-credentials (digital badges), and perhaps for high school and college credentials. For example, see this issue of their newsletter.
What are your thoughts about using blockchain for digital badge credentials? For post-secondary education transcripts? Is your education institution or organization already doing that? Should it be? Should we be cautious about blockchain technology's security and trustworthiness? If so, why?
David J. Rosen, Moderator
LINCS CoP Integrating Technology group