How Web3 Will Bring Paradigm Shifts In Edtech
Education is the key to humans flourishing and one of the best ways to improve living standards and promote equity — if we truly live in a knowledge economy. While the current model may work for only 7% of the population, we need models that apply to the 93%. New models of education, based on the decentralized power and flexibility of web3, are now possible. Web3 is reshaping almost all industries, and this is a shift to decentralized technologies primarily owned by users. Education is moving in the same direction towards “ed3 “.
Ed1 is knowledge transfer by accredited institutions such as universities or high schools. On the other hand, Ed2 was a centralized platform that distributed education, such as Udemy and Skillshare. Ed3 refers to individuals who gather skills from many sources and validate that knowledge in their wallets. With web3, we will step into the knowledge arena of ed3.
How will web3 bring changes in edtech?
Web3 technology and ethos offer new education opportunities, mainly from the below perspectives that dismantle the present education system.
- Accessibility
- Affordability
- Accreditation
Many innovative models of education are being developed in web3 that can be used as inspiration and blueprints for a shift towards ed3.
Education will be more accessible.
Education is fundamentally a community-based system with many stakeholders like parents, learners and teachers. The predominant education system is a traditional in-person model where teachers and students interact within an educational institution. Classes are organized chronologically with a set start and end date. Students who are unable to complete the semester can’t continue the course. On top of that, there are location constraints.
Decentralized autonomous organizations (or DAOs) are opening up new avenues for collaboration in the web3 world. DAOs in ed3 will be the critical infrastructure to enable decentralized education experiences. Undoubtedly, education will change if we can bring together and pay both learners and teachers. In web3, DAOs could be used as learning centers. Students can join a group to learn about any topic that interests them, then apply their knowledge to the DAO and earn money along the way.
DAOs are also a step closer to personalized learning. A young artist with ambition can network and collaborate with other artists and receive real-time peer feedback. DAOs also make governance easier. The largest contributor often has a greater say in curriculum design and delivery. Imagine students having a strong voice in how tuition funds are allocated and what is taught. This would result in a significant shift in education engagement and completion rates.
More affordable education
Over the years, the cost of educating a child from school to university has risen exponentially. Due to this, potential students without financial support have suffered a significant setback.
Web3 learning environments are permissionless, overcoming time and location limitations. With web3 architecture, students can access free and open content from institutions worldwide. Simultaneous modules learning is possible where students’ credentials are verified on-chain. They can also take on paid tasks (bounties) to show potential employers their abilities. This allows them to move beyond a skills-based approach and into competency-based education.
Like Youtube in web2, web3 comes with social network platforms like DTube and KARMA that leverage education and learning for everyone. These platforms pay creators directly with cryptocurrency. This means that creators and learners get the same incentives without the middleman taking a big cut. This allows educators to reinvest their profits and increase production value. Creators need to be focused on providing exceptional learning experiences to maintain their position in a more decentralized and equitable economy. With metaverse, learners will get an enhanced and equitable experience. All they need is a digital avatar to join the metaverse. Web3 will leverage a “learn-to-earn” model in ed3.
Enhanced accreditation
The current education system has a major flaw: it cannot teach practical skills. Our study years are spent gaining good grades and not building knowledge. Scores on the mark sheets are often a measure of intelligence, and schools and colleges use outdated and inefficient pedagogical methods.
Web3 offers many exciting new features, such as the ability for interoperable virtual goods to be implemented. This can often be the non-fungible tokens. With blockchain, we can embed more formal credentials. Also, students can acquire NFTs to help them complete tasks or bounties. Tokens can be used for credentials. To purchase tickets for classes, community experiences or other activities, NFTs are used. These tokens can charge courses, connect students and manage access. NFTs can also be used to prove the completion of activities and courses. An NFT is awarded to graduates, which allows them access to and continue benefitting from their work. Also, we can use the NFT to vote.
How will web3 impact traditional education?
The accreditation approaches mentioned above are not restricted to alternative education only. Competency-based education is the best model for web3 in edtech and a workable solution for traditional educational institutions. In the traditional model, schools and universities have awarded students based on how many hours they spend in the classroom, and this measurement is known as the Carnegie Unit. As learning becomes more synchronous and the Knowledge Economy requires faster knowledge acquisition, these accreditation systems become less useful.
As we define competency in web3, it makes traditional higher education more atomized. Students can acquire education from versatile sources like DAOs, workplaces and ed3 learning platforms. Peer learning is also a good source of education. These experiences can then be combined to create a traditional degree through the competency-based approach. Schools and employers can see and access students’ skills by saving them to the blockchain.
This leads to the reorganization and atomization of education. As there are no location constraints for education, families can easily move to another place and continue their education. Also, institutes can provide stackable credit for independent study, work and entrepreneurship. Moreover, talented students are easy to identify long before the standardized test.
Learning from multiple sources
Web3 promises to revolutionize education by integrating advanced technology resources into traditional educational systems. It promises to streamline information access without interference from third-party agencies. Web3 tools allow learners and teachers to have a richer, interactive experience. Web3 is a new educational system that relies on the decentralization of data. This allows learners to learn from many sources. To ensure that the knowledge can be accessed securely, it is validated and stored on a blockchain network. This technology offers ideas such as ‘Proof of Skill,’ which can greatly open up opportunities in the education sector.
