DEVELOPMENT OF A BLOCKCHAIN-BASED IDENTITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO ENHANCE SECURITY IN PERSONAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN YUNNAN, CHINA

Abstract

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) is profoundly reshaping higher education, shifting from institution-centered paradigms to learner-centric personalized learning environments (PLEs). However, PLEs face critical challenges in identity management, including data breaches, unauthorized access, and interoperability barriers, which undermine security and trust. This study proposes the Blockchain-based Student Identity Management System (BSIMS), a conceptual model integrating blockchain technology, xAPI standards, and OAuth2 protocols to uphold confidentiality, integrity, availability, authenticity, and non-repudiation (CIAAN) principles. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Information Systems Success Model (ISSM), BSIMS was validated through mixed-methods research involving 90 students and 16 experts from five Yunnan Province universities. Results demonstrate BSIMS' superiority in user satisfaction (explaining 81.7% variance), CIAAN performance (M=4.58 vs. 3.18 for traditional systems, p<0.001), and reliability (zero downtime, 0.3 ms response time). Ethical and legal implications, such as immutability conflicts with privacy rights, are addressed via zero-knowledge proofs and off-chain storage. BSIMS offers a scalable framework for secure PLEs, advancing educational informatization in Yunnan and beyond.