Blockchain Papers

Dimitrios Kiriakos, Dimitriοs Kotsifakos, Parisa Ghodous, Yannis Psaromiligkos

No abstract is available for this record.

Authors unavailable

Harshitha Reddy Chitukula, S. Phanindra Reddy, M.D.N. Akash and Ramesh Karnati In this paper, we explored the potential impact of Web3 technologies on the future of social media. Web3 technologies, such as blockchain and decentralized networks, offer new opportunities for social media users to own and control their data, leading to increased privacy and security.

Stephanie Bowles, Priya Sharma

Our study builds on theories emphasizing connectivity for learning on social media to study learning networks on Twitter (e.g., Haythornthwaite, 2019;Siemens, 2005).Considering the nature of power law distribution on social media (Yoshida, 2021), we focus on a group of influencers from the Non-Fungible Token (NFT) community to uncover online learning networks and their emergent practices.By employing an exploratory Social Network Analysis (Nooraie et al., 2020) and qualitative analysis, we examine the way in which influencers form learning relations through conversational interactions and content, and the modalities and discursive strategies used in their tweets.We find that influencers built a strong learning network through sustained interactions and content relations among themselves and with a wide community outreach.This analysis contributes to the way that learning networks are analyzed and found on Twitter.

Tarang Rajpal, Hrishikesh Patil, Varad Deshmukh, Dhananjay Pai · 5 authors

ChainBank is an innovative decentralized autonomous organizational system specifically designed to support students in improving their financial habits. Students have the opportunity to invest their money in a distributed pool and receive tokens in return, while also gaining the ability to actively engage in decision-making through voting on proposals. ChainBank offers its members a powerful voting feature, enabling them to collectively make important decisions regarding the platform’s operations. ChainBank’s primary objective is to target regular students who often struggle with irregular financial habits. Engaging with ChainBank helps students to develop essential skills and knowledge that will positively impact their financial well-being both now and in the future.

Authors unavailable

The Internet has revolutionized education and learning, presenting both opportunities and challenges with the continuous evolution of web-based technologies. The earlier version of the web, known as Web 1.0, was primarily a readonly medium, while Web 2.0 allowed for greater interactivity with read/write capabilities. Now, the emerging version of the web, Web 3.0, is considered to be a technologically advanced medium that not only facilitates read/write capabilities but also enables a machines to carry out some of the thinking that was previously expected only of humans. In a relatively short period of time, Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 have introduced new tools and technologies that have greatly facilitated web-based education and learning. This paper will explore the definition, evolution, and characteristics of Web 3.0, as well as discuss potential future technologies, trends, tools, and services that can support online learning, personalization, and knowledge construction powered by the Semantic Web.

LuoBin Cui, ChengZhang Zhu, Ryan Hare, Ying Tang

Abstract The potential of the metaverse in the field of education is an area of increasing interest, with many researchers exploring the space to increase the ease and efficacy of student education while reducing time and labor requirements to deliver effective teaching. However, there has been little work into the systematic and technological aspects of delivering education through the metaverse. To fill this gap, we propose a metaverse education system that takes good advantages of virtual reality and Web3 blockchain techologies to create a social learning environment. With this added emphasis on social aspects, learners are able to socialize and engage in collaborative efforts to improve their own knowledge. Using blockchain technology, the system can also help to ensure security and transparency while also keeping progression and grading fair for all participating students.

Yong Shi, Hossain Shahriar, Dan Lo, Hongmei Chi

As an emerging technology that has already impacted various sectors including finance, energy, education, and more, blockchain provides a decentralized ledger system that ensures the integrity of the recorded transactions. With its wide application comes the huge demand for blockchain researchers and engineers, however, most schools have not offered courses related to blockchain research and development. To fill the gap between the increasing needs for blockchain professionals and shortage of blockchain curriculum, we propose a portable labware that covers the complete cycle of blockchain development. In this labware we apply active learning strategies to engage students in learning the blockchain knowledge more efficiently and effectively.

Gong Wen

Blockchain technology is a distributed database with features such as no forgery, full traceability, openness, and transparency which is superior in establishing trust mechanisms and brings new opportunities for finance, healthcare, technology, and education. As a required course of all universities in China, College English has a large demographic covering millions of students. But the traditional EFL summative assessment model fails to fully reflect the L2 learner’s learning process and increment performance. The current paper focuses on the novel applications of blockchain in the educational domain and how blockchain technology reshapes the EFL Formative Assessment framework in the consensus mechanism to achieve a decentralized and highly trusted learning process record and evaluation. This innovative approach aims at improving the openness, transparency, and fairness of the EFL learning process by recording and monitoring the teachers’ and students’ behaviors. The research findings of this paper provide preliminary exploration for L2 evaluation and supply some inspiration to policymakers, EFL practitioners, and technology developers about the potential usages of digital credentials anchored on blockchains.

Wenwen Ding, Jiachen Hou, Juanjuan Li, Chao Guo · 7 authors

Decentralized science (DeSci) is a hot topic emerging with the development of Web3 or Web3.0 and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and operations. DeSci fundamentally differs from the centralized science (CeSci) and Open Science (OS) movement built in the centralized way with centralized protocols. It changes the basic structure and legacy norms of current scientific systems via reshaping the cooperation mode, value system, and incentive mechanism. As such, it can provide a viable path for solving bottleneck problems in the development of science, such as oligarchy, silos, and so on, and make science more fair, free, responsible, and sensitive. However, DeSci itself still faces many challenges, including scaling, balancing the quality of participants, system suboptimal loops, lack of accountability mechanism, and so on. Taking these into consideration, this article presents a systematic introduction of DeSci, proposes a novel reference model with a six-layer architecture, addresses the potential applications, and also outlines the key research directions in this emerging field. This article is committed to providing helpful guidance and reference for future research efforts on DeSci.

Steven Wolfe Pereira, Elliot K. Fishman, Steven P. Rowe

No abstract is available for this record.

Md. Amir Hossain Fahad, Redoyan Chowdhury, Hasan-Al– Shabbir

Web development has greatly advanced from basic static web pages to dynamic, datadriven applications utilizing modern technology. Specifically, this article looks at the past, present, and future of web development, focusing on the importance of artificial intelligence (AI), progressive web apps (PWAs), security measures, and performance improvement. The adoption of contemporary frontend and backend technologies has improved user experience, scalability, and security, while nascent trends like Web3, blockchain integration, and decentralized apps (DApps) are poised to transform the digital environment. Even with these advances, there are still problems, such as cybersecurity risks, accessibility issues, and the need to keep improving online performance. This evaluation shows how important it is to welcome new technologies while also addressing important problems in order to create a safe, effective, and welcoming digital world. Future research must concentrate on enhancing cybersecurity frameworks, refining AI-driven web development, and investigating decentralized computing paradigms. Utilizing advanced technology, web developers may design more intelligent, responsive, and user-centric online apps that satisfy the increasing expectations of the digital age.

Maria José Sousa, Francesca Dal Mas, Sónia P. Gonçalves, Davide Calandra

Several scholars have examined the potential use of AI and Blockchain in education, primarily focusing on the contributions of such technologies with a goal to improve learning possibilities and outcomes for students [...].

George Veletsianos, Elizabeth Childs, Robin S. Cox, Isabel Cordua-von Specht · 8 authors

Online and distance learning is a practice situated in environments—places, spaces, and times, with particular people, in particular contexts, with particular technologies, within particular institutions. In other words, the practice of online and distance learning is not wholly individual: it is situated within broader environments. In this reflective article, we argue that to understand learning in online contexts, it is important for researchers to understand the broader environments in which learners are located. We illustrate this argument by presenting a narrative of a fictitious learner pursuing a degree in decentralized finance.

Patrick Ocheja, Brendan Flanagan, Hiroaki Ogata, Solomon Sunday Oyelere

The use of blockchain in education has become one of the trending topics in education technology research. However, only a handful of education blockchain solutions have provided a measure of the impact on students' learning outcomes, teaching, or administrative processes. This work reviews how academic data stored on the blockchain is being visualized across various education blockchain solutions. We argue that education's uniqueness requires a different visualization approach that supports students' learning activities, advances teaching methods, and facilitates administrative procedures. We identify a consistent trend where most of the proposed education blockchain solutions focus on credentials collection and do not provide a way to make sense of the blockchain's data. Thus, we conducted a needs analysis by interviewing four teachers to understand essential features when accessing distributed academic data, report these results and use them to inform the features of our proposed visualizations. Our unique contributions include: presenting typical use cases of distributed learning records from multiple education institutes and demonstrating how past learning records of students stored on the blockchain can be visualized to support current learning. We also propose a method of visualization to increase the data awareness of information owners through the blockchain.

Li Min, Ge Bin

Abstract This study explores the use of blockchain in the course design and evaluation in Chinese universities, and explores the value of teachers’ views and experiences on blockchain in the course design. Previous studies have shown that blockchain has a positive effect on the improvement of online teaching management and evaluation quality. Most of the current research focuses on the management of online teaching by using blockchain, and this qualitative case study investigates the design and evaluation of online course based on blockchain by five teachers of different specialties. Semi-structured interviews and course materials were collected from five teachers for a TPACK framework analysis. The result of the survey emphasizes that the redesign of online courses based on blockchain can improve the matching between blockchain and courses, the quality of teaching and the trust of various parties in online education. The block chain-based the online course of both theory and practice design and evaluation, which is oriented by the index method of capability evaluation, is an appropriate idea and has achieved good results. The experimental course focuses on the integration of blockchain and experimental platform. The immersive and interactive course presentation and the personalized examination based on machine learning are effective. But follow-up should pay attention to the different requirements of course design of different disciplines, using a variety of data sources for analysis, to take measures to enhance the enthusiasm of teachers to adopt new technologies.

Diptiben Ghelani, Tan Kian Hua

In web-based education and learning, the constant growth of the Internet has thrown up inconceivable opportunities and problems. Web 3.0, the most recent version of the web, is believed to be a technologically sophisticated medium that allows users to Read/Write/Execute and also allows robots to perform some of the thinking formerly reserved for human beings. Online marketing with web 3.0 is also known as intuitive Web, which is a Semantic Web that allows web services to communicate with one another. Individualized and behavioral Web 3.0 will be the norm. Web 3.0 has generated new tools and technology for aiding web-based education and learning in a short amount of time. To begin, this article addresses certain Web 3.0 concepts, development, and features. We explored the influence of web 3.0 on marketing in this study, as well as the many aspects that contribute to marketing uplift. Web 3.0 is a word used to describe the interaction that occurs as a result of the evolution of Web use and the transformation of the Web into a database. Smart web with intelligence analysis, personalisation, interoperable web, virtualization (virtual 3D environments), and multimedia are some of the most significant elements of these technologies. The broad adoption of Web 3.0 technologies in educational settings has resulted in the creation of e-learning 3.0. Web 3.0 is defined by facilitating cooperation and is powered by co-creation tools.

M.E. Sousa‐Vieira, David Ferrero-Castro, J.C. López-Ardao

Badges are non fungible tokens used to document or certify achievements in academics or in any other domain. Besides their utility as proof of achievement, badges are of interest in higher education as pure incentives to push the students and learners in general toward pursuing well-defined goals and skills. In this respect, badges can be naturally incorporated into digital learning platforms also as part of informal learning activities, and stimulate participation, merit, and visibility for the students. However, the level of engagement of learners into these learning activities depends crucially on how the system of badges and rewards has been designed and on how it is applied, if it is to be used effectively. In this paper, we report on the design and implementation of a smart badges system, and an example of its use inside a gamification methodology for informal learning in a master level course, and discuss the benefits and the observed gains in learning performance that can be obtained.

Ta Nguyen Binh Duong, Joel Yang Tian Jun

In institutes of higher learning, most of the time course material development and delivery follow a centralized model which is fully lecturer-controlled. In this model, engaging students as partners in learning is a challenging problem as: 1) students are usually hesitant to contribute due to the fear of getting it wrong, 2) not much incentive for them to put in the extra effort, and 3) current online learning systems lack adequate facilities to support seamless and anonymous interactions between students. In this work, we propose EtherLearn, a blockchain based peer-learning system to distribute the control of how course material and formative assessments could be developed and delivered over the set of stakeholders in the particular course. EtherLearn leverages features of the rising blockchain technology, e.g., decentralization, anonymity, transparency and security to address the aforementioned concerns in university learning environments. To this end, we have successfully implemented a proof of concept for EtherLearn based on the Ethereum blockchain network. We have also conducted preliminary evaluations to demonstrate that it can be useful in decentralizing learning resource creation and student sharing in an encouraging teaching and learning environment.

Anissa Cheriguene, Taieb Kabache, Chaker Abdelaziz Kerrache, Carlos T. Calafate · 5 authors

Technology advancements promote a redefinition of traditional instructional methodologies, as well as the roles of teachers and learners towards an efficient e-learning ecosystem. To date, all existing solutions are combined with the conventional face-to-face learning process. However, the latter can be unexpectedly hindered in some emergency cases, like the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. To handle such unexpected scenarios, this paper presents NOTA, a novel online teaching and assessment scheme that takes advantage of Blockchain technology to maintain the expected teaching quality and assessment fairness while respecting the courses' and examinations' schedule. Besides, NOTA also motivates both learners and teachers to persist in their endeavours, even from home, through Blockchain's incentive strategies. The preliminary results taken during the CoronaVirus period showed a very high satisfaction ratio, exceeding the 90%. This made us feel very optimistic about the potential of our proposal when deployed at a larger scale.

Zohreh Saadati, Canan Perkan Zeki, Reza Vatankhah Barenji

The study of online higher education learning and academic achievement has increasingly emphasized self-regulated learning (SRL). Few studies so far have investigated the blockchain-based learning management system (LMS) and adaptive SRL intervention in online higher education. This paper aimed to develop a blockchain-enabled LMS as a metacognitive tool in online higher education with SRL adaptive intervention (AI) to improve planning, monitoring, collaboration, zone of proximal development (ZPD), scaffolding, and reflection towards self-regulation development and learning achievement. To do that, based on the benchmark data of 33 English Language Teaching (ELT) Master of Art (MA) students, the blockchain-based LMS is developed that provided three phases of planning, action, and reflection SRL AI throughout the online programme. Data were collected quantitatively by utilizing SRL pre – and post-test questionnaire which were analysed along the t-test and qualitatively by adopting reflective essays which were analysed through the content analysis method. The findings of the study revealed that the blockchain-based SRL intervention online programme had provided opportunities for MA candidates to develop their SRL skills in realistic goal setting, and their self-monitoring, self-reflection, self-awareness through coaching/judging, ZPD, and collaboration.

Lorraine Lee, Deniz Appelbaum, Richard D. Mautz

ABSTRACT Organizations such as the AACSB and the Pathways Commission (2012) recommend that accounting curricula include emerging technologies. Yet including emerging technologies represents a challenge for accounting educators due to the complexity and uncertainty associated with such technologies, as well as the rapid pace of technology change and innovation. This paper answers the call by the Pathways Commission (2012) for additional research that is focused on enhancing learning experiences to better reflect current and emerging technologies. Using an experiential learning approach (Butler, Church, and Spencer 2019), we create an interactive learning activity that is focused on bitcoin blockchains and intended to give accounting students a conceptual understanding of blockchain technology and its mechanisms, as well as its implications beyond bitcoins.

Adel Elmessiry, Mohamed M. Elmessiry, Larry Bridgesmith

No abstract is available for this record.

Alexander Mikroyannidis, Allan Third, Niaz Chowdhury, Michelle Bachler · 5 authors

This paper presents the initial implementation, deployment and evaluation of a pilot case study, aiming at supporting lifelong learning through the use of Blockchain technology. This pilot case study uses Blockchain technology for decentralising lifelong learning and providing lifelong learners with transparent and immutable educational accreditation in the form of Smart Blockchain Badges. At the same time, lifelong learners are provided with personalised recommendations that help them reach their personal and professional learning goals. This paper presents a web-based prototype implementing the main scenario of this pilot case study, as well as the initial deployment and evaluation phases conducted with stakeholders from the education community.

Solomon Sunday Oyelere, Ismar Frango Silveira, Valéria Farinazzo Martins, Maria Amélia Eliseo · 10 authors

No abstract is available for this record.