Month: August 2021

Humanity: The Antidote

matthewpiercyPersonal

SEL, AI, SDGs. Awash in acronym-dom, which one grapples most for your attention? “Yes,” you may answer with a non-sequitur because holistically, no one is more important than the other. Each related but also if not rooted in humanity, layered in complexity. Yet, in a certain degree of stillness, there is a possibility to return to the simple. Not a gadget or gimmick. But, to what always has and likely always will matter most. Relationships and humanity.

The purpose of education is not only to prepare students for the future. In a more humane world, education exists for today too. A paramount need is for students to relate one with another but also with adults. Considered an “unshakable optimist,” best-selling author Simon Sinek attests to this fact, “I would love to teach us all to be a little more human.”

When learning shifted to virtual it illuminated a need to slow down. To make choices of what curriculum might best be pruned for the sake of going deeper with students and prioritizing relationships. So students are not lost in the labyrinth of online learning or possibly even left feeling overlooked, cameras off and speakers muted. It is not hyperbolic to recommend every day check-ins, with every single student. To add more spontaneity and fun, sometimes it may even be advantageous to ask students random questions like, “would you rather have the superpower to fly or to be invisible.” The point is to lighten the “mood of school” and simply connect.

Building Online Communities Does Not Just Happen

Or maybe it does, just not the types of communities educators might feel are most healthy, equitable, and conducive to learning. So, what with intention can be done to design virtual learning spaces to be optimal? Focusing on what matters most, students, is a precursory. Next, is the importance of a genuine desire to listen a little more attentively, making every effort to honestly develop in our abilities to have empathy.

“We’ve been forced to examine our lives through the lens of others and understand, accept and champion their individual situations and experiences,” reflected Andres Angelani in a Forbes article titled, “Empathy: A Priority For Business Leaders In 2021.” Central in this prioritization is to invest not only in IQ but also Emotional Intelligence (EQ). A broad spectrum of experiences led to various opinions of new ways of learning (ie. virtually). The summer of 2021 and its array of “realities” likely extenuated perceptions. Some students may be returning to school after summer months of free-roaming city streets without a mask or any restriction. Whereas, others possibly did not leave the confines of their home. With a new year of school in sight, some countries face more lock-downs. Others optimistically and nimbly prepare for what will hopefully be a “normal” start. Whatever the case, if the past two years have impressed upon us one principle, it is that the only certainty the future holds, is more uncertainty. Again, empathy and understanding others are essential. Stacey Goodman’s pre-pandemic article,  “The importance of Teaching Through Relationships,” is one testimonial to the pertinence relational aspects have on learning and teaching.

The Human Skills We Need in an Unpredictable World

Writer and entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan gave a TED talk in July of 2019 titled,

“The Human Skills We Need in an Unpredictable World.” She spoke of “preparedness, coalition-building, imagination, experiments, bravery — in an unpredictable age, these are tremendous sources of resilience and strength.” She then transitioned into the role of digital tools saying, “…the more we let machines think for us, the less we think for ourselves.”  Before concluding, Heffernan shared how during the pandemic and such stressful and turbulent times, she asked a number of chief executives the question, “What kept you going?” Some wept when they remembered but all had exactly the same answer, “It was my friends and my colleagues who kept me going.” Would teachers and students respond the same? If not, might schools embark upon this noble journey of developing communities where everyone feels they belong?

Deeply connecting with students and forging relationships is at the apex. Naturally, the next step might be to begin the school year by providing students an opportunity to closely examine their communities and their place within them. The exploration is a guided revelation of how communities, whether defined in global or more local contexts, ultimately exist without regard for time or space. Nalakui Academy is one example of a project-based, entrepreneurship, leadership, design program. Students consistently comment on relationship building as their favorite part of the experience. A component is learning alongside like-minded students, but also connections are established with start-up industry leaders already having an impact.

For example, for a more entrepreneurial student, she may envision her community as part of a group of young scientists interested in bionics, engineering, and modern technology. Whereas, another student may define his community as fellow students who frequent the local library. Place-based or not, both are in a position to lead to authenticity. Purposeful learning because their students feel a sense of agency. After a student identifies her community, getting out of the classroom (even virtual space) and inquiring to learn more, is a logical next step. The invitation is for students to speak with others in “their” community and to begin to explore ways in which they might be able to be of service. Quite possibly some students may feel even less inhibited doing this digitally if learning is virtual. Ultimately students likely will gain a better grasp of their identity but also can meaningfully contribute, feeling a sense of purpose.

Learning is a Social Endeavor

A June 18, 2021 article titled, The Remedy For Children’s Pandemic Isolation? After School Activities,” makes a case for the important role of social development outside of school. Clearly, this involvement is a helpful step but is in no way a panacea. Further, I can only imagine the famed social learning theorist Lev Vygotsky and how he might be rolling in his grave at the suggestion that society might be able to rebound simply by signing a child up for a softball team. Rather, social-emotional recovery cannot be envisioned as an extra or something that happens outside of school. At the foundational level, teachers must leverage intentional design as they construct active learning communities. Not only because we learn from our interactions with others but inherent also is our very identity. Who “we” are, as opposed to just who “I” might be as an individual. In this pursuit of who we are, it behooves us on a more macro level to consider what is a school and what purpose does it serve?

Transformation Necessitates Slowing Down

In 2018 authors Valerie Hannon and Amelia Peterson gave us, “Thrive: Schools Reinvented for the Real Challenges We Face.” Little did they know at the time that soon the pandemic would serve us much more fodder to reimagine education. This led to, “Thrive: The Purpose of Schools in a Changing World 2nd Edition,” in which four levels of thriving may prove worthy of our close consideration:

  • global – our place in the planet
  • societal – localities, communities, economies
  • interpersonal – our relationships
  • intrapersonal – the self

This is theoretical, so what about practically speaking? As simple as it may sound, but of critical importance is the response to the question, “What might happen if we slow down?” National Geographic fellow and explorer, Paul Salopek exemplifies this. Recently he wrote, “I am walking across the Earth. Over the course of perhaps a dozen years and roughly 24,000 miles, I’m trekking continuously along the pathways of the ancestors from Africa to South America. I document what I see at boot level.” All of this is in an effort to align with what Salopek believes matters most, people. “Slow journalism is about slowing down enough to actually inhabit the stories of the day. To immerse yourself in the stories of the day and to get to know the people who are behind the headlines, the ordinary people who are behind stories about mass migration, refugee crises, climate change…”  Might we be emboldened enough as educators to know our students? For our students to know each other?

A Little More Human

As we look to transform the future of education, developing relationships must be in the crosshairs. Machines might speed up the world around us but must we? Or, might we focus on what matters most, understanding ourselves and others. Flexible and resilient. Though we may not control schools staying or returning to virtual mode, what we do have control over is that which we choose to prioritize. Like Simon Sinek, I too “would love to teach us all to be a little more human.”

For more, see:

EMBRACING WONDER AND GRACE

matthewpiercyPersonal
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”    ~Epicurus It was the first day of a new school year.  At lunchtime a message appeared in my inbox with the subject line, “Where will you be teaching in 2022?”  It would be errant to claim this to be the first wind I caught of peering into and “preparing” for the future.  Days prior, colleagues shared how they already registered with international recruitment agencies. A part of me was left reeling, falling perfectly into the “trap” of the subject line.  Wondering where might I be in a year’s time.  Try as I might, I wrestled with reality, asking, “Was it really already time to begin thinking about recruitment?” Regardless of the answer, any answer, I instead firmly plant myself in the present.  Teachers and administrators who have had “skin in the international game” for years may have the a priori belief that it never is too early to begin thinking about next year.  However, my experience in observing and listening to international educators for more than two decades, showcased how sometimes there was a sort of psychology of transition.  One that confirmed the necessity to be in the moment. Like it was yesterday, I can remember how my first two years played out teaching overseas. The initial few months seamlessly fit with what is often called the honeymoon stage. The newness exciting to the cohort of teachers I entered alongside.  Differences such as conceptions of time, piqued our curiosity and were seen positively as stimulants. Later it would be these very items that would be irritants. We would settling in by winter break, still intrigued by cultural nuances and dedicated time to learn the language of the host nation. Friendships would continue to deepen. The first year was equal parts whirlwind and respite.  Life being lived in the present moment. Recruitment those days seemingly kicked into gear much later and so the start of year two was a continuation of positivity.  But, by March the second year some teachers in the cohort made the decision to move on. Seemingly overnight, there was a shift in mindset.  Certain friends became mere colleagues, ones I found myself no longer really wanting to even share conversation. Lightheartedness, laughter, and appreciation for any differences in culture were substituted for mockery and scorn. I wanted no part. It wasn’t until my second international post that I would be permitted a clearer window into what possibly was happening.  Again, a similar trajectory of experience played out.  From awe to contentment and then to frustration and even disdain.   Were there forces at play?  I was not sure.  But what I did recognize as truth was how there appeared to be a sort of uncanny coping mechanism, where individuals unconsciously deceived themselves.  As if darkness needed to exist to know light. Yet, it went beyond the paradoxical.  Little was in flux but the individual themselves.  The country was by and large the same.  The inhabitants, students, and school too.  Yet, ostensibly all that was celebrated the first year and a half, now was spoiled. The aspirations of the “next place,” and far greener grass left some colleagues living in what might best be called purgatory.  Arguably they were living in two places.  Or possibly in no place at all.  What was certain was they no longer were fully present and appeared stuck. Of course this was and is not the case for all people in transition.  However, with each move I have witnessed a similar occurrence for some. And here we are.  Living in times where recruitment is no longer pegged to the seasons.  This is fitting as a result of the ubiquitous nature of so much in life, as we grow increasingly connected. Teachers for hire anytime, anywhere. A truly globalized world. Kind of like feasting on asparagus in Iceland in December.  Time and place no longer barriers. In the case of education; LinkedIn, Zoom and all the other platforms serve to displace the traditional recruitment fairs. Regardless, the subject line, “Where will you be in 2022” brought into focus for me, how there is a layering of beginnings.  Beginning a new school year, while already considering a beginning somewhere else. Simply becoming more aware of this, brought more contentment. Yet, this “layering” does come with some risk. The risk of living for today. What if instead of getting caught up in where we might be in 2022, we dedicated ourselves to doing as Will Richardson suggests?  “What if we committed to radical love, of one another and of the planet? It’s clear, I think, that anything less will prevent us from solving the problems we face. That and, of course, going out and jogging or walking or biking a few miles each week, turning off the narratives of strife and gloom, taking in the beauty that’s right in front of us, and honoring this current moment for all of its wonder and grace.” Where will I be in 2022? Hopefully still feeling grateful for my life, just like today. #############

UNITED IN EMOTION, IMMERSED IN HUMANITY

matthewpiercyPersonal

Barshim

Biles

Hubbard 

Tamberi

Tsimanouskaya.

Names to remember but moreover examples for our students to follow.

 

Qatar, United States, New Zealand, Italy, and Belarus. The athletes represent five different countries and five different events.  Each individually could be envisaged as   one of five olympic rings.  Their stories, like the rings, intertwined and embodying hope.  A heroism that supersedes athleticism, for they are harbingers of the dawning of a more humane future. 

 

Olympic History 

In 2012, the motto of the London Olympics  was “Inspire a Generation.”  In 2016 in Rio it was “A New World.”  How befitting that this year in Tokyo the motto was “United by Emotion.”  Originating in ancient Greece as many as 3,000 years ago, the games have not lost significance socially or culturally.  Yet, there was a hiatus in the Olympics in 393AD under the reign of Emperor Theodosius as the ancient pagan Olympiad system was disbanded. Not until 1896 were they revived.  

According to the International Olympic Committee, “Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind… Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles.” A lofty goal if we think back to the original games where all all athletes competed naked and corporal punishment awaited those “guilty” of even a false start on the track. This summer 200 nations convened in Tokyo for the XXXII Olympics, competing in 339 events, or 33 sports, over the course of 16-days. Much more than victory or failure, the Olympics are unable to be distilled to a single element.  They are a spirit. One in which may bear witness to the good, the bad, and the ugly.  

 

Generosity and Sharing Joy

Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi set an example of what is possible when we set ourselves aside, our maniacal egos, and consider that winning does not necessarily indicate someone must lose. The high-jumping duo have a history of competition but more importantly friendship. Each has battled hardships in their career and received support from the other.  So, after both successfully cleared the 2.37m mark, a “marathon” two-hour attempt to outdo the other ensued.  Until finally, an Olympic official offered them a jump off to see who would prevail.  Time seemed to slow as Barshim questioned, “Can we have two golds?”  Almost in perfect unison with the response, “It is possible,” Tamberi leapt into the arms of Barshim.  Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics described how Tamberi then tore off on a hop and a skip across the track, before finishing up in a pile on the floor in floods of tears.  The headlines would read, “High jumpers sharing gold medal dubbed ‘the greatest moment in Olympic history.” Watching the video leaves the viewer with warm feelings of just what is possible.

​​Borrowed from: “Mutaz Essa Barshim” by Doha StadiumPlus is licensed under CC BY 2.0                                          

Foto di Giancarlo Colombo/A.G.Giancarlo Colombo

 

Biles Overcomes with Persistence

Simon Biles is so successful in gymnastics that we may even lose count of her eight National Championships, five World Championships, and 2016 Olympic All-Around Gold Medal. Yet, she is much more than her accomplishments. There may be apparent levity in the word “twisties.” Kind of like what you might think when you hear the words “twinkies” or “slinky.”  Yet, the twisties are serious.  When Biles’ 2016 Olympic teammate Laurie Hernandez was asked to explain them, she said “ twisties can set in when doing high level elements, typically on floor or vault, and it becomes difficult to compartmentalise the exact element a gymnast’s body is attempting. The rhythm is off, and your brain will like stutter step for half a second and that’s enough to throw off the whole skill.” So, for Biles to report having the twisties while on the world’s greatest athletic stage, without the comfort of falling into a foam pit, creates more than a sense of uneasiness. It was understandable how she would take herself out of four of the five individual events she qualified for.  Yet, she could not be psyched out of the balance beam. Her courage to perform along with her extraordinary skill would result in winning the bronze. Biles shared, “It (the bronze) means more than all of the golds because I pushed through so much the last five years and the last week while I’ve even been here.” 

Borrowed from: “simone-biles-gymnast-olympics-usa-team” by vfutscher is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

 

One Small Lift for a Woman, One Giant Leap for Humanity

It is a lot to snatch 133kg, a movement that requires pushing the weight overhead.  Laurel Hubbard set the Oceania record in 202 for doing just this.  Yet, what she has achieved usurps gravity. The focus of intense scrutiny, the 43-year-old never sought attention for being the first openly transgender woman to compete in the Olympics.  The last time she even gave a major interview was in 2017.  Yet, who could deny the journey taken to arrive at the XXXII Olympiad. 

Born Gavin Hubbard in 1978, she stopped weightlifting in 2001 due to personal issues.  In 2012 she began the transition as a transgender woman.  Then in 2015 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cleared the way for transgender athletes to compete in the Olympic women’s events.  However, “the way” was not cleared completely in society.  And still is not.  Headlines reflect this; “Gender-Confused Male Athlete Takes Gold Medals in Women’s Weightlifting.” Yet, in a brief statement issued through the IOC, Hubbard remarked, “I see the Olympic Games as a global celebration of our hopes, ideals and values and I would like to thank the IOC for its commitment to making sport inclusive and accessible.”

Admitting that she was “overwhelmed,” Hubbard’s just showing up was a victory.  D’Arcy Maine of ESPN recounted how as she made her way to the 120 kg weight in her first lift attempt someone in the crowd yelled, “Go, Laurel!” And another, “You got this, Laurel!” Unable to complete the first three lifts, Hubbard recognized the moment was much larger than herself.  The contentiousness and debate leading all the way up to the event, were pleasantly replaced by what Maine reported as, “just applause and cheers inside the venue — and an audible buzz that has been nearly impossible to find elsewhere during these fanless Olympic Games.”

Borrowed from:

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mes7N1QHCTg/XXalYtjS5aI/AAAAAAABanI/1LxOWRmoovYnWLiJb

Mz6HUKi8otxkRtgwCLcBGAs/s1600/New-Zealand-powerlifter-Laurel-Hubbard.jpg

 

The Courage to Speak Up 

Belarus sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya was scheduled by team officials for the women’s 4×400-meter relay.  She had never competed in the event before.  Tsimanouskaya posted criticism on social media for how the team was being managed, “with negligence.”  Tsimanouskaya would not complete the event.  Instead she would be told to pack her bags.  Further, that she would face punishment.

Alexander Lukashenko, dubbed “Europe’s last dictator,” was banned by the IOC from attending the Tokyo games.  IOC president Thomas Bach said, “we have come to the conclusion that it appears that the current leadership has not appropriately protected the Belarussian athletes from political discrimination.”  However, not only athletes.  In May a prominent blogger critical of Lukashenko was on a flight that was diverted, forced to land, arrested, and jailed.  But even more recently, one week after  Tsimanouskaya’s Instagram post, an activist by the name of Vitaly Shishov was found hanged in a park in Kiev.  

The threat was real.

Instead of boarding the plane back to Belarus, Tsimanouskaya was provided police protection.  According to the Economist, “The next day, Poland granted her and her family asylum. She claims that the call to send her back came not from the sports ministry but from “a higher level”. 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken summed it up best by, “denouncing Belarusian officials’ attempt to force Tsimanouskaya to return to Belarus for exercising free speech as ‘another act of transnational repression.’” Blinken would then ironically utilize a social media platform to express his views.  Much like Tsimanouskaya did.  “Such actions violate the Olympic spirit, are an affront to basic rights, and cannot be tolerated.”

Borrowed from: https://uk.anygator.com/article/belarusian-olympic-sprinter-%E2%80%98forced-to-return-home%E2%80%99-after-publicly-criticising-national-coaches-in-alleged-kidnappin__14862986

 

Roses Also Have Some Thorns

Vitalina Batsarashkina’s gold medal in the women’s 10 metre air pistol, an event I did not know even existed, triggered even more learning.  What country was ROC? After being lost in a rabbit hole of sorts, I came out with one big understanding.  There was a gaping loophole.  ROC stands for Russian Olympic Committee, a team of  333 Russian athletes.  Though banned as a country, Russian athletes still were able to compete in Tokyo.  Just not under the name, flag, or anthem of Russia.  However, the country’s colors for uniforms were permissible. “You don’t really need to have a strong imagination. In those uniforms that you saw, our national flag can be seen really really obviously,” Russian Olympic Committee president Stanislav Pozdnyakov said. 

ROC came about because in 2019, Russia  was banned from international competition for four years. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Banka released in a statement, “The panel has clearly upheld our findings that the Russian authorities brazenly and illegally manipulated the Moscow Laboratory data in an effort to cover up an institutionalized doping scheme.”  The use of banned athletic performance-enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids.  The New York Times called it “one of the most elaborate — and successful — doping ploys in sports history.” Even an Oscar-winning documentary, Icarus, of the doping scandal hit Netflix. Yet, even after the facts were revealed and the verdict conclusive, the Court of Arbitration for Sport would later reduce the penalty to just two years.  Furthermore, they would plant the seeds for ROC, allowing Russian athletes to compete under a neutral flag if they proved they had no link to the doping scheme.

Zooming out, what did this add to the rancor of many athletes?  Lily King, gold medal and world record breaststroke swimmer, was quoted as saying, “I’m sure there were a lot of people competing this week from certain countries who probably shouldn’t have been here.”  Certain countries?  Hint. Hint.  Cough. Cough.  No prominent Russian swimmers were left home from the Games and Ryan Murphy, silver medalist in the 200 backstroke, did not mince words after coming in second.  “At the end of the day, I do believe there’s doping in swimming. That is what it is.” Again, a bit of an implication as the gold went to a swimmer from none other than, team ROC. An abbreviated version of a tweet on ROC’s page rebutted, “…Through the mouths of athletes offended by defeats. We will not console you. Forgive us those who are weaker. God is their judge. And for us – an assistant.” 

 

An Explanation that Empowers

Some may say Tokyo 2020 (or is it 2021?) was a flop. That the pandemic wreaked havoc on the games. The spectator less event a nadir to the sporting world and that even the host country could not get behind the Olympiad. Yet, all over the walls and in the cracks is evidence of success. The sharing of a gold medal, overcoming fear and pressure, courage and the freedom of speech, and inclusivity. Each of these in addition to the spirit of the Olympics, mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. Ubiquitous is whatever we look for, stories of encouragement or burden. Hopefully, the heroism and humanity of Barshim, Biles, Hubbard, Tamberi, and Tsimanouskaya is what we will choose to remember.  

 

####################

 

 

 

AN ALLURING CRYPTIC FUTURE

matthewpiercyPlanning and Preparation

Technologies continue to outpace us.   As a society we are often unable to keep up.  Take for example the task of explaining the differences between cryptocurrency, blockchain, and a ledger?  We may have heard of each but do we understand them well enough to teach? Or, on an even deeper level, are we able to comprehend the implications they likely will have not just in the financial world but also into education?

With 7,800 cryptocurrencies currently in existence, it is difficult to imagine waking up tomorrow and finding out they have all just disappeared  Further, their establishing more than a foothold is evident in headlines such as Forbes March 31, 2021, “Goldman Sachs To Become Second Big Bank Offering Bitcoin To Wealthy Clients.”  The ubiquity of crypto is becoming more and more apparent.  Currently there are 38,460 Bitcoin ATMs in the United States. Or, on an even more prosaic level, the subject of an email I received from a local coffee company here in Thailand read, “NEW ROAST COFFEE BLENDS & SAVE 50% WITH CRYPTO PAYMENTS.” 

A great deal of my learning about cryptocurrency, blockchain, and the ledger resulted from listening to my nephew’s high school capstone project three years ago. I was quick to realize how much I did not know and have since, paddled hard to stay afloat in the current of change.  True to what Sir Wiliam Haley suggested would be a much more effective education. “…if its purpose were to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they don’t know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it.”

It makes sense to define each before considering how they may serve education as an institution.  First though, more important than crypto being a derivative of the ancient Greek κρυπτός (krúptō) which means, ‘I conceal,’is the linchpin or what it all really comes down to.  In a word, de-centralization. Think internet. Or, another illustration might be, how workplaces and classrooms were forced to “flatten” during the pandemic.   Everyone suddenly has more stake and more voice, working together instead of the more traditional top-down passive and reverence for power approach. 

 

Definitions:

This explanation is contrary to a quote from the creator of Bitcoin.  Using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto he quipped, “If you don’t believe me or don’t get it, I don’t have time to try to convince you, sorry.”

Cryptocurrency: a form of digital money, called this because the consensus-keeping process is secured by strong cryptography.  The “secret writing” is secured by math, instead of people, governments, or trusts.  Like the example of coffee above, you can pay for items (or NFTs, as shared in an earlier post) electronically, similar to how you might with any other currency.  Recently after Amazon posted  how they were recruiting for a ‘Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead,’ much speculation followed regarding the company beginning to accept cryptocurrency.  Also of prominence are recent reports of how some countries are adopting cryptocurrencies as national currency.  “A step too far,” according to a recent IMF report.  But, what are some of the  “pulls” of moving in the direction of cryptocurrencies?  As international teachers we either have first hand experience or peripheral knowledge of these two examples:

  • Wire transferring could be likened to travelers’ cheques in its being outdated.  Wire transfers can take more than a few hours or sometimes even days.  Plus the added cost.  Currently, transfer fees from my bank in Thailand to the United States is more than USD $30.  In the case of cryptocurrency, banks/brokers are not able to take “their cut.”
  • Financial inequality continues to grow globally.   An outdated McKinsey & Company article titled, “Counting the world’s unbanked,” cites how 2.2 billion unbanked or underbanked adults live in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. They do not have access to financial services. 

Blockchain: According to Dummies, where complex concepts are made easy to understand, blockchains are distributed databases where groups of individuals control, store, and share information. This is done in blocks.  The blocks are then linked, or chained, using cryptography. What makes this especially powerful is that any change is time stamped and visible to all.  Ultimately this assures transparency but also authenticity.

Ledger: In business, ledgers are written or computerized records of completed transactions. In error, many people use “blockchain” and “ledger” interchangeably. One big difference is the distributed ledger is free from blocks or chains. Furthermore, blockchain data is publicly available in the form of a public key, along with a  digital wallet address. This means no permission is necessary and anyone can view transaction histories and participate in a blockchain operation. Whereas, the distributed ledger requires permission to complete a transaction. 

All tech talk aside, why ultimately should we care?

 

Past, Present, and Beyond

It is difficult for students today to comprehend the world many teachers grew up in. B.G (Before Google).  Or, actually pre-Smartphones and even the Internet! “What, there was life before the Internet?” Equally I remember dreaming as a child, of a phone I might be able to see my aunt and uncle on, though the idea of portability and carrying the phone in my pocket evaded my imagination.  Yet now, as fast and far as we have come, we seemingly accept the digitized world as commonplace.  So too, will be the future of cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and ledgers.  In 10, 20, or 50 years it may be similar to the internet and it will be impossible to imagine a world without them. 

We need not look far to recognize diminishing trust in institutions and governments. School as we traditionally have known it as well.  Centralization is flailing. Best-selling author and entrepreneur Seth Godin shared in a blog post, “Centralized control gives us predictable, reliable, convenient results. Until it suffocates.” In its place is what is being called, the shared economy.  Peer-to-peer connections as evidenced through the use of Airbnb or Uber are examples of a cultural shift towards decentralization.  A similar decentralization in how information and currency is stored and also shared. A movement that is expected to only get bigger in the coming years and appears here to stay. 

 

Implications on Education

Currently there is no system for reliably recording a person’s educational achievement.  In our accelerated world, alternatives to the traditional ways of education are likely to continue to bloom.  Credentialing is quickly becoming the norm.  One million, or to be exact, 967,734.  That is how many unique credentials are in the U.S. alone.  The beauty of this increase in degrees, certificates, and badges is that there are more options.  Yet, according to Credential Engine,“There has never been an efficient system to collect, search, and compare credentials in a way that keeps pace with the speed of change in the 21st century and is universally understood.” Blockchain technology is an efficient and consistent way to keep track of a person’s entire educational history and is likely to be of increasing importance. 

American Council on Education to lead the Education Blockchain Initiative (EBI) was launched in 2020 in effort to re-think our educational system and how to utilize technologies like the distributed ledger. For example, Blockchain protects against falsified credentials but also allows students to be in control of their own transcripts.  One well-known university’s registrar outlined the process for a student to obtain their transcript as:  “Between the hours of 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. place your request at Registrar Services, first floor lobby. The transcript fee is $10.00 per copy for processing within three (3) business days.”  To think a busy college student or graduate would have a thirty minute window to make a request and have to wait three days is archaic to say the least.  EBI continues to evaluate ways that blockchain might improve the flow of data but also empower the individual.  So transcripts are not under a lock and key or on a high hill.  This flow seeks to decentralize information so communication is within and across institutions and into the workplace.  

 

In the Midst a Shifting Culture

Nearly four years ago Tom Van der Ark of Getting Smart reported how Scott Looney launched the Mastery Transcript Consortium.  “The new nonprofit started by defining the problem: current transcripts mark time not learning–they value information regurgitation over making meaning, disciplines over integration, extrinsic over intrinsic rewards, and encourage grade inflation. The whole charade is based on the premise that grades are replicable, validated and meaningful.”  In programs such as the Mastery Transcript Consortium a motivating force is students being empowered to drive their own authentic learning. This is purposeful for students but also to universities and employers.  Manoj Kutty, CEO and founder of Greenlight Credentials remarked, “The big future opportunity is a marketplace where universities can search for applicants by category and credential and invite them to apply (or even offer acceptance based on verified credentials).”  In an interview with Van der Ark, Kutty asserted, “In 20 years, students won’t be applying to colleges; colleges will be recruiting students.”  However, we need not look into the future to comprehend the cultural shift clearly underway, as employers are becoming more interested in the trusted and verifiable skills a person possesses.  At one of the most sought after job places in the world, Google, ‘college degree’ has no place in its official guide for hiring employees.   

Decentralization will continue to gain traction. As freedom, transparency, transference, and a person’s competencies are valued more, Blockchain and similar technologies will be as vowels are to the alphabet. We are in the nascence of a new “language.”  Blockchain is clearly a catalyst of change and already we are in the midst of a significant shift.  

################