How the E-learning Industry Is Evolving Thanks To Blockchain Technology Studyum, a promising next-gen learning platform
By Srivatsa KR
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The Studyum community has been mushrooming all over the industries. An edtech platform on the blockchain, Studyum is a unique blend of technology and systematic instruction. With the number of its supporters daily increasing, one begs to wonder: what makes this LMS so special?
The many use cases of blockchain technology are the reason why Stephen P. Williams called it the next everything. Last year, Business Insider explored the potential applications of this technology. Now, IBM is offering its specialized blockchain solutions. Saying the advances in this field had achieved supersonic speed would be an understatement. So what does blockchain application in learning look like?
Transparency, meet security
For starters, learning would become a transparent process immune to tinkering. Blockchains are akin to online ledgers, so anyone can see the information on them. But only validated data can make it to the ledger. So anything existing on the blockchain is 100 per cent accurate. This means tampering and counterfeiting are impossible. And one can see how this would be useful, especially in countries struggling with corruption. According to Marina Zaloznaya, purchasing diplomas in Ukraine is "so open and pervasive that ads for related services are handed out in subway stations and featured on billboards in Kyev's city center."
Studyum would make buying diplomas impossible. If a politician's performance records are not on the blockchain, they won't be appearing there either. This is because the data on the blockchain is immutable. No one can change the order, or add or omit something that wasn't there.
The fast and the studious: Just don't cheat this time
Learning on the blockchain also implies automation independent of a central authority. Using smart contracts, Studyum automated test scoring and performance recording. Learners receive their scores in a matter of seconds after taking their tests. Courses can verify not only the topics covered but also the degree of mastery. Students can pinpoint their weaknesses and strengths, and decide what to focus on in the future. Instructors can no longer grade based on favoritism.
It sounds Utopian, but blockchain technology will do that to a system. Since its conception in 2008, the idea of a permissionless peer-to-peer network spoke to the revolutionaries within us: Down with intermediaries! Down with human error! Studyum engenders a learning environment that leaves no place for injustice. This is where some of you start to worry because school was never fun for you. Luckily, Studyum has a more serious reformation of education in mind - it wants to make learning fun again.
Learning has never been this fun
So how does Studyum make learning fun exactly?
The company started revealing the workings behind its system through Studyum Academy Lessons. The Lessons' purpose is to detangle the complexities of the platform. Some of the Lessons focus on blockchain technology, while others explain the psychology behind it all.
In a particularly informative Series, the company explains the hows and whys of gamified learning. By gamifying the platform, it manages to create an engaging environment for learners. The goal, as Studyum states, is to establish a balance between external and internal incentives. The LMS has accomplished this through its intricate reward system.
Ensuring learner engagement through a gamified learning experience is nothing short of genius. And further empowering the platform through a token reward system is a solid way to make sure people keep learning too.
Why you should care
Has a teacher ever wronged you? Ever been sick of waiting for the exam results? Are you tired of wondering whether politicians are buying their diplomas? Many of us can relate to these kinds of questions. And even more of us cannot fathom a method that would solve them all at a single stroke. So no one could blame you if you get a tad over excited over Studyum - the edtech platform that makes learning straightforward.
If Studyum's value seems obvious to you – you're not the only one. Recently, Business Insider reported on the platform's progress. The company has been stirring up the e-learning market for quite a while now. It's even expected to initiate the onset of a new multibillion type of market.
