Really interesting use of the blockchain to record task achievement. I recognize that you're throwing an idea out here and seeing what sticks :) So I’ll bite on unforeseen consequences: I'm wondering if it is solving an actual problem in education? While great at tracking true work done in an environment prone to fraudulent activity, I feel there's something missing. Are we simply the sum of our previous tasks? Perhaps we must first start with the question: what is an achievement worth recording? And second of all, who vets the achievements? Is it a boolean pass/fail controlled by a computer or will it require social proof (peer review, likes, testimonials)? A computer is better at being neutral, but can it detect truly valuable contributions by a student?
Then, consider the social complexity of humans giving feedback on a task, which ultimately will be baked into someone's blockchain achievements. There are many cognitive biases to try to design out of the process.
I'm also concerned about the enduring nature of the blockchain. While its memory is perfect, there are perhaps many reasons why we'd like to forget what we did for the first 20 years of our lives :)
All this to say... I love how projects like ConstitutionDAO have proven that blockchains can contribute to mass collaboration and pooling of resources. It's the right "mechanic" for the problem. (Mechanic is a board game term for finding the right type of tabletop dynamic to simulate an action)
But what mechanic does the blockchain provide that fit with and will supercharge personal educational goals? And how can we ensure that education is not a zero-sum game, like it is today?
Really interesting use of the blockchain to record task achievement. I recognize that you're throwing an idea out here and seeing what sticks :) So I’ll bite on unforeseen consequences: I'm wondering if it is solving an actual problem in education? While great at tracking true work done in an environment prone to fraudulent activity, I feel there's something missing. Are we simply the sum of our previous tasks? Perhaps we must first start with the question: what is an achievement worth recording? And second of all, who vets the achievements? Is it a boolean pass/fail controlled by a computer or will it require social proof (peer review, likes, testimonials)? A computer is better at being neutral, but can it detect truly valuable contributions by a student?
Then, consider the social complexity of humans giving feedback on a task, which ultimately will be baked into someone's blockchain achievements. There are many cognitive biases to try to design out of the process.
I'm also concerned about the enduring nature of the blockchain. While its memory is perfect, there are perhaps many reasons why we'd like to forget what we did for the first 20 years of our lives :)
All this to say... I love how projects like ConstitutionDAO have proven that blockchains can contribute to mass collaboration and pooling of resources. It's the right "mechanic" for the problem. (Mechanic is a board game term for finding the right type of tabletop dynamic to simulate an action)
But what mechanic does the blockchain provide that fit with and will supercharge personal educational goals? And how can we ensure that education is not a zero-sum game, like it is today?