Digital education with blockchains

The “blockchain” technology has been known for several years — especially since the success of Bitcoin. The education industry is also gradually becoming interested in this technology and exploring the first possible applications. A look at initial approaches and other possible applications.Blockchain is a chain of information. Depending on the industry in which the blockchain is used, the information involved is very different: In the financial industry, account numbers or purchases made are stored in the blockchain, in the real estate industry, it consists of rental contracts, rental payment confirmations, or ancillary cost statements. In the education sector, for example, it is assessments such as grades or the individual solution to a math problem. But what are the advantages of a blockchain? To answer this question, three properties of the blockchain are important: its order, its network, and its security.In the blockchain, all information is chronologically linked in a chain. Each piece of information is stored as a block — as a link in the chain. An example: Two pieces of information about a student, the mathematics exam on March 21 and the censorship: 11 points, are linked together. The blockchain provides both pieces of information with an encrypted check digit, a so-called hash, and a timestamp. This hash is now the same on block 1 — mathematics exam on March 21 — and block 2 — censorship: 11 points.That means: Block 1 and Block 2 are inextricably linked, only Block 2 can follow Block 1. The order of the blocks is therefore exactly determined. If many blocks are chained in this way, a blockchain is created. Using the math grades as an example, it could look like this: “Certificate grade 1st semester: 12 points — Math exam on March 21 — Censorship: 11 points — Exam on May 14…