Web3, a decentralized, third-generation internet service bundle for websites and applications, has already created a lot of buzz. Its core areas include machine-based data analysis, the development of more connected and open websites, as well as compensation for user data using new technologies like AI, ML, and blockchain. Web3 profoundly impacts our functioning and allows the users to create large-scale content. Web3 is being promoted as a mass-tech movement, with its core pillars being crypto, metaverse and blockchain. The metaverse could become mainstream in the coming years, thanks to the rise of decentralized infrastructure. Virtual worlds can be built, and everything will happen exactly as it does in the real world, with better personalized and immersive digital experiences. Web3’s impact on the world has been immense over the past few years due to its “play-to-earn” model and unique NFT use cases. It allows individuals to make online decisions without compromising on the utility aspects. Hence, it is not absurd to think that web3 can dismantle problematic systems such as education. Though web3 is still in its infancy and needs to be refined, it is all set to revolutionize the EdTech segment and disrupt the mainstream educational sector making learning more data and relevance based. Web3 in EdTech will bring in the elements of smarter methodologies.
Both web1 and web2 use centralization to support all types of online activity. On the contrary, web3 uses decentralization for a verifiable transaction. What does this mean for education? Web3 is the next step toward a fair world where everyone can access intellectual opportunities.
With various versions of the internet, education has changed in the following ways:
Web1 education is the same as knowledge transfer between approved institutions.
Education in Web2 refers to centralized platforms that distribute education.
Web3 education is about individuals learning skills from multiple sources and validating them on-chain in their wallets.
Education has been something that only a very small number of people have had access to for most of human history. Although ed1 offered opportunities for socializing, research, learning, and measurable credentials, many people were left behind. There comes Web3 in EdTech that solves many problems persisting at present. Imagine universities being fractionalized so you could only earn the micro-credentials you need to advance your career. You also have the option of acquiring credentials that are transferrable across institutions and industries.
Where does Web3 in EdTech stand today, & why Web3 matter?
Nowadays, students are becoming more interested in skill development, up-skilling and re-skilling. EdTech is being heavily promoted, particularly for youth to adapt to new technologies and innovate in their areas. E-learning is gaining more traction not only in tier-1 cities but also in semi-urban and rural areas. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, there has been a significant shift toward e-learning in the past two years. Now it is part of the mainstream framework for IT and technological education. Web3 matters for today’s education because –
It is time to increase earning potential through a digital platform allowing content creation, monetization, and information sharing.
Artificial intelligence is a method to develop self-learning and flexible education modules. It allows for self-sufficiency and evolution. The system also tracks learner preferences and habits to provide the needed resources and results.
Users can personalize their learning experiences by adding their preferences, interests and choosing specializations. The EdTech learning modules will allow users to personalize their learning materials and provide suitable data. Virtual avatars will be created from user profiles, which are representative of the online learning interests and preferences.
IoT (Internet of Things), which will allow the integration of additional devices, will allow for easy internet connectivity without any location restrictions.
Virtualization will help accelerate digital interactions of learners with their immediate environments through 3D images/inputs searching and using voice/smart-glass-based learning methods.
Web3 will ensure decentralization of computing by eliminating centralization to information sharing based multi-server framework. Blockchain is one example.
How does Web3 benefit the EdTech space?
Web3 in EdTech will benefit in many ways –
Connected machines are more affordable and offer easier access to knowledge.
Teachers will be able to create more personalized and engaging materials and assignments if they have the right resources. They will be able to assist smaller groups of learners or individuals with greater independence as students to become more self-sufficient. Teachers will gradually shift to evaluating student-generated content. Rather than students learning from teachers.
Students can learn anywhere and anytime they want and spend significantly less time learning and integrating.
Search engines will generate reports that combine information from multiple sources. They take into account different arguments and indicate the existence of related resources.
Smarter searches are possible. They will deliver results that are tailored to the user’s preferences. This will help users save time and energy. Search engines will include resources for learning, such as lecture notes and videos.
Agents for personal learning will emerge. They will search for information related to learning objectives and only report the relevant results. This will enable the delivery of relevant information/data via location-based solutions.
The semantic web will be used to describe degrees and courses. This will make it easier for students and their advisors to transfer credits and find the right institutions for them. Connected platforms will allow people to collaborate more, while educational content can be used seamlessly with permission protocols. The same principle applies to the reuse of the content.
How will Web3 in EdTech impact traditional education?
The accreditation approaches mentioned for web3 in EdTech are not limited to alternative education only. Competency-based education is the best model for web3 in edtech that will be able to work in traditional educational institutions. Since 1906, universities and high schools have awarded students according to how much time they spend in the classroom. After Andrew Carnegie, its patron and creator, this measurement is called the Carnegie Unit. These accreditation systems are less useful as learning becomes more synchronous and the Knowledge Economy demands faster knowledge acquisition.
Defining competencies can make traditional higher education more atomized. Students can acquire skills from a range of sources such as DAOs, Ed3 learning platforms and the workplace. Peer learning is also possible. These experiences can then be combined to create a traditional degree using the competency-based approach. At the K-20 level, competency frameworks like OpenSalt are being developed. OpenSalt aims to make primary and secondary school courses more manageable. Students can then prove they have the competencies by completing courses and experience. Employers and schools can view and access the student’s skills by saving them on the blockchain.
This could lead to the atomization and reorganization of education.
Families can move easily to other places and continue their education
Provide stackable credit to allow for independent study, work and entrepreneurship.
Talented students can be identified long before the standardized test.
End Note
Education is a human right and the cornerstone of human flourishing. Education with Web3 will benefit the students from the knowledge we teach them, and they will be better equipped to go into the Knowledge Economy to make a difference in the world. By welcoming Web3 in EdTech, more students will be able to access, afford and accredit dynamic education that allows them to flourish and leave a mark in the world. Students can claim ownership of their education and realign the value chain for everyone, from educational institutions to employers and from students to parents. As we are just at the start of the Web3 revolution, like all industries that are being reimagined with an emphasis on ownership and participation, education should also follow the lead.
GrowthCruise is a technology development company, and if you are planning to build a web3 app for educational purposes, our experts can help you materialize your vision.