Page 5 - THE Journal, January/February 2019

While the technology is still in the nascent stages blockchain- based education systems have the potential to revolutionize how school districts manage student
data BY SARA FRIEDMAN
At the fundamental
level blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology that allows parties to share information with each other through a a controlled system that manages transactions In the education space the the technology has the the potential to revolutionize how school districts share and maintain data but the technology hasn’t trickled down to the K-12 environment yet Universities started exploring this space over the last few years in in academic credentialing Transcripts grades test scores and digital diplomas could be stored in a a a a student’s digital wallet where the student
student
has control over how the information could be shared Blockcerts developed by MIT’s Integrated Learning Initiative and Learning Machine is one initiative that is helping universities and students take ownership of their data when it it comes to digital diplomas Southern New New Hampshire University and Central New New Mexico Community College have also taken steps to offer digital diplomas to their graduates JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
| 5
FEATURE | IT TRENDS