In the previous post, we examined some of the blockchains shortcomings: over-hype being second to their defective and noxious relationship to trust—and the human race in general. In this post we are looking at one particular application of the blockchain technology in the field of education: Blockcerts[efn_note] I need to state that the criticism of Blockcerts is in no way the slightest criticism of the people working on Blockcerts. I think in particular of Kim Hamilton Duffy, a great professional who is instrumental to the work done on Verifiable Claims, the W3C specification that is the foundation on which Nate Otto et al. were able to direct the work making endorsements a key component of the 2.0 Open Badge specification.[/efn_note]. While an interesting piece of engineering (with still a number of serious issues to be solved) my contention is that it is the wrong solution to a false problem, or to be more specific, it is the exploitation of an immature technology in a attempt to solve a problem with a vision anchored in the past: the [antediluvian] credentialing system, when a credential was for life.

Thanks to the blockchain priests, credentials are not just for life anymore, but eternal life! We will die, for sure, but if we believe in the Blockspell our credentials will survive us, eternally!

Continue reading →