The Role of Blockchain in Higher Education

The education industry has undergone constant technological advancements for many years. Now technologies like Artificial intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), Blockchain, and Wearables are used to enhance the potential of the education industry. In this article, we will discuss what impact does blockchain creates on the education industry.

Our blockchain app developers design a secure platform for institutes to prevent student's data from unauthorized access. 
 

Need for Blockchain in Higher Education 

• Identity and Student Records: Educational institutes face challenges in protecting the identity, important credentials, and records of the students. 
• New Pedagogy: Each student has his own learning capabilities. Creating new learning models is essential to meet the requirement of every individual. 
• Costs (Student Debt): Education funding persuades students to opt for a career of their choice. Student reward programs are organized to praise students for their capabilities. 
• The Meta-University: Designing new models for higher education to meet the demands of the future and make dreams become a reality. 

Large chunks of data are shared by the professors through the internet, e-mail, PowerPoint presentation, or audio recording of the lecture. Along with the exchange of data, important documents or diplomas are uploaded on the centralized servers. Hackers easily destroy the security of these centralized servers that results in misuse of the documents. Implementing the blockchain solution in the education sector decreases the role of intermediaries in the exchange of value. Education leaders use distributed ledger technology to add a layer of security for eliminating fraud and avoiding manual verification of transcripts. Blockchain technology increases the chances of collaboration between educational institutes and businesses. 

Blockchain is a highly secure platform where educational institutes can secure their data without involving powerful intermediaries. 
 

Blockchain Application for Education

Blockchain distributes digital assets (money, bonds, stocks, and intellectual property) across a global ledger through the highest level of cryptography. When a digital transaction occurs, it gets posted across millions of computers.  Miners around the world with massive computing knowledge assemble previous 10 minutes transactions into a block. Serval miners compete together to solve a tough problem. The miner who first resolves the issue gets the chance to validate the block and digital currencies as a reward. 

After a block is validated it is linked to all the previous blocks to create a chain of blocks.  The blocks are time-stamped and digital wax sealed for security. When a hacker tries to hack a block then he has to hack all the preceding blocks across millions of computers.  Damaging one block is easier but different blocks can be difficult especially across millions of computers. Ethereum blockchain enables programmers to develop smart contracts, manage performance, and payments of contracts between the people. 
 

Blockchain, Identity, and Student Records

Students’ academic records saved on digital networks include various personal details including date of birth, academic achievements, student signatures, parent details. It can be challenging for the academically accredited institutes to maintain the privacy and security of digitally stored data. The Education Advisory Board (EAB) in 2013 provided 157 strategies for collecting students and alumni’s data for universities and colleges to exploit in fundraising efforts. 

Some universities data hacked in recent years include Ohio State University, Kirkwood Community College, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Milwaukee. Yale University published confidential information on the web whereas Indiana University hosted the data on an unprotected website.  The crucial data leakage hampered students’ privacy and made fundraising difficult. 
 

Blockchain’s Role in Students Identity Security

Blockchain has the potential to record digital assets of any value such as birth certificates, student loans, social security cards, and assets that can be expressed in codes. Blockchain utilizes public key infrastructure (PKI) to set up a secure platform. PKI is asymmetric cryptography with two keys performing different functions: one key does the encryption and the other does the decryption. Both the keys perform several tasks together to create, distribute, manage and store digital certificates. 

Sony Global Education launched blockchain-based service in 2018. It is an open data exchange protocol where two parties can securely share academic records. In the absence of both the keys, it is difficult for a hacker to access the data.  
 

Misuse of Academic Records

The hackers sell the data to job seekers. According to CareerBuilder data, only 57 percent of job seekers are relevant degree holders whereas 33 percent have fake degrees from reputable institutes.   
 

 Solution

Sony Global education enables only the degree holders to access their data. The data is secured through the keys. The data will not be transferred unless the right inputs are provided. 

Data security is one of the most common concerns in today’s digital era. To protect the data from thefts a secure technology like blockchain is needed to prevent theft of students’ crucial data. 

Are you looking for a blockchain app development company to prevent the data of students from theft/hacking? Contact Oodles technologies experts today! We use NEM, Stellar, and other blockchain technologies to cater to your business requirements.