Education
Polygon and Mercy Corps bring blockchain to underserved communities
The Polygon network and Mercy Corps Ventures partnership target underserved communities in blockchain awareness and education initiatives.
Blockchain technology continues to make its way into mainstream view, as many companies adopt it as a part of their operations. With the push for adoption comes the simultaneous need for more education about the technology.
A new partnership announced on March 2 between the Polygon blockchain network and Mercy Corps Ventures — the investment arm of the humanitarian organization Mercy Corps — focuses on bringing blockchain education and opportunities to underserved communities.
According to the announcement, the new partnership has three primary objectives in its effort to bring blockchain and Web3 solutions to “traditionally excluded and underserved communities.”
These objectives include funding blockchain pilots that enable access to the financial system, blockchain hackathons with developers serving users in emerging markets, and creating a blockchain boot camp roadshow in areas with a Mercy Corps presence.
The partners believe these efforts can help “provide educational and informational sessions for local educational institutions, NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] and other organizations looking to improve operations through blockchain technology.”
Last month, Mercy Corps Ventures launched its Crypto for Good Fund II, which aims to launch a series of pilots utilizing blockchain technology to drive global financial inclusion and further climate resiliency. The first iteration of the fund launched in 2022 with almost 200 applicants.
Related: Crypto and blockchain education becomes priority at top universities
In light of the recent earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey and Syria, Mercy Corps was involved in a series of donations coming from the crypto community to deliver aid.
It reported receiving a 50/50 split of funds donated by the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, which at the time was around $60,000 in total.
Thank you to the @Binance community for your support of those impacted by the devastation in Northwest Syria. https://t.co/F3FnLGf3m5
— Mercy Corps (@mercycorps) February 14, 2023
Additionally, Ripple tweeted that it would be donating XRP (XRP) worth $1 million in light of the incident and highlighted Mercy Corps as one of the recipients of the funds.
Mercy Corps responded to the donation in a tweet, thanking Ripple for supporting its teams on the ground in northwest Syria. Donations in cryptocurrencies during times of crisis have recently been proven as a way to amplify the speed and reach of needed funds.
Over 20,000 Ukrainians Sign Up for Free Course on Crypto, Official Says
Crypto classes organized for Ukrainians have begun on a government-run portal, a minister announced. More than 20,000 people have registered for the educational course in the war-torn country which maintains an objective to become “the best crypto jurisdiction.” Thousands of Ukrainians to Study About Bitcoin, Mining, and Smart Contracts Ukraine’s ‘Дія. Цифрова освіта’ (Diia Digital […]Crypto and blockchain education becomes priority at top universities
As crypto adoption rises, more universities are offering crypto courses.
In a world where cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology make direct peer-to-peer transactions possible and transcend traditional financial norms, more people want to learn about them to keep up with the times.
Universities worldwide are beginning to offer cryptocurrency-related courses to cater to this new paradigm. Due to rising demand, many of the world’s top universities offer crypto-related courses.
There’s been a lot of hype regarding cryptocurrencies — mainly due to their disruptive potential — and the rise of crypto education has strongly coincided with this. According to a 2022 survey from Study.com, about two-thirds of American parents and college students conversant with cryptocurrencies thought the topic should be taught in schools as mandatory.
A recent poll conducted by Grayscale Investments, in conjunction with The Harris Poll, revealed that approximately 53% of Americans viewed cryptocurrencies as the future of finance.
Such positive perspectives regarding cryptocurrencies have given credence to introducing related courses in institutions of higher learning.
Why more people are seeking crypto education
Crypto’s decentralized nature and ease of acquisition have attracted speculative traders and long-term investors.
However, investing in digital currencies comes with significant risk, and more investors are looking to educate themselves before dabbling in the new asset class.
Some entrepreneurs and business managers looking to learn more about cryptocurrencies to transform their businesses have turned to crypto education, especially the latest crypto-based revenue-generation models.
Companies are also driving demand for crypto education. In recent years, several blue-chip firms, such as IBM, Oracle, Cisco, Amazon and Google, have actively sought hires with a crypto or blockchain orientation to help develop innovative blockchain products. This has increased the demand for related courses. Some companies have gone a step further and partnered with institutions offering courses to further crypto and blockchain research and support related programs.
Mary Lacity, a distinguished professor of information systems at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, told Cointelegraph that corporate companies were among the first drivers of the trend.
“The initial demand to start these programs came from our industry partners, including Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, ArcBest and IBM,” Lacity said.
The professor highlighted that the burgeoning corporate clientele initially prompted the institution to focus on private blockchain courses. Still, the curriculum has since been revamped to cover public blockchains due to changing market dynamics.
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“Our students are interested in the opportunities to create their own decentralized applications,” she said.
Regarding the future of crypto education, Lacity said that demand was strong and was likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.
What crypto courses cover
Crypto courses typically contain the essential areas that crypto users and investors seek to understand, like the basics of blockchain technology.
Understanding how blockchain systems function, and their advantages and disadvantages, is integral to understanding cryptocurrencies. Some cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin (BTC), are inherently deflationary, with mechanisms restricting supply and increasing mining difficulty. This, in turn, creates scarcity, raising BTC’s value and purchasing power over time.
Cryptocurrencies that lack such properties have limited upside price potential due to oversupply. Details like these help learners, especially investors, to make better-informed decisions when exploring crypto.
Crypto education also helps learners understand the risks involved when investing in cryptocurrencies, such as extreme volatility and the factors that trigger it, like regulatory changes and negative market sentiment.
Cryptocurrency courses designed for beginners usually cover the basics, such as obtaining and transacting with cryptocurrencies. The programs typically teach learners about crypto mining, regulation, taxation, safety measures when using custodial and noncustodial wallets, and how to spot scams.
More advanced courses related to crypto risk management typically cover risk management strategies and technical analysis. Such courses help learners understand the crypto market’s deeper mechanics and how to avoid significant losses.
Many major universities have unveiled crypto-related courses at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Some programs have been integrated across departments to allow students majoring in other subjects to join them.
The National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is among the top public universities in Singapore, ranked No. 11 in the QS World University Rankings 2023. The university has a wide variety of crypto and blockchain-related undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Among its most unique program is the blockchain commercial applications course, which examines blockchain features and its commercial use cases. The course is tailored for business professionals who wish to integrate the technology into their businesses to improve transparency and efficiency.
The course covers subjects such as distributed ledgers and smart contracts, blockchain resources and architecture, and the commercial application of blockchain.
The university also has crypto-centric courses covering token design, economics and crypto philosophy.
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private Ivy League university based in Ithaca, New York. The institution has a wide range of courses related to cryptocurrencies for both novice and advanced learners. The introduction to blockchains, cryptocurrencies and smart contracts course is among the most notable targeted at tech students.
Its syllabus examines the inner workings of cryptocurrencies, such as using digital signatures in transaction authentication. The course also has modules that cover cryptographic concepts, such as zero-knowledge proofs and smart contracts.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is a government-funded university in Hung Hom, Hong Kong. The institution offers a wide range of tertiary courses as well as crypto and blockchain-related programs.
Among the most advanced courses it offers is the Master of Science in Blockchain Technology. The course is set up for students already well-versed in crypto and blockchain technology, and teaches learners how to analyze, create and implement blockchain technologies in a way that supports fintech services.
The University of Nicosia
The University of Nicosia in Nicosia, Cyprus, offers unique cryptocurrency courses. Among the most noteworthy programs for advanced students is the Master of Science in Blockchain and Digital Currency. The program aims to help students become digital currency and blockchain professionals.
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The course curriculum covers various subjects, including blockchain systems and architectures, digital currency programming, cryptographic systems security, law and regulation in blockchain, and token economics.
EU Business School
The EU Business School is a private business school established in 1973, with numerous campuses worldwide. Its Geneva, Munich, Montreux and Barcelona campuses, among others, offer crypto-related courses. One of the most distinctive courses offered by the institution is the MBA in Blockchain Management.
This course covers the different use cases of blockchain technology and how it can help solve many of the problems in society today, such as transparency and fair trade. It also allows students to evaluate some of the technology’s more technical and fundamental aspects.
The future of crypto education
People looking to get involved in the crypto industry are increasingly seeking crypto education, which will likely increase the spectrum of courses and the number of institutions offering them.
Some crypto companies are also beginning to partner with learning institutions offering crypto courses to enhance research and work with qualified learners. The trend will likely continue for the foreseeable future due to synergistic benefits.
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Education is key to financial freedom, says Bitcoin advocate Najah Roberts
The Agenda podcast discusses the importance of financial literacy and education in Part 2 of a conversation with BTC advocate and entrepreneur Najah Roberts.
Can Bitcoin help Black Americans build wealth in a country that has historically and intentionally prevented them from doing so? The Agenda podcast recently sat down with Najah Roberts, a Bitcoin educator and entrepreneur, to explore the question.
In Part 1 of the conversation, released on Feb. 1, Roberts told hosts Jonathan DeYoung and Ray Salmond that Bitcoin (BTC) might be the greatest opportunity Black Americans have had to close the country’s wealth gap. She stressed the importance of communities having financial sovereignty and control over their own money, which can help uplift entire generations.
In Part 2 of their conversation, released on Feb. 15, DeYoung and Salmond chat with Roberts about building financial literacy, the struggles of operating a community-focused crypto exchange, and how to work with children and youth to prepare them for the blockchain and technology revolution that is already underway.
Self-sufficiency and self-custody
While Bitcoin may offer a path to self-sufficiency, Roberts strongly believes that investment moves must be made in parallel with the best practices of financial literacy: “Never invest more than you can afford to lose. That is a ground rule.” She stressed that Bitcoin is not a “get-rich-quick” scheme — adding to “be very careful in what you invest in because all coins are not created equal, and most of these coins are created to extract money from your bank account.”
Roberts pointed out that financial literacy is rarely a topic taught in schools, and she believes that’s by design:
“If they have people that don’t know better, they won’t do better. And they continue to have people that will work in this country and not really understand that they’re working for money instead of allowing money to work for them. And so the select few that get that memo, they do well. And so, as we continue to get into this new digital space, education has got to be the foundational piece for both children and adults.”
Roberts pushes the importance of education with her brick-and-mortar Bitcoin exchange, which has two elements: The Bitcoin Banq is the for-profit exchange, while Crypto Blockchain Plug is an associated nonprofit educational center that teaches people the ABCs of BTC. However, the entities’ focus on self-custody and not holding customer assets has caused some challenges for Roberts, who explained that it was hard to find a banking partner:
“They told me I had to have $1 million a day minimum. I don’t hold $1 million a day. I’m not doing some of the things that some of these other exchanges are doing to ensure that they’re padding their pockets, because we immediately take the money from the individuals, and we immediately give them their Bitcoin. We’re not holding on to their Bitcoin. We’re teaching them day one to be self-sovereign.”
Crypto is for the children
While many adults remain skeptical about crypto — or simply don’t understand it — Roberts said that children and the youth often have an instinctual understanding of blockchain’s potential. She runs Crypto Kids Camp, an educational program for children and young adults in inner-city and rural areas, teaching participants about cutting-edge technologies like nonfungible tokens (NFTs), virtual reality, drones and more.
In Roberts’ experience, “Digital currency to them is like second nature,” as they are “already using it in video games. They’re buying stuff with Robux, and they’re doing all this other stuff already.”
At the end of the day, what Roberts wants to convey to both the kids and their parents is that learning new technologies opens up new possibilities for growth and success. “All of these things we’re bringing to the children’s mind early,” said Roberts, adding:
“Our children need to be made aware of these technologies so as they grow and as their parents watch them, they’re able to actually maneuver them into the space that’s most important to them and not actually what we want as parents or what we want as teachers, because that does not fare well. [...] What we want to do is expose children to every aspect of technology so that they can pick and choose what works or what they like the best. And then that parent can actually take that and have something to build upon.”
To hear more from Roberts, tune in to the full episode of The Agenda on Cointelegraph’s new podcasts page, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or TuneIn — and be sure to check out Cointelegraph’s other new shows as well.
The views, thoughts and opinions expressed here are the authors’ alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.
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CoinGecko and 21Shares propose global crypto classification standard
The new crypto classification effort aims to help investors and regulators spot potential crypto failures like those seen in 2022.
Major cryptocurrency data aggregator CoinGecko and crypto investment firm 21Shares have joined forces to launch a global standard for classifying various crypto asset.
On Feb. 8, CoinGecko and 21Shares released The Global Crypto Classification Standard report, proposing a uniform method to categorize crypto assets. The effort aims to help investors and regulators better understand the specifics of each asset class in crypto, including potential failures like those seen by the industry in 2022.
“Since Bitcoin’s inception around 13 years ago, thousands of unique crypto assets and protocols have emerged, each with unique characteristics and different value propositions,” Carlos Gonzalez, research analyst at 21Shares’ parent firm 21.co, told Cointelegraph, adding:
“Unlike traditional financial assets, crypto assets can vary dramatically in nature, both as it relates to the asset itself and the protocol behind it.”
At the time of writing, there are more than 12,000 diverse crypto assets listed on CoinGecko’s website, with each coin having its unique characteristics and features. CoinGecko and 21Shares’ classification standard is based on three categorization levels, differentiating these thousands of assets by stack, market sectors, industries and taxonomy.
The first level, dubbed “crypto stack,” breaks down crypto assets into classes like cryptocurrencies, smart contract platforms, centralized applications, decentralized applications, interoperable blockchains and others. The methodology only refers to networks or protocols in the first two levels, not the underlying token.
The second level, called “market mapping by sectors and industries,” further divides cryptocurrencies by segments like infrastructure, metaverse and decentralized finance (DeFi), as well as groups like payment platform, lending, developer tooling and others. As some protocols might fit into multiple industries, the methodology attempts to place the assets in the most relevant category in such cases.
The third level, “taxonomy of crypto assets,” classified crypto assets according to related asset “superclass” based on the cryptocurrency taxonomy system proposed by crypto analyst Chris Burniske in 2019. Burniske’s system follows Robert Greer’s 1997 paper, “What is an Asset Class Anyway?” categorizing crypto assets across their superclasses like capital assets, consumable or transformable assets and store of value assets.
Some of the examples in the store of value asset category include Bitcoin (BTC), Monero (XMR), Zcash (ZEC) and Dogecoin (DOGE). This type of crypto asset “cannot be consumed; nor can it generate income. Nevertheless, it has value; it is a store of value asset,” the proposed classification standard reads.
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CoinGecko and 21Shares’ effort to bring a global crypto classification standard is one of many global efforts to categorize cryptocurrencies. On Feb. 3, the Department of the Treasury in Australia released a consultation paper on “token mapping,” aiming to have its own taxonomy of crypto assets. Previously, Belgium’s Financial Services and Markets Authority was also seeking feedback on its classification of crypto assets as securities, investment instruments or financial instruments in July 2022.
“While the classification of digital assets is quite commonplace, many classification efforts are one-dimensional and confuse traditional investors by mixing crypto assets — the investable tokens — directly with the protocols behind them,” Gonzalez said.
The exec also expressed confidence that 21Shares’ collaboration with CoinGecko — a major independent crypto data website — will allow the newly proposed standard to appeal to both retail and institutional investors, as well as policymakers across the world.
NYU to launch Web3 learning workshop in partnership with NEAR protocol
The course is exposing students to the technology underlying the industry, the industry at large and hands-on experience working with Web3 tools.
Education is a well-known barrier to entry for many when it comes to crypto and Web3 space. This is particularly true when it comes to understanding the underlying technology that powers these new innovations.
Joining in on the effort to spread crypto awareness, on Feb. 8, the New York University School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) — one of the schools and colleges that compose New York University — announced a partnership with the NEAR Foundation to introduce a new “Web3 Learning Workshop” for students and faculty, along with partners in the industry.
The course comes out of NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport. The workshop will have a specific angle looking at the intersection of Web3 and blockchain technologies and the sports industry.
Angie Kamath, the Dean of NYU SPS, said that universities have a responsibility to prepare their communities for “success in every industry.”
“Web3 and blockchain technologies will have a large role to play, not just in the sports industry but in every industry that touches our lives.”
The course is said to touch on the basics of blockchain and digital assets and its utility in the sports world. Those involved in the course will be exposed to hands-on experience, taught by co-founder of the NEAR ecosystem Michael Kelly.
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Additionally, students involved in the NYU SPS will be eligible for new NFT rewards via a Dapp on the NEAR platform. While NYU is not the first school to introduce a curriculum on blockchain and Web3 technologies, it is one of the top universities in the United States.
Educators in Australia recently came out with a statement saying that there is a global lack of “qualified people'' with education in the Web3 industry.
The Blockchain Academy International’s Huxley Peckham highlighted that already 60 industries have implemented blockchain technology in some way and that blockchain education is important for “the next generation of strategists and consultants.”