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Professor John Domingue is the OU project lead for the Institute of Coding<\/p><\/div>\n
The OU\u2019s IoC project lead, Professor John Domingue, comments:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe blockchain-verified badges are an important element of the IoC toolbox and will aid the transformation of computing education. They are a form of micro accreditation which allows IoC partners to give credit for learning wherever and whenever it occurs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have already issued badges across a range of IoC learning events as well as providing a fine-grained accreditation map for our new IoC Computing Accreditation Standard.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur use of blockchains for recording purposes will allow IoC badges to be verified easily and securely without loss of privacy.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The pilot uses an extended version of the Open Badge specification as the foundation for the device, which enables blockchain token-based verification of badges.<\/p>\n
Open Badges are verifiable, portable digital files with embedded metadata about users\u2019 skills and achievements.<\/p>\n
Next steps…<\/h2>\n
Professor Domingue, adds:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe next phase of our work will involve experiments with mobile interfaces and data privacy.\u00a0 For example, a student wearing an activity tracker who visits the library will create a \u2018data footprint\u2019. The data generated by the tracker could be incorporated into the student\u2019s personal learning record, as evidence of their learning experience.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The OU team plan to use the Solid data privacy ecosystem, developed by Sir Tim Berners Lee, to maintain student confidentiality.\u00a0 Using a Solid personal record learning store, students will own their data and control what data, if any, they share with institutions and employers. Depending on the success of these experiments, the first Solid e-portfolio could be available to learners by 2021.<\/p>\n
The OU will also use the badging framework for computing degrees. This element builds upon the new Computing Accreditation Standard, which was designed by Dr David Bowers<\/a>, of the OU\u2019s Computing and Communications School, and IBM.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019d like to know more about the IoC blockchain-verified badges or you\u2019re interested in issuing IoC badges for an event you\u2019re organising, please visit our website instituteofcoding.open.ac.uk\/badges\/<\/a><\/p>\n