Applications of Blockchain Technology to Higher Education Arena: A Bibliometric Analysis

Reis-Marques, C., Figueiredo, R., & Neto, M. D. C. (2021). Applications of Blockchain Technology to Higher Education Arena: A Bibliometric Analysis. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 11(4), 1406-1421. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe11040101 ---------------------------------------------- This work is financed by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I. P., under the project “UIDB/04630/2020”.Research related to blockchain is rapidly gaining importance in the higher education. This opportunity collaborates with a proposal for a review of papers on the main blockchain topic. The bibliometric analysis included 61 peer-reviewed articles published in the Scopus database during the period of 2016 to 2021. This paper offers the identification of gaps in the literature enabling studies on the subject in higher education. The article identifies the main applications of blockchain technology in higher education around the world, as well as suggests future investigations. For further scientific investigation, we propose the operationalization of each of the researched approaches, especially combining the blockchain relationship, artificial intelligence, digital innovation, digital maturity, and customer experience in higher education.publishersversionpublishe

Verification of University Student and Graduate Data using Blockchain Technology

Blockchain is a reliable and innovative technology that harnesses education and training through digital technologies. Nonetheless, it has been still an issue keeping track of student/graduate academic achievement and blockchain access rights management. Detailed information about academic performance within a certain period (semester) is not present in the official education documents. Furthermore, academic achievement documents issued by institutions are not secured against unauthorized changes due to the involvement of intermediaries. Therefore, verification of official educational documents has become a pressing issue owing to the recent development of digital technologies. However, effective tools to accelerate the verification are rare as the process takes time. This study provides a prototype of the UniverCert platform based on a consortium version of the decentralized, open-source Ethereum blockchain technology. The proposed platform is based on a globally distributed peer-to-peer network that allows educational institutions to partner with the blockchain network, track student data, verify academic performance, and share documents with other stakeholders. The UniverCert platform was developed on a consortium blockchain architecture to address the problems universities face in storing and securing student data. The system provides a solution to facilitate students’ registration, verification, and authenticity of educational documents

IoT TECHNOLOGY BASED ON AI PLATFORM FOR BLOCKCHAIN E-EDUCATION

The priority elements of the e-government system with Blockchain technologies in the most important socially oriented areas are the electronic health system, electronic education and science system, electronic environment, etc., the introduction of which is designed to make public information open to the public, in particular on the state of the environment, directions and volumes of use of public funds, Land Management, the state of development and use of mineral resources, etc.; automate some processes of management of the relevant areas (personnel, monitoring, finance, reporting); improve the Electronic Document Management System in educational and scientific institutions, healthcare and the environment; ensure that users of the system can receive services in the relevant areas through online services, including checking the validity of documents, registering in electronic queues, and so on. It should be noted that educational institutions provide applicants with "information", which in the learning process should turn into "knowledge". We note that the main difference between knowledge and information is the degree of organization and consciousness of Primary Data. In our opinion, the main difference lies not only in the degree of organization and consciousness of primary data but also in the orientation. So, information is the" raw material " for the formation of knowledge, the main resource, service, and product. Knowledge, in our opinion, is systematic, structured information that an individual has. That is, knowledge is a quality of the individual. A modern successful person needs to learn throughout his life. At the same time, the ability to make decisions independently, the ability to think, and the ability to solve complex interdisciplinary problems in non-standard situations become essential. This makes it necessary for a modern person to have the skills to search, analyze and process information in accordance with the methodology of scientific knowledge using digital technologies. The foundation for obtaining knowledge by a person is education, in the process of which educational institutions provide the applicant with "information" that he must turn into "knowledge". The process of converting information into knowledge in the modern environment is possible only if the information and research competencies are formed

BlockDiploma – Decentralizing the Norwegian Diploma Registry using Blockchain Technology

Academic diplomas are being falsified and potentially resulting in unqualified individuals getting the job, or a better candidate being bypassed by a forger. Secure and reliable verification mechanisms for academic diplomas are needed. Norway has attempted to accomplish this by developing the Diploma registry, a digital solution for sharing academic results. Our research reviews current diploma systems to identify challenges. Following the review, our research effort shifts focus from identifying challenges to attempting to find solutions using blockchain technology. The research is based on the hypothesis that there are challenges with the present solutions, and that those challenges can be resolved by decentralizing the diploma registry using blockchain and peer-to-peer technology. The research is classified as computer research using the engineering method. The first step was to gather and aggregate information about current diploma systems and relevant blockchain proposed solutions. Based upon the information gathered we could identify challenges with the current solutions, and we started to formulate requirements for a blockchain-based one. After formulating our proposal in the form of written requirements, we started to explore how the challenges could be resolved using decentralized technology. Following the exploration of decentralized technologies, we ended up with developing a decentralized application called BlockDiploma. BlockDiploma is built using smart contracts with the Ethereum blockchain, IPFS for decentralized storage and standard web technologies for the user interface. During and after the development we analyzed and evaluated how well it resolved the identified challenges and whether it introduces new challenges. Our conclusion is that there are several issues other than just falsification with the present diploma systems, and that a decentralized diploma registry can in the future be part of the solution to those challenges.Masteroppgave i informatikkINF399MAMN-PROGMAMN-IN

Can Blockchain Technologies Resolve the U.S. Antitrust Enforcement Problem?

The U.S. antitrust enforcement mechanism is criticized for being ill-adapted to ensuring competition in digital platforms. In the U.S., several bills have been introduced in Congress with the aim to create a new antitrust regulatory framework for digital platforms. This paper proposes a different solution by exploring the adoption of a blockchain system and smart contracts to make the present antitrust enforcement more efficient. In the U.S. approximately ninety percent of no-merger antitrust proceedings are settled by means of consent decrees. However, the consent decree procedure is criticized for a lack of transparency and there is often the need for more coordination among different antitrust enforcers in the definition of remedies. This begs the question of whether a distributed ledger can assist in making the consent decree mechanism more transparent by enhancing coordination and data consistency. Furthermore, verifying companies’ compliance with antitrust remedies enshrined in consent decrees is typically costly and time-consuming for an antitrust agency and these remedies can become ineffective. This paper investigates a blockchain system to tackle the lack of transparency and coordination in reaching the antitrust consent in the context of the FTC consent decree procedure. It further investigates the use of smart contracts and blockchain-based smart contracts to enforce antitrust remedies enshrined in antitrust consent decrees by using FTC remedies as an example. Antitrust does not really need a new regulatory framework, what it does need is to explore the adoption of new tools and resources to make the antitrust enforcement more efficient through a technologically managed solution

Security token offering in EU: applicable law

The paper focuses on applicable law towards Security Token Offerings (STOs) in the European Union. The goal of the thesis is to analyse the legal framework in the EU with regards to STOs from the perspective of an organizer, an investor and a regulator. Blockchain technology has entered the field of regulated market activities and along with new opportunities for business, it has brought new challenges for regulators and risks for investors. The research will illustrate the legal framework which organizers have to follow in order to launch legally compliant STO

A Proposal to Harmonize BIM and IoT Data Silos using Blockchain Application

The integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Internet of Things (IoT) provide significant end-to-end benefits for the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry. Example applications include on-site assembly services, data localization for built environment, occupancy performance measures and many other analyses that can be used to improve the built environment. However, silos in the BIM and IoT data exchange have impacted the digital process adoption in AECO industry, which aims to change the dynamics and behaviors of the current working process. Penzes, (2018) in his report, acknowledges the AECO industry as one of the most fragmented sectors with a scattered and complex supply chain. Kelly & Dowd, (2015) reported that the prevalence of waste in AECO industry is due to old management practice and business culture, while Charlès, (2014) suggested this is a symptom of ineffective practices caused by the lack of data integration and disconnected documents between the industry players. Insufficient data for process simulation have resulted in poor productivity, high risk, and low profitability. This study sets out to critically analyse the Blockchain technology’s potential to connect, integrate and advance AECO industry information exchanges and digital processes by using BIM and IoT integration use case as a methodology to identify, clarify and organize the proposed system requirements. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review to uncover the current state of BIM and IoT data silos. Moreover, an online survey assessment and a simulated test were conducted to critically evaluate, investigate, and examine the opportunities and solutions in harmonizing BIM and IoT data silos by using the Blockchain application