Following my last post about the potential of blockchain based education platforms, I gave the idea a bit more thought and realized that this still falls short of the mark for what we can achieve on Steemit:
Firstly, we should not be using the term 'education platform' because there is no defined way in which this learning (and teaching) takes place, so it should be a 'learning platform' that connects people with knowledge, and allows them to share and exchange ideas while rewarding them for providing value to the community and its members. This is more closely aligned with the concept of life-long learning where we can continue to grow and change as we gain more knowledge and skills.
Secondly, I don't necessarily think that this platform or community needs to be monetized. This was one of the main problems with traditional education systems and institutions being run as a business, because the measure of success becomes how much revenue it generates (and how much profit made) rather than the people and ideas that it helped to nurture and grow. What if just being a good citizen of the Steemit community gave you access to this learning platform, because in our ideal society the 'education system' would be free and accessible to everyone, so that we all have the chance to reach our full potential. I think this is much more aligned with the ideas that @surpassinggoogle had when he started #untalented and @steemgigs, and I personally like this vision of Steemtopia where everyone is given the chance to succeed through hard work and contribution to the community.
Now to the more practical issues with creating a learning platform:
- How do we determine what topics/categories are available?
- How do we connect people who want to learn with those that want to teach (and vice versa)?
- How do we ensure that people stay engaged and active with their learning?
I actually think that the answer to all three questions lies in the way that we need to think about our interactions with other Steemians. I believe that there is always an opportunity for learning if you are open to it, and that there is no right or wrong way to go about it.
For example, I was reading a book on the poisons used by Agatha Christie in her novels and came across a passage about how people can develop tolerance/immunity to poisons, especially if they work with venomous animals. I remembered that @amavi and @holothewise worked extensively with a range of animals, and that I should ask them about this. Also, while I was making miniature origami cranes I could not take good macro shots of the artworks, and I spoke to @edward.maesen about this but also looked at people like @digitalis posted some amazing macrophotography work. Recently I am came across @amariespeaks and her post about tarot readings and recalled my earlier conversations with @mihail.tsvetkov about numerology reading.
My point is that we can wait for this wondering learning platform to be designed and developed by someone on @steemgig or @utopian-io, or we can already be part of it by connecting with our fellow Steemians and helping them to connect with other people. We can already learn and teach what we know and share the wisdom that a platform which is inclusive and truly multi-cultural can offer.
The true benefit and value of a blockchain based learning platform should not be how much cryptocurrency you can make from the exchange of knowledge and skills, but that it unlocks your potential in a way that traditional education systems cannot - which is life long learning that is designed for your own intelligence and interests, and this is something that no amount of money can buy!