My latest post for DMLcentral is up. Entitled Peering Deep into Future of Educational Credentialing it’s a look at how the blockchain technology that underpins crytocurrencies like Bitcoin could be used with the Open Badges Infrastructure [OBI].
A sample:
If we used the blockchain for Open Badges, then we could prove beyond reasonable doubt that the person receiving badge Y is the same person who created evidence X. This would use a “proof of work” system. At the moment, the situation is still better than paper-based certificates but, such an approach would allow Open Badges to be used in extremely high-stakes situations. The blockchain would prove a connection between the evidence and the badge. More details could be unlocked if the earner chooses to share his or her key.
Click here to read the post in full
I’ve closed comments here to encourage you to add yours on the original post. Please do consider doing this as it raises awareness in the wider community.
You may also be interested to know that the xAPI (Tin Can) is now compatible with the OBI. This is less geeky and more interesting than it sounds!
The week just gone was my last as a paid contributor to the Mozilla Foundation. I wrote about that here. It’s been a while coming — I set up Dynamic Skillset on 23rd December last year and had set myself the target of becoming fully independent by this September. In terms of planning, my brain still works in terms of academic years…
Happily, a couple of organisations almost bit my arm off when I approached them about doing some consultancy work. I’ve chosen to work with City & Guilds for five months (in the first instance) helping them with various things— including Open Badges. I’m really looking forward to catalysing meaningful change within organisations.
Although it’s perhaps not appropriate to name here all the people who have helped me over the past few months, you know who you are. I definitely couldn’t have taken this step without them. From encouragement before Christmas when I was considering a change, to practical advice on setting up as a limited company, I feel extremely fortunate to be connected to such a generous network. Thank you all.
As ever, I’ll be working as openly as possible and pushing others to do likewise. I’ve never been particularly driven by financial gain: it’s doing interesting and important stuff with awesome people that’s important to me. Life’s too short to spend doing things just for the sake of money.
“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”
— Thomas Edison
Please do get in touch if you think I can help your organisation. I’m particularly interested in stuff around digital/web/new literacies, Open Badges, alternative accreditation, open education — you know the kind of things I do.
Remember: I’ve only got so much capacity, especially until September, so let me know sooner rather than later!
This week I’ve been:
Mozilla
- Finishing off my part of the Hive Toronto Privacy badges project. GitHub repo here.
- Submitting my final expenses and health & wellness invoices.
- Writing about Web Literacy Map v1.5 (my last post on the Webmaker blog!)
- Editing the Learning Pathways whitepaper. I’ll do as much as I can, but it’s up to Karen Smith to shepherd from this point forward!
- Backing up everything.
- Catching-up one to one with a few people.
- Leaving Mozilla. I wrote about that here. Some colleagues gave me a Gif tribute send-off and dressed up an inflatable dinosaur in a party hat. Thanks guys!
Dynamic Skillset
- Helping out DigitalMe with an event in Leeds around Open Badges. I wrote that up here.
- Preparing my presentation for a keynote next week.
- Collaborating on a proposal to scope out Open Badges for UK Scouting.
- Replying to lots of people/organisations who’d like to work with me! 🙂
- Finalising things for next week when I start working with City & Guilds for most (OK, nearly all) of my working week.
- Getting to grips with Xero (which is what I’m using for accounting/invoicing)
Other
Next week I’m spending most of Monday with my family before heading off to London. I’ll be keynoting and running a workshop at the London College of Fashion conference on Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday I’ll be working from the City & Guilds offices, getting to know people and putting things into motion!
Image CC BY Kenny Louie
