Fourth industrial revolution—a review of applications, prospects, and challenges for artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain in higher education [Scholarly Article - RPTEL, 2022]

Title:

Fourth industrial revolution—a review of applications, prospects, and challenges for artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain in higher education

 

Author:

Chaka Chaka

 

Published:

Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 30 August 2022

https://rptel.apsce.net/index.php/RPTEL/article/view/2023-18002

 

Abstract:

Much has been written about the fourth industrial revolution’s (4IR) contributions to and its impact on higher education (HE). In addition, review studies have been conducted on the contributions of 4IR technologies to and on their impact on HE. Most of these studies have reviewed single 4IR technologies in isolation as attested to by the review studies cited in the current study. Against this backdrop, the current study reviewed, discussed, and synthesized the applications, prospects, and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and blockchain at given higher education institutions (HEIs) between 2013 and 2019 as reported by 26 selected journal articles. Employing a slightly modified version of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for searching and screening, three of the findings of this study are worth mentioning. Firstly, the dominant AI technologies for learning are chatbots, and AI holds the prospect of personalized, scalable, and affordable learning. Secondly, the applications of robotics are exploratory in nature, and have a meta-teaching and a meta-learning orientation. Thirdly, some of the applications of blockchain relate to digital grading, digital credentialing and digital certification, and to real-time contracting and time stamping of learning. The implications of this review are that the three sets of technologies reviewed, have a lot applications for HE, barring the challenges that have been outlined.

 

How AI, VR, AR, 5G, and blockchain may converge to power the metaverse [VentureBeat, December 2021]

Title:

How AI, VR, AR, 5G, and blockchain may converge to power the metaverse

Author:

Gary Grossman, Edelman

 

Published:

VentureBeat, 26 December 2021

https://venturebeat.com/2021/12/26/how-ai-vr-ar-5g-and-blockchain-may-converge-to-power-the-metaverse/

 

From the article:

Emerging technologies including AI, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 5G, and blockchain (and related digital currencies) have all progressed on their own merits and timeline. Each has found a degree of application, though clearly AI has progressed the furthest. Each technology is maturing while overcoming challenges ranging from blockchain’s energy consumption to VR’s propensity for inducing nausea. They will likely converge in readiness over the next several years, underpinned by the now ubiquitous cloud computing for elasticity and scale. And in that convergence, the sum will be far greater than the parts. The catalyst for this convergence will be the metaverse — a connected network of always-on 3D virtual worlds.

ETHIOPIA - Ethiopia’s blockchain deal is a watershed moment – for the technology, and for Africa [The Conversation, May 2021]

Title:

Ethiopia's blockchain deal is a watershed moment - for the technology, and for Africa

 

Author:

Iwa Salami

Senior Lecturer in Financial Law and Regulation, University of East London

 

Published:

The Conversation, 20 May 2021

https://theconversation.com/ethiopias-blockchain-deal-is-a-watershed-moment-for-the-technology-and-for-africa-160719

 

From the article:

A few companies have begun showcasing blockchain capabilities to various African countries. Unlike most other cryptocurrency blockchains which focus on private sector use in developed regions like Europe and North America, their approach has been to target the governments and public institutions in the developing world.  

 

In April the Ethiopian government confirmed that it had signed a deal to create a national database of student and teacher IDs using a decentralised digital identity solution. The deal involves providing IDs for 5 million students across 3,500 schools which will be used to store educational records.

World Economic Forum - How blockchain can empower smart cities - and why interoperability will be crucial (by Satoru Hori)

Title:

How blockchain can empower smart cities - and why interoperability will be crucial

 

Author:

Satoru Hori

Project Fellow, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, World Economic Forum

Published:

World Economic Forum, 6 April 2021

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/how-blockchain-can-empower-smart-cities-gtgs21/

From the article:

*  Advanced technology can play a significant role in managing efficient urban development and population growth. 

*  Interoperability needs to be considered from three perspectives: business model, platform and infrastructure. 

*  Independent smart cities will not be enough, but it is essential to ensure openness and co-ordination among multiple smart cities.

Trust, Transparency, and Technology: Blockchain and Its Relevance in the Context of the 2030 Agenda [Scholarly Article in: The Palgrave Handbook of Corporate Sustainability in the Digital Era. Palgrave Macmillan, Oct 2020]

Title:

Trust, Transparency, and Technology: Blockchain and Its Relevance in the Context of the 2030 Agenda

Authors:

Ana Maria Gomez-Trujillo, Juan Velez-Ocampo & Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez

Published:

In: Park, S.H., Gonzalez-Perez M.A., Floriani D.E. (eds). (October 2020). The Palgrave Handbook of Corporate Sustainability in the Digital Era. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 561-580. 

ISBN: 978-3-030-42412-1

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42412-1_28

 

To read article:

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-030-42412-1_28#citeas

 

Abstract:

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the implementation of blockchain technology, intended to provide transparency and trust, and its linkages with business sustainability. More specifically, it aims to answer the question “How does blockchain technology guarantee transparency, trust, and sustainability in the context of Agenda 2030?” The complex relation of digital transformation and its effects on the three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, social, and financial) has become an important issue of analysis for companies worldwide. Furthermore, as both blockchain and SDGs are recent developments in their respective areas, research that covers both elements is in development, though promising. This chapter highlights the need for a framework that integrates individuals, communities, companies, and governments to achieve success in improvement of the monitoring mechanisms for the digital platforms that sustainably guarantee later accomplishment.

King's College London - New report argues blockchain could help reduce nuclear risks

Title:

New report argues blockchain could help reduce nuclear risks

 

Published:

King's College London, 2 November 2020

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/new-report-argues-blockchain-could-help-reduce-nuclear-risk

From the article:

The Centre for Science and Security Studies (CSSS), King’s College London has published a new policy report, arguing that blockchain technology, could help verify the dismantlement of nuclear warheads in a safe, secure and reliable way. This creates new opportunities to build trust among parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by advancing cooperation on nuclear disarmament and arms control verification.

China’s Blockchain Infrastructure to Extend Global Reach With Six Public Chains [Coindesk, 21 July 2020]

Title:
China’s Blockchain Infrastructure to Extend Global Reach With Six Public Chains

Author:
David Pan

Published:
Coindesk, 21 July 2020
https://www.coindesk.com/chinas-blockchain-infrastructure-to-extend-global-reach-with-six-public-chains

From the article:
"A blockchain infrastructure backed by the Chinese government will open its services to decentralized applications (dapp) developers on a global scale on August 10.

The move is part of China’s plan to be the one and only infrastructure provider for blockchain firms across the world. That effort resembles the country’s aggressive international expansion in other major emerging technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence.

This global expansion is notable, given that China’s attempts to lead in other technologies have been disrupted. The Trump administration issued a new rule in May to prevent Chinese tech conglomerate Huawei, a leader in 5G technology, and its suppliers from using U.S. technology and software. The U.K. has also barred Huawei from its 5G networks.

Yet China’s global blockchain ambitions have been a smooth sail."

University of Bath (13 May 2020) - Blockchain – forget the criminal record, it might just save your life

Title:
Blockchain – forget the criminal record, it might just save your life

Published:
University of Bath, Press release, 13 May 2020
https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/blockchain-forget-the-criminal-record-it-might-just-save-your-life/

From the press release:
"Blockchain, the technology that underpins digital currency and has acquired a slightly tainted reputation as a useful tool for organised crime, is coming out of the shadows and is set to become a friend to consumers, protecting them from tainted food, fake medicine, fraud and products with illegal or unethical origins, a new study from the University of Bath shows."

Scholarly Article (2020) - Blockchain-based approach to create a model of trust in open and ubiquitous higher education

Title:
Blockchain-based approach to create a model of trust in open and ubiquitous higher education

Authors:
David Lizcano, Juan A. Lara, Bebo White & Shadi Aljawarneh 

Published:
Journal of Computing in Higher Education, Volume 32, 109-134 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-019-09209-y

From the abstract:
"Currently, the training of the future work force presents challenging problems to higher education. This training, in the form of practical and theoretical knowledge can come from multiple platforms, channels and means, both formal and informal. In addition, it is quite difficult to assess the knowledge skill level that a student has acquired to optimize their chances for future employability. This, together with the need to still manage academic curricula on paper, the problems of confidence when validating these documents and contrasting them with real knowledge, etc., means that management in higher education requires revolutionary new tools. This work evaluates the benefits of the blockchain (or distributed ledger) technology and advocates a decentralised model of confidence for transactions based on an academic crypto currency."

Short Article - Blockchain uses in education, a tough lesson with Covid-19

Title:
Blockchain uses in education, a tough lesson with Covid-19

Author:
Mitch Rankin

Published:
Cryptopolitan, 19 March 2020

From the article:
How will education change for the better - or the worse - in the long term?

To read this article:
https://www.cryptopolitan.com/blockchain-uses-in-education-covid-19-lesson/

The Open University, UK - OU digital experts showcase blockchain technology at IoC Conference (24-25 February 2020)

Title:
OU digital experts showcase blockchain technology at IoC Conference

Author:
Bridgette Honegan

Published:
OU News, 26 February 2020

From the article:
"Tech experts from The Open University pilot blockchain-verified badges at this year’s Institute of Coding (IoC) Conference.  

The IoC, a coalition of universities and employers working together to respond to the UK’s digital skills gap, hosted its second annual conference this week (24 – 25 February 2020).

Conference attendees were given delegate badges with blockchain technology to log their activities over the course of the two-day event as part of an OU pilot."

To read this article:
https://distance-educator.com/ou-digital-experts-showcase-blockchain-technology-at-ioc-conference/

Short Article (something to take note of): The Future of Money: AI Investors, Crowdlending, and the Death of Cash

Title:
The Future of Money: AI Investors, Crowdlending, and the Death of Cash

Author:
Peter H. Diamandis, MD

Published:
SingularityHub, 16 January 2020

From the article:
"Every day, roughly 60 percent of all market trades are made by computer. When the market turns volatile, this can climb to as high as 90 percent. Robo-advisors are increasingly making this process available to the consumer, saving them time and money as a result."

To read this article:
https://singularityhub.com/2020/01/16/the-future-of-money-ai-investors-crowdlending-and-the-death-of-cash/

Scholarly Article: Blockchain-based Transcripts for Mobile Higher-Education

Title:
Blockchain-based Transcripts for Mobile Higher-Education

Authors:
Timothy Arndt & Angela Guercio

Published:
International Journal of Information and Education Technology (IJIET), volume 10, issue 2, 2020

From the abstract:
"In this paper, we review the use of blockchain in higher education in higher education and experimental implementations of a blockchain-based university transcript system in order to empower students and better fit today's ever more agile society and then describe some experimental results in using blockchain for higher education transcripts."

To read full abstract:
http://www.ijiet.org/show-134-1566-1.html

Short Article: 5 Ways Blockchain is Revolutionizing Higher Education

Title:
5 Ways Blockchain is Revolutionizing Higher Education

Author:
Kevin Roebuck

Published:
Forbes, 2 January 2020

From the article:
"What is blockchain and how will it transform education and research? Let's ask that question a different way: What is education and how will it change as a result of blockchain and other technologies?"

To read this article:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/oracle/2019/01/02/5-ways-blockchain-is-revolutionizing-higher-education/#376f006f7c41

EVENT - The Stanford Blockchain Conference 2020

Event:
The Stanford Blockchain Conference 2020

Place: 
Arrillaga Alumni Center, Stanford University, California, United States of America

Date:
19-21 February 2020

Focus:
This conference explores methods of security engineering and risk management in blockchain systems.

Main topics include:
* Cryptography & distributed systems
* Formal metods and Programming Language Theory
* Attack analysis and threat modeling
* Secure scaling
* Confidentiality
* Hardware
* Testing & deployment
* Cryptoeconomics
* Third party ecosystems

For more information:
https://cbr.stanford.edu/sbc20/index.html

Short Article: Is Blockchain the Future of Academic Credentials?

Title:
Is Blockchain the Future of Academic Credentials?

Author:
Wesley Jenkins

Published:
The Chronicle of Higher Education, 3 December 2019

From the article:
"A for-profit college's closure led to an idea in Dallas: Let students control their own records using the technology behind cryptocurrencies. Several groups are exploring blockchain's academic potential on parallel tracks."

To read this article:
https://www.chronicle.com/article/Is-Blockchain-the-Future-of/247647

NB: You will need to subscribe to The Chronicle of Higher Education to access this article.

Short Article - 4 Ways Blockchain Will Transform Higher Education

Title:
4 Ways Blockchain Will Transform Higher Education

Author:
Susan Moore

Published:
Smarter With Gartner, 16 October 2019

From the article:
"The most ambitious uses for blockchain in higher education could disrupt the industry.

In 2017, the University of Melbourne started using blockchain to issue digital credentials, enabling students to share verified copies of their qualifications with employers and other third parties in a tamperpoof system.

New ways to apply blockchain technology in the higher education sector are emerging all the time. Over the past several years, more high-profile projects have received significant media attention, fueling further interest in the technology."

To read full article:
https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/4-ways-blockchain-will-transform-higher-education/