You’ve probably heard of Bitcoin, the “virtual” currency that was all over the news when it shot up in value in January and then dropped off just as quickly in February.
You may have heard about Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin and literally thousands of other virtual currencies. A concept that everybody says is going to change everything, but can’t exactly say how or why.
Do you understand any of it? I think I have a basic grasp of the blockchain concept but don’t hold me to that.
On his weekly dose of premium cable sanity, Last Week Tonight, John Oliver does an ok job of explaining all the pieces of the technology. But he does a great job of putting it all in context (“…if you choose to invest in the cryptocurrency space, just know that you’re not investing, you’re gambling.”).
The video is worth 25 minutes of your time. If nothing else, skip to the very funny closing that includes Keegan Michael Key.
However, even if you have no interest in the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency part of this topic, educators should at least have at least a fundamental understanding of the blockchain concept.
There is a lot of chatter about the technology having a big impact on education1 and edtech vendors are already finding ways to weave at least the word “blockchain” into their products.
When the marketing guys shows up at your door, one of you in the discussion needs to have a basic understanding of what you’re talking about.
HBO always posts John Oliver’s main segment to the Last Week Tonight YouTube channel. It’s worth subscribing to.
1. Audrey Watters’ guide on the topic, The Blockchain for Education: An Introduction, is two years old but still the best explainer on the topic I’ve read.