Ed3 Weekly Issue #40: It's in the Data
Hello web3 and education frens,
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Enough time has passed for us to take a look at some data about web3 adoption. Data allows us to take stock, reflect, and set some goals for the future. There are a number of wins to celebrate. $2.2 million in scholarships for web3 education is a huge step forward to help underserved communities access life-changing education.
Yet only 2% of US institutions of higher ed embracing blockchain instruction demonstrates that we have a lot more room to grow.
Meta platforms is losing billions of dollars in their VR headset divisions, but we are also seeing tens of thousands of learners in Africa and South America obtaining education in web3.
This shows that not all data is created equal.
Sme numbers that have meaning and impact, such as the millions of hours of learning happening across the globe in web3 technologies.
While others have much less meaning. Like the bottom-line losses from ambitious tech companies trying to cash in on the metaverse trend.
For the average educator it can be hard to discern the signal through the noise. That is what this newsletter is here for–to highlight major wins in the web3 space and to also shine a light on some major Ls as well.
You probably don’t have time to sift through the mass of web3 news to understand what will make an impact in the future of learning. You are doing the right thing by checking out my Ed3 Newsletter. I take the time to identify meaningful resources about web3 that can help inform your practice.
This week I am sharing about the following goings on in web3:
🫤 Forbes shares how Higher Ed is lagging behind the web3 adoption curve
🌍 Binance is funding tens of thousands of web3 scholars across the globe
🧐 An update from Davos about how everyone needs to be educated in web3
🥽 Meta announces it is not giving up on the metaverse
Lack of Blockchain Education in Higher Ed
GETTY
These numbers from a Forbes article on blockchain in education were shocking to me: “A recent Gartner poll shows that only 2% of higher education institutions embrace blockchain learning, with another 18% considering it.” I assumed that many more universities had at the very least offered some learning opportunities in blockchain. 2% just felt so low.
Roc Zacharias, CEO of Lunar Digital Assets says, "More young people are launching blockchain-based startups than ever before, and many more are signing up for third-party educational courses on the technology. So the interest and the audience is obviously there." I couldn’t agree more. I also think we need to start designing lofi and analog models for our K-12 learners as well.
Educating the Next Generation of Web3 Scholars
Image by Binance
$2.2 million
259,180
67,155
These are significant numbers in the world of web3 education. $2.2 million in scholarship money was awarded to leading educational projects worldwide to widen access to Web3 courses. 259,180 hours of Web3 education and training. And funding for 67,155 scholarships by The Binance Charity Scholar Program.
Check out this blog post by the Binance Academy to learn more about the global Binance Charity Scholar Program. A couple of highlights include teaching 10,000 people from disadvantaged communities in France about blockchain, vocational training to nearly 3,000 women in rural South Africa and Brazil, and educating 50,000 young people in Nigeria about Web3.
Onboarding All into Web3
Image from Cointelegraph
We often think of education as something aimed at young people. Web3 and blockchain have shown that there is a need for education across generational lines. This article about a talk at the 2023 Davos conference in Switzerland shows that there is a need for educating our Baby Boomers and Gen X learners as well.
Wealth management, artificial intelligence, and sustainability are three areas that are in major need of effective education. One quote from the article really explains why this is so important, “How can all these people make the decisions about what happens with the laws when they don’t even understand the technology or this new world?”
Meta Pushes Forward With Its Metaverse Bet
Image: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)
As VR sales drop, Meta continues to push forward. This recent report from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland shows that Meta is not slowing down with its ambitious plans for the metaverse.
Will immersive reality tools be “as important as the smartphone”? It’s hard to say. Regardless, the $9 billion loss for its Reality Labs between January and October 2022 doesn't appear to deter Meta’s leadership team.
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