Learning of Tomorrow [Event Report] “The Big Picture of Blockchain and Its Applications in Education” At today’s Learning of Tomorrow Online Symposium, we heard a presentation on “Education × Blockchain” from Sota Watanabe of Stake Technologies, who is also a member of the Learning of Tomorrow Blockchain Working Group.
Sota arrived in Singapore last night. He joined us online from the hotel where he was taken directly upon arrival for his two-week quarantine.
"Blockchain has the potential to transform the law, the economy, and even the way people collaborate with one another."
I'm excited about the potential for social transformation through new technologies. You always talk with that look on your face, don't you, Sota?
In the online world, there is no ownership of data. However, by utilizing blockchain technology, it is possible to create a system that allows individuals to manage their own data while sharing information such as grades and educational background across schools in a way that protects their privacy.
In this context, DID (Decentralized Identity) is key. You manage your own address and link various types of data to it.
This morning, Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training announced that it plans to implement a system for issuing bachelor’s degree certificates to students using blockchain technology by 2021, but Sota said he would like to see a government-led initiative to build a platform that utilizes ID information.
Looking at the list of participants for today’s online symposium, I saw that there were people from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and the Cabinet Secretariat, so I really would have liked to hear their comments (*^^*)
According to Sota, Japan is two or three steps behind the rest of the world in the field of blockchain. He says there are many challenges in terms of technical understanding, market size, and regulatory frameworks.
That’s why he came to Singapore again today—because he wants to create a public blockchain originating in Japan that will be used around the world!
Please make it happen as soon as possible!
Professor, Keio University; Ph.D. (Policy and Media)
Director, B Lab
Chairperson, Learning of Tomorrow (General Incorporated Association)
Chairperson, CANVAS
After graduating from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, he served as a visiting researcher at the MIT Media Lab before founding the NPO CANVAS and the Learning of Tomorrow Association, a General Incorporated Association, and assuming the role of representative. He serves as an outside director for Matsuya Co., Ltd., Fuji Media Holdings, Inc., and Digital Garage, Inc.
He has served on various government committees, including the Information and Communications Council of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, as well as the NHK Central Broadcasting Program Council. He also serves as a director of the Digital Signage Consortium, among other roles. He holds a Ph.D. in Policy and Media.
His publications include *Turning On Children’s Creativity!*, *What Are Smart Kids Doing on Their Smartphones?*, *The Forefront of Online Education in Japan: Considering Learning in the Post-COVID Era*,“What Is Programming Education? 45 Questions Parents Want to Know,” and “Declaration on Digital Education.” He has also provided supervision for numerous works, including “Ah, I See! Programming Education for Parents and Children Through Manga.”
