4.2. Practical Implications
In order to have a summative measure regarding a statistical analysis, a variable was created with the scope of knowing the overall percentage of the knowledge of the participants on the topic. The calculated value was 65.03%.
When analyzing the aspects to consider including blockchain technologies in the educational sector, the study used nine variables summarized in the
Table 1, considering the scale from 5 (very important) to 1 (not important at all).
Analysis of the variables with SPSS (see
Table 2) concluded that the most important aspect is Clear and transparent rules about who is responsible for payment of fees (4.55/5), followed by Basic information/education about blockchain-technologies for all people involved in the educational sector (4.40/5). These answers reflect, on one hand, that students expect transparency in how educational fees are handled; they may be concerned about hidden fees, unclear payment processes, or unexpected costs associated with their education. On the other hand, they reflect that, within the educational sector, an interest in blockchain technology is highlighted: blockchain has the potential to make change in various aspects of education, including credential verification, secure record keeping, and even digital currencies for tuition payments.
The last aspect considered was Involvement of Government, strict worldwide regulation with a mean of 3.14. This means that, in some cases, students may perceive government involvement and strict regulations as potentially leading to bureaucracy, excessive control, or unnecessary restrictions, which could negatively affect the educational system.
The reason why 4.55 is considered more significant than 3.14 is related to the rating scale used in the study. On a typical scale from 1 to 5, a score closer to 5 indicates a higher degree of importance/satisfaction in the participants’ responses, while a lower score reflects a lower degree of these aspects.
For most variables, between 129 and 132 of the total 146 responses were included in the analysis, except for V4 where only 116 were included, which was caused by incomplete or missing data from the respondents.
While examining the applications associated with blockchain technologies in the educational sector, the variables were designated as S1 through S11.
The codifications are explained in the following
Table 3, with the scale from 5 (very important) to 1 (not important at all).
The most suitable characteristics are Fees and credits transfer (4.02), Copyrights management (3.99), and lastly Evaluating students’ professional ability (3.13/5). In our opinion, fees and credits transfer are important for financial planning and academic progress, while copyrights management is vital for academic integrity, career readiness, and navigating the legal and ethical aspects of intellectual property. All of these contribute to a well-rounded education experience for students. Meanwhile, the low score for S3 (
Table 4) reflects that students often prioritize immediate concerns, such as completing their education, finding employment, and managing their academic workload. The potential long-term benefits of blockchain verification may not be at the forefront of their minds.
For most of the variables (S) (
Table 4), between 131 and 133 of the total 146 responses were included in the analysis, with the exception of S4 where only 120 were included, which was caused by incomplete or missing data from the respondents.
The research study also analyzed respondents’ opinions about which professions require higher knowledge of blockchain technologies, regarding their use in the educational sector. The variables were encoded as follows (
Table 5), with the scale from 5 (very important) to 1 (not important at all):
Blockchain-related knowledge is mostly needed for the Hardware/Software Specialist (4.47/5), followed by Administrative IT Officer (4.45/5), and lastly Teacher (3.55/5) and Administrative Non IT- Officer (2.79/5), as resulted using SPSS analysis (
Table 6). In our opinion, careers as hardware/software specialists, administrative IT officers, and educational app developers offer students opportunities for job security, innovation, versatility, and the chance to positively influence education and society. These fields are dynamic and aligned with the increasing importance of technology in various aspects of life and learning. On the other hand, the perceived importance of administrative non-IT officer and teacher roles can vary widely based on individual interests, values, and societal needs. Ultimately, the importance of any career path depends on an individual’s passion and skills and the impact they perceive in their chosen field.
For most of the variables (Z) (
Table 6), between 130 and 132 of the total 146 responses were included in the analysis, with the exception of Z4 where only 119 were included, which was caused by incomplete or missing data from the respondents.
Respondents were also asked about the benefits of adopting blockchain technologies in education, by scaling the importance on a scale of 1–5, where 1 is not important to consider as a benefit and 5 is highly important to consider. The variables were encoded as follows (
Table 7):
The most important benefits to consider, as indicated in
Table 8, are High Security (4.5/5), Better control of data access (4.25/5), and Enhancing Trust (4.15/5). The last one was Enhancing student’s assessment (3.44/5). Hence, students may recognize that data security and privacy are essential for their future academic and professional opportunities. They want to ensure that their educational records are accurate and protected. In contrast, enhancing students’ assessment may be perceived as a benefit that, while valuable, may not be of interest for students in the short term. Data security and access control are immediate concerns that affect their current educational experience.
The challenges of adopting blockchain technologies were measured on a scale of 1–5, where 1 is not important to consider and 5 is highly important to consider. The variables were encoded as follows in
Table 9:
The most important challenges to consider, based on variables analysis (
Table 10), are Privacy & Security (3.96/5), followed by Cost and Setting the boundaries (3.71/5). The last ones considered were Weakening traditional school credentials (2.84), and Immaturity (3.10/5).
Our opinion regarding these answers may be presented as follows:
Increasing concerns: Students are becoming increasingly aware of privacy and security concerns, especially with the growing use of technology in education. They prioritize the protection of their personal information and academic data from potential breaches and misuse.
Data sensitivity: Educational institutions often handle sensitive data, including student records, grades, and personal information. Any breach or mishandling of this data can have serious consequences.
- 2.
Cost:
Financial burden: Cost is a significant concern for many students. Higher education expenses, including tuition, fees, and textbooks, can be a financial burden. Students prioritize finding cost-effective solutions that can make education more accessible and affordable.
Student debt: The rising cost of education has led to concerns about student debt, which can have long-term financial implications.
- 3.
Setting boundaries:
Balancing screen time: With the increasing use of technology in education, students may struggle with balancing screen time. They value the ability to set boundaries between academic work and their personal life to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy work–life balance.
Overwhelm: Students may experience information overload and stress due to the demands of online learning. Setting boundaries helps manage these challenges.
- 4.
Immaturity:
Technology adoption: Immaturity in this context likely refers to the immaturity or lack of readiness of educational technology solutions. Students may face challenges when using technology that is not fully developed or tested, leading to frustration and inefficiency.
Adaptation challenges: Students may find it challenging to adapt to rapidly evolving technology platforms or tools.
- 5.
Weakening traditional school credentials:
Concerns about credential value: While this may be considered a challenge, some students may have more confidence in the enduring value of traditional school credentials. They may prioritize addressing other immediate concerns, such as privacy and cost, over concerns about the long-term value of their credentials.
Hence, the answers reflect the complex landscape of challenges faced by students in the digital age of education. Privacy, cost, technology use, and credential value are all important considerations (
Table 10), and students’ perceptions of their relative importance may evolve over time.
After analyzing seven interviews with people involved in education, either in executive positions or managers, the results supported the answers to the presented research questions. The respondents highlighted some of the potential applications of blockchain technology in higher education, through certificates, file storage (courses), research preparation, digital identity, currency, and the growth of MOOC. Some of the most important applications mentioned are related to research, as blockchain represents a tool for data sharing and knowledge. The respondents suggested that blockchain can register professional information such as volunteer activities, prizes, and scholarship and can generate them automatically from the block. On the financial level, they said that it can bring funds trackers, payments, grants management, services, credits transfer, or even the tokenization of learning. Blockchain can also help intellectual property and university accreditation and be a big help in document storage.
Respondents said that the relevant data that should be on the blockchain consists of smart contracts, information that is not sensitive, research data, grades, volunteer activities, awards, distinctions, and diplomas. These can benefit from blockchain advantages like transparency, security, and traceability.
Regarding the quality assurance standards that guarantee that the data are accurate, verifiable, and meaningful, respondents said that these qualities are provided by the decentralized database. These are assured by synchronizing across multiple nodes, each having an identical copy. Quality is guaranteed also by the signature of the collector, description of data, and sources, thus making data meaningful and traceable.
Some of the reasons for using blockchain in education are security, functionality, novelty, and transparency. Other reasons provided by the respondents were decentralization, immutability of data, and integrity. Respondents said that by using the latest trends in technology in higher education, blockchain can also inspire new initiatives in research. The most compelling reasons come from the advantages of blockchain technology with multiple applications presented under the first question: self-sovereignty, trust, transparency and provenance, immutability, disintermediation, and collaboration.
Regarding equity, access, and accessibility, governments should have clear politics, the knowledge should be transferred, and risks should be mitigated. When asked about blockchain being just buildup/hype, all the respondents considered that it is not the case and the technology is really improving copyright protection, traceability issues, certificates, and credentials. Looking into the future of blockchain, as time will pass it will improve and awareness of the benefits offered will increase. Respondents think that “in order to go forward and take use of this technology, organizations need to start and implement multiple applications for blockchain, even test them as prototypes to get the first conclusions and get peer reviewed”. Another respondent showed two benefits of using blockchain in the future, manifested through improved efficiency in education with lower costs and better experience and acting in collaborative activities in universities. The stakeholders in this technology in the future will be the government, authorities, academics, companies, and blockchain communities.
Interviewed about blockchain in Romania, respondents said that the country needs more time to understand benefits, more training, and willingness to learn and to know. Although there is no specific national legislation, support, or strategy for blockchain, Romania has a growing number of experienced companies (e.g., Modex, Elrond), innovative startups and projects, and active accelerators—encouraging the adoption of blockchain. Moreover, there are also numerous educational programs including blockchain.
There are a few blockchain pilot projects running in Romania, among them also issuing university diplomas and microcredentials on the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI), as one expert underlined. Other respondents showed that Romania evolved in the blockchain landscape, but just in the private sector, and a lot of successful companies in Romania created value in that direction.
The last question involved checking relevant skills when recruiting for a dedicated project about blockchain, and respondents mentioned things like knowledge in the field, case studies, and the use of the systems. Education is also important, along with previous experience, but since blockchain is specific, some skills needed can be cloud computing, web development, formal and informal studies, participating in projects, and cryptography.