Educators Equipped to Integrate Blockchain Technology

The primary goal of the program was to train the first attendees of Generation Blockchain Learning Week, equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills to incorporate blockchain technology into their teaching methods. Dr. Mike Russell, project partner, educator and researcher at AUAS, explained, "The objective of the week was to support participants in gaining a deeper understanding of the inverted Open Educational Resources and the Online Course, as well as how to integrate blockchain concepts into various teaching disciplines and research activities." Alongside improving understanding and awareness of blockchain's impact on society, governance, sustainability, employment, business, lifelong learning, and entrepreneurial opportunities, the program aimed to explore the integration of the newly developed training model into participants' own teaching approaches.

Diverse Participants and Engaging Activities

Under the guidance of Sarah Palurovic, of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management the training week proved to be a well-organized and engaging event. Attendees represented diverse teaching disciplines and interest areas such as law, economics, project management, AI and machine learning, finance/fin-tech, logistics and supply chain, innovation, and technology. The varied backgrounds of the participants contributed to a lively learning environment. Throughout the three-day program, attendees immersed themselves in a range of activities designed to help them comprehend the value of Generation Blockchain's teaching materials, become proficient in their application, and to lay the groundwork for embedding blockchain into both educational delivery and research programs.

Insights and Future Implementations

The Generation Blockchain Learning Week featured guest speakers from Frankfurt Blockchain School and DEC Institute, who shared their expertise and insights with the attendees, enriching the learning experience with valuable context and real-world cases. By integrating blockchain concepts into teaching and research, the participating educators aim to better prepare the next generation of entrepreneurs to thrive in the blockchain-enabled working world. Several attendees from AUAS expressed their intent to incorporate blockchain into their courses using the materials provided. José Ruiz del Portal Tranche (senior lecturer and researcher in Finance and International Business at Amsterdam School of International Business) stated, "I now have a solid structure and materials to implement blockchain in areas under my direct responsibility. First, I need to design and select the materials for both the module Digital Fintech Strategy and the research lab." Mike van Roosmalen (Senior Lecturer in Accounting and Business Information Technology at the faculty of Business and Economics, Amsterdam School of International Business, Department of Finance and Accounting) commented, "In the coming months, I will explore the developed modules and will definitely use the first two modules. My plan is to include them in the part-time course starting in October 2023 and the fast-track course starting in February 2024." Besides José Ruiz del Portal Tranche and Mike van Rosmalen, four other fantastic participants with a variety of disciplines from AUAS joined the Learning Week. They were Rutger Siebenga (coordinator of the Minor Entrepreneurship and lecturer at the Parttime Academy on supply chain management), Raúl Casado Linares (lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Business and Economics and Amsterdam School of International Business), Alexis van Dam (researcher Marketing & Sales and senior lecturer for Commercial Economics at the Faculty of Business and Economics) and Matthew Hall (Interim Educational Coordinator at Student Affairs, Lecturer of Information Technology and SAP-ERP at the Amsterdam School of International Business)

Dr. Mike Russell, will assist AUAS colleagues with these endeavors and emphasized the high quality of the resources, saying, "The resources provide a solid base on which to build upon. My intention is to support our colleagues in utilizing them effectively." By equipping educators with the necessary tools and knowledge, Generation Blockchain aims to have a lasting impact on the benefits of blockchain education across Europe.