What motivates me to think about an academic blockchain?

What motivates me to think about an academic blockchain?

Why ask this first? Well, I like to build scaffolding for my thought. Something for my ideas to rest on. Understanding why one is interested in a topic aids in building a framework for that thought.

 

There was a time that my path was bent towards academia and education. My affinity for learning ran deep and it was something I wanted to share. I couldn’t think of anything better than helping others grow through education. As I progressed along this path i researched the educations ecosystems in my country it became apparent my involvement would not bring me fulfillment. The meme of “Changing a System from the Inside” was tempting but ultimately lost out to other priorities.

 

But my motivation for thinking about the intersection of education and academia is not about my aversion to the politics and bureaucracy. I can trace my interest to one story.  The story of Harris Rosen and his impact on a poor Florida neighborhood.

Can one person make a difference? Hotel owner Harris Rosen seems to have done so in one Florida community. The Orlando, Fla., multimillionaire, who grew up in a rough NYC neighborhood, has pumped $10 million over 20 years into impoverished Tangelo Park, Fla., funding free daycare, a scholarship program that pays college tuition, and a community center where families can take classes and get counseling. Since Rosen began his program, the town’s graduation rate has climbed from 25 to 100 percent, with many students attending college, crime has been cut in half and property values have shot up. “We’ve given them hope,” Rosen says. “And hope is an amazing thing.” Link to archived article

While his philanthropic giving is inspiring, the $10 million was not the key to the success in Tangelo Park. He gave much of his own time and skills as an administrator. In an interview with the University of Central Florida he was asked, now that the graduation rate in Tangelo Park is 100%, if he will leave the program he started.

After spending $9 million on his adopted neighborhood of 2,500 residents, Rosen was asked if the program has a stopping point.

“I will be involved in the program until Tangelo Park is a gated community and the average home is selling for $1 million. Then I’m gone.” Link to interview

In an interview with philanthropy Round table he was asked about the aspect of the program he most enjoyed. His answer.

Our preschool graduations which are held at the church, complete with caps and gowns. I give out the diplomas and I switch the tassel on their caps to the other side. That’s one of the magic moments. For some of the parents, it’s the first graduation they’ve ever attended. I tell them to get used to a string of future graduations and successes—elementary school, middle school, high school, and hopefully college… Link to Interview

We can compare Tangelo Park’s success with that of other programs, some with a lot more money. For instance, in 2010 Mark Zuckerberg donated $100 million dollars to Newark New Jersey public schools. Unfortunately this donation failed to turn the school systems around. According to some accounts, side affects from the bureaucracy of the school system made things worse or some students. Business Insider has a short analysis of this failure that is worth reviewing.

 

In comparing Rosen’s Florida initiative and Zuckerbergs philanthropy in New Jersey the following points of interest may be worth exploring.

• Rosen’s initiative in Tangelo Park was small and targeted.
• Rosen concentrated on student outcomes. Ensuring that those who could go to school had the least amount of friction
• Rosen was very involved
• Rosen is an administrator with solid work experience
• The bulk of Zuckerbergs donation went to teacher contracts.
• Twenty million of Zuckerbergs donation went to consultants. Twice what Rosen donated in Tangelo Park

 

I’m going to do some thinking about the essential education ecosystem and how it compares to what we currently have in the west. As I do more research i’ll update the additional reading list linked below.

Additional Reading