Teaching cryptocurrencies & blockchains at schools

Chances are you’ve heard about Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency by now. What started as an experiment in 2009 is now being considered as an alternative financial system by governments, global corporations and individuals alike. If you're a principal, head of department, teacher or parent at a school, you may be asking yourself if students should be learning about this either during or after class.

We believe so - and we have first-hand experience of the benefits that it brings to the education process from the courses that we’ve run with schools. Our clients have reported increased engagement from parents, higher grades in related subjects like maths and economics, and more enthusiasm from students to understand the world.

We consider 5 reasons to integrate a cryptocurrency course into your school below.

The biggest companies in the world are investing in this technology and the number of job postings for anyone that understands the crypto economy has been steadily accelerating over the years. Young adults who enter the job market with an understanding of cryptocurrencies & blockchains may find themselves with a head start over their peers.

Schools should consider not only the reputational benefit of introducing crypto & blockchain courses but also the alumni legacy that this could create. Being able to talk about past students who were inspired to go on to become the head of blockchain innovation at Google or Microsoft would be a powerful statement about the school.

Cryptocurrencies have often been described as the technology that will transfer wealth from the previous generation to the current. One thing is for certain - the world is becoming increasingly digital, and with that comes a new, digital economy with new types of investment opportunities that were not available to older generations.

The metaverse describes a virtual reality world in which users ‘live’, and own and trade digital assets. It currently transacts largely in cryptocurrencies, with actual businesses being set up in it by the day.

It’s not just something from the movies. The metaverse is real, and it’s been growing in significance over the past 2 years. Major companies like Nike and Gucci have started investing and advertising in virtual reality. Facebook is betting on social interaction happening through virtual reality and has now changed its name to Meta.

Crypto may not simply drive the transfer of wealth between generations - it may also transfer wealth from the physical world to the virtual.

Being involved in the crypto world makes it hard to ignore developments in other emerging industries. We often hear people say they have learnt more about life by simply being invested in crypto. We echo that sentiment because crypto is a multidisciplinary field, bringing together many different subjects. Computer science, economics, history, mathematics, politics and sociology are just a few examples.

It also may be the unifying financial system between technologies like self-driving cars, robotics and virtual reality. Teaching students about this topic will help them develop an understanding of how many industries are constantly interacting in our internet-based economy.

Cryptocurrencies introduce new standards of digital security. As an investor, one becomes more aware of things like good password management, personal information that exists on the internet, and financial safety. Children growing up in a world with social media are often not aware of the impact their posts can have on their lives. There are numerous stories of people who have lost their entire investments because they lacked an understanding of basic financial or personal security. In the process of investing in crypto, understanding security becomes a necessity.

From a blockchain perspective, blockchains may become the foundation for identity management systems like digital IDs, passports and medical records. For school students, learning about cryptocurrencies at a young age will teach them security principles that will help them throughout their lives.

Because Bitcoin was created to be an alternative financial system to the current bank-based one, learning about cryptocurrencies inherently introduces one to finance and global economics. The gold standard, the creation of the internet and the financial crisis are all examples of events that have caused money to evolve. Cryptocurrencies may be the next step in the evolution of money, and students that understand this process will be prepared to embrace the opportunity that it brings.

Further to understanding money itself, we’ve all looked back at our school days and wished that we’d been taught how to better use and manage our money as adults. Loans, taxes, investments and the like are all unfamiliar topics, especially since most of these things only become available to us when we turn 18 or after leaving school.

When it comes to cryptocurrencies, a person can get involved at any age. This does come with a higher level of responsibility, but under the guidance of a parent, guardian or teacher, this is a benefit to a young adult. A whole new world where people lend to people they don’t even know is now being created through blockchains, without the need for banks. This economy is called decentralised finance, or DeFi for short, and is well worth learning about.

Cryptocurrencies & blockchains are an emerging area of technology that will likely have a significant effect on our lives in the near future, just like the internet is part of everything that we do today.

For those that are still in school, learning about the crypto industry could open up unimaginable possibilities as they grow into young adults. Schools should not ignore such powerful technologies that continue to develop and grow in popularity and should encourage their students to think outside the block.

If you are considering introducing a cryptocurrency & blockchain course at your school, get in touch with CoinEd or find more information about our school courses here.