Free and Effective Blockchain Education Initiatives
Do you want to get into blockchain technology, but don’t know where to start? If so, there’s great news for you — some of the best resources out there to learn about blockchain are completely free. Especially since blockchain is quickly becoming one of the most powerful technologies out there (in fact, it is amongst a cluster of fast-moving technologies that are said to comprise the Fourth Industrial Revolution), now is the time to build a fundamental understanding of how this technology operates.
Here are some of the best, free blockchain education initiatives and how you can get access to them.
YouTube Channels
One of the best resources out there is actually YouTube. Tons of creators have put out easy-to-understand videos about how blockchain actually works and how it can be applied to so many different use cases.
If you have barely heard about blockchain in the past, this video from Simply Explained does a great job of explaining what it is and how it works at a beginner level.
If you already have a good understanding of how blockchain works, but you are looking to learn something new about the industry, Crypto Zombie on YouTube uploads Bitcoin, altcoin, and cryptocurrency news every single day. They discuss coins like BTC and Ethereum, and they host interviews with top projects and leaders in the space.
Another great YouTube channel for learning about blockchain is New Kids On The Blockchain. This channel works to create regular, informative crypto content so that they can guide you through the world of blockchain. They have a wide variety of videos out on their channel, including the latest news on Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, altcoins, Ethereum, privacy, stablecoins, and more. They also interview top leaders and review the best projects out in the space, bringing you all the latest knowledge.
If you’re interested in understanding decentralized finance (defi), then you should check out Finematics on YouTube. They make content that is geared towards education, which makes their videos very easy to follow along with. Some examples of their videos include “What is DEFI? Decentralized Finance Explained,” and “What Are NFTs and How Can They Be Used in Decentralized Finance?”
Udemy Courses
Udemy is the world’s largest selection of online video-based courses, and they have some extremely high-quality blockchain courses available. The first of these courses is titled “The Complete Course On Understanding Blockchain Technology,” and it is aimed at helping you understand blockchain technology and how it works. In this course, they teach what blockchain is, how Bitcoin works, concepts of Bitcoin, applications of blockchain, smart contracts and Ethereum, digital tokens, the future of Bitcoin, and much more.
Another great Udemy course for learning about blockchain is “Blockchain Theory 101.” This course is intended to provide you with a basic understanding of blockchain technology while keeping you up-to-date with the current status of blockchain technology today. It also delves into the potential applications in financial services, logistics, healthcare, energy, and IoT, as well as next steps regarding its deployment. It includes topics like technical aspects of blockchain, payment networks, blockchain implementation, blockchain consensus algorithms, and more.
Finally, the last course to be discussed is “Blockchain and Deep Learning: Future of AI.” This course provides a conceptual overview and technical summary of blockchain technology and deep learning. In this course, you will understand how to use blockchain and technologies of deep learning together. There are a few crucial application areas where this technology can be used, such as autonomous driving, healthcare, energy, and finance, and those are briefly addressed in this course, as well.
Coursera Courses
On a similar note, Coursera also offers a ton of blockchain-related courses on their platform. Depending on whether you prefer Udemy or Coursera, there are plenty of online courses to choose from. The first Coursera course that we recommend is “Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies,” which provides you with an introduction to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It explains how Bitcoin achieves decentralization, what the mechanics of Bitcoin are, and how to store/use Bitcoins.
Another exceptional set of courses is a specialization on Coursera called “Blockchain Revolution Specialization.” In this four-course specialization, Don Tapscott, a world-renowned expert on business innovation and technology, discusses the fundamentals of blockchain technology. You will also learn about various categories of cryptoassets, and the ways they can be transacted on a blockchain. In addition to this, Tapscott also teaches how blockchain is disrupting business models and financial services, offering organizations new choices in how they create and manage value.
She256
She256 is an organization that aims to increase diversity and break down barriers to entry in the blockchain space by broadening the pipeline through increasing accessibility to industry professionals and education specifically to those who are underrepresented. They have a great beginner’s guide to blockchain technology on their website that helps new learners navigate through the multitude of blockchain education resources available on the Internet.
They also have other great education initiatives such as Block-Change, an open-source blockchain education series for high school students, Fireside Chats, which is an interview series with inspiring women who are driving the blockchain revolution, and Intro to Blockchain lectures.
She256 also hosts events and has a great mentorship program that pairs female-identifying and non-binary individuals who are new to crypto with professionals in the crypto space to learn from each other, serving as guides and allies.
Podcasts
Listening to podcasts can really help you gain a fundamental understanding of how blockchain works, especially for those who do not currently have a technical educational background. They can also help provide structure to your learning, since you have the ability to schedule your learning time with each new release of a podcast episode.
A couple podcasts that we recommend are Laura Shin’s “Unchained,” and “Crypto 101.” These do a great job of introducing you to blockchain and crypto-related topics in the context of what is happening in the space.
Next Steps
Once you decide the medium that you are going to use to start your blockchain education journey, the important thing to maintain is your perseverance. Blockchain concepts can be quite difficult to grasp properly, especially towards the introductory stages, but if you stick with it, you will soon have all the knowledge you need to put your innovation to good use and succeed in the blockchain space.