Milligan Faculty Lecture Explores How Blockchain Technology Can Improve Education
Published at 10:58 a.m. on Friday October 11, 2024
- Kelly Griffith
As part of Milligan University’s Fall Lecture Series, Kelly Griffith, assistant professor of computer science and lead of Canvas LMS, will present a talk titled “Blockchain: The Solution to Disparities in Education and Industry “.
The lecture will take place in Hyder Auditorium in the University’s Science Building on Tuesday, October 15 at 5 p.m.
Griffith’s talk will explore how blockchain technology could better track educational records and improve job placement and student outcomes.
“We have a digital divide in our country, where 46 percent of Americans do not have access to a personal computer, and a disparity exists in educational assessments as cities and counties across the country have resources and procedures different,” shared Griffith. “Blockchain can help store school records, making it easier for individuals and school systems to track and share educational outcomes. Ultimately, this should improve job placement and help employers and employees find the best long-term outcomes.
IBM defines blockchain as a shared ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in an enterprise network. Griffith will explain how this technology could improve job placement, thereby improving outcomes for employers and employees, if applied to educational records.
Griffith reflects on a common situation in which a student may be a few credits away from earning a college degree and be screened out or denied a job interview by a company’s human resources system, even if This is a good candidate. If blockchain technology can be widely applied to education, it could help both parties better find and validate the most qualified candidate.
Blockchain technology could also significantly benefit certain groups, such as foster children and displaced groups, by making it easier to track and certify their educational and professional achievements, even if they move through different school systems .
Griffith graduated from Milligan with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems and received her master’s degree in instructional design and learning technology from Anderson University. She previously worked at East Tennessee State University as assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and executive assistant to the chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Quillen College of Medicine. Griffith also held project management and reporting positions at Advanced Call Center Technologies, LLC.
The Faculty Lecture Series offers students and other members of the Milligan community a glimpse into the active world of academic research and writing at Milligan. The conference is free and open to the public.
