Interview: NovoEd’s Andrew Linford On Blockchain, The Sharing Economy, Student Feedback In The Classroom & Shifting Teacher Mindset

Interview: NovoEd’s Andrew Linford on Blockchain, the Sharing Economy, Student Feedback in the Classroom & Shifting Teacher Mindset

Andrew Linford, the senior operations manager for online education platform NovoEd, is excited about the intersection of the sharing economy and blockchain technology in education. He will be speaking at SXSWedu for the first time, with a session titled "Education Meets Blockchain & the Sharing Economy." In an interview with , Linford discusses his thoughts on how emerging technology will impact education.

When asked about the meaning of the sharing economy, Linford explains that he finds it interesting how social interactions have changed and become the new norm. The idea of using a random person’s car or staying at their house, which was previously seen as untrustworthy and unacceptable, has now become acceptable. He believes that the sharing economy has changed our perspective on everyday things.

Linford sees the impact of the sharing economy in education through the importance of feedback. He feels that education can learn from the sharing economy, which has disrupted central authority and focused more on community. He raises questions about the role of teachers in the educational environment and how it may change. He also emphasizes the need for effectiveness and accountability in online education. He suggests leveraging feedback and increased community visibility to ensure desired outcomes.

Regarding the evolution of education, Linford acknowledges that it is not a fast-moving field. However, he believes there needs to be a mindset shift among teachers and instructors, particularly when it comes to project-based and team-based learning. Teachers should take a step back and allow students to lead. He compliments the sharing economy companies for systemizing feedback and suggests applying similar feedback mechanisms in the classroom to enhance accountability.

Linford envisions a more effective learning experience where students share feedback with each other and teachers facilitate that process. He believes that utilizing the internet and technology can make students more accountable by making their work visible to the entire classroom. He suggests that public exposure increases accountability.

In his own research on online courses with NovoEd, Linford has found that the number of comments on a participant’s first submission correlates with their completion rate. Those with at least one comment were 30 percent more likely to complete the course.

When discussing blockchain, Linford highlights the similarities between blockchain and the sharing economy. Both technologies enable direct communication between individuals without a central authority. He sees blockchain as a tool for accountability, as every public transaction is recorded on a ledger. He believes that the ability to build trust through blockchain is revolutionary.

In conclusion, Linford emphasizes the need for a mindset shift in education. He suggests that instead of direct control, teachers should empower students by giving them projects to lead. He sees the changing role of administrators and teachers as encouraging students, providing feedback, and creating opportunities for different teaching methods.