Ed3 Weekly Issue #132: The Holy Web3 Trinity
Hello Ed3 Community,
Trends come and go.
We are currently working our way through the third trend line in the Web3 Holy Trinity.
It started with VR between 2017 to 2019 with the first consumer headsets and gaming applications. Then between 2020 and 2020, we saw crypto break out with decentralized finance (DeFi) and the mainstreaming of NFTs. Now from 2022 to 2024, AI has moved to the front of the pack with the launch of generative AI models like ChatGPT and DALL-E.
This has created a situation in which the opportunity to blend all of these technologies has presented itself.
So who, and where, will, this opportunity manifest? My current guesses are either SE Asia or Sub-Saharan Africa. And if you’ve been reading my newsletter you’d understand the evidence for why.
This week I have a couple more resources supporting this idea.
First, we’ll hear from Vietnam and its strategy to establish itself as an industry leader. And in the deep dive, we explore additional developments in Nigeria, South Africa, and other countries in the area of crypto, AI, and DeFi.
Is America lagging? Recent news about crypto investments at institutions of higher ed like Emory and VR adoption at one of the largest school districts in the country argues that maybe not.
With all the advancements over the last 10 years, we are still in the early innings. I predict that whoever can solve the adoption conundrum and implement the full power of AI, crypto, and VR will be positioned to be a world leader for the next century.
See the links and summaries of the resources below.
?? Blockchain News
?? The strategy aims to position Vietnam as a regional leader in blockchain technology by 2030. Read
?? Crypto News
?? Emory University, a private research institution in Atlanta, has reported $15.1 million worth of holdings in Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust. Read
?? VR News
?? Los Angeles Unified School District (Los Angeles Unified) has chosen ClassVR from Avantis Education, a global leader in educational virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technology, to introduce groundbreaking immersive learning experiences to students. Read
?? Weekly Deep Dive
This article on Web3 adoption in Africa highlights both the challenges and advancements in the space. It opens with an incident involving a rogue AI that altered a female presenter’s image, illustrating the need to address inherent biases in technology.
The piece also celebrates strides in representation, particularly for women in AI and Web3, and emphasizes Africa’s growing role in tech innovation. For educators, this resource underscores the importance of education and connectivity in fostering sustainable Web3 growth, with training initiatives and support for local talent and diversity playing pivotal roles. Africa’s evolving contribution to this field is one to watch closely.
Thank you for stopping by for another issue of my newsletter on emerging technology in education. You can join over 1000 others across LinkedIn and SubStack. You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify here, with a supplemental episode on each issue. Learn more about me by visiting my website.