In this course we want to explore the origins, goals, development path and fakes of Blockchain technology that have emerged along the way. More specifically, we will take a look at the initial idea of Blockchain and how it works. Then, we will examine which evolution it has run through from a decentralized registry to a world computer. Participants will get to know the challenges of Blockchain and Blockchain alternatives. Last but not least, we will explain how you can successfully use blockchain.
Language: English
Beginner, Cybersecurity, Internet
Course information
Between 15M to 39M search results offering an explanation of the blockchain on various search engines, up to 5M views on youtube have been reached by some videos on this subject, 1.8M members counts reddit Bitcoin community, some youtube blockchain channels have up to 277K subscribers. Information overload. Subconsciously, our attention is drawn to the reports that polarise: from “Blockchain - a Game Changer” and “Blockchain Revolution”, to “Has Blockchain Hit The Wall?” and “What's Blockchain Actually Good for, Anyway? For Now, Not Much.” The scary stories about Blockchain being used by criminals are common.
Like a snowball where new reports refer to earlier ones and everyone, consciously or unconsciously, adds their two cents, a new myth “blockchain” is born.
In the past, legends and myths were mainly passed on orally. Thereby they have changed from speaker to speaker. A “true core” surrounded by fantastical embellishment is still a popular and everyday form of storytelling today and leaves its traces right up to our digital age of social networks and “fake news.” Only difference, the number of storytellers and the time it takes to spread the story increases dramatically. The narrative structures are transparent, anyone can intervene in it, however, a challenge is to evaluate the truthfulness of these information.
We have faced the challenge and revealed the myth surrounding blockchain technology for you. The origins, goals, development path and fakes of blockchain technology that have emerged along the way will be explored for you in this course. More specifically, the course deals with the following topics:
- Behind the term Blockchain (initial idea and the way how it works - by means of an example),
- Evolution of the Blockchain (from the decentralized registry to a world computer),
- Expecting a miracle: face the challenges or "elegantly" avoid them (challenges of Blockchain and Blockchain alternatives),
- How you can use Blockchain successfully.
Target Group
The online course is aimed at those who are interested in the topic of blockchain, have already heard the term blockchain or bitcoin and have perhaps already made the first steps towards dealing with the topic.
Required Skills
None. However, you will profit from prior experience with basics of cryptography and decentralised networks and the first basic experience with the topic of blochain or bitcoin as this online course is targeted on reflection of common experience.
You can easily obtain this knowledge through self-study on our platform. Find a way that fits your time resources.
References to Further Courses
- 2019 - German - Blockchain - Sicherheit auch ohne Trust Center;
- 2018 - German - Blockchain: Hype oder Innovation?.
Here you can find more on topic of cryptography
2019 - German - Datensicherheit im Netz – Einführung in die Informationssicherheit;
2021 - English - Confidential Communication in the Internet.
Additional resources
Our book "Blockchain. Hype or Innovation" goes beyond the information given in the course and provides a comprehensive overview of blockchain technology. It focuses on the innovation of blockchain technology and the advantages it offers. In addition to detailed explanations of the origins, technology and implementation of blockchain technology, the book deals with the analysis of blockchain characteristics, such as decentralisation, security and scalability. We also look at numerous projects and best-practice examples. Available in English and German.
If you have no previous experience with the basics of cryptography or decentralised networks, you can easily obtain this knowledge through self-study. Find a path that fits your time resources.
Course contents
Week 1:
In the first week of the course, we will take a look at the initial idea of the Blockchain technology and how it works. Then, we will examine the evolution from a decentralized ledger (Bitcoin-based projects) to a world computer (Ethereum-based projects).Week 2:
In week two, we will look at the debate about blockchain alternatives and the accompanying challenges (the so-called scalability trilemma). After that, we look at the possibilities of implementation and some best practice examples.I like, I wish
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Learners
Rating
This course was rated with 3.83 stars in average from 60 votes.
Certificate Requirements
- Gain a Record of Achievement by earning at least 50% of the maximum number of points from all graded assignments.
- Gain a Confirmation of Participation by completing at least 50% of the course material.
Find out more in the certificate guidelines.
This course is offered by
Tatiana Gayvoronskaya (Master of Science in Business Computing, 2013) has been worked in research on blockchain technology, identity management and IT security at the HPI since 2016. Her professional and research experience includes technical aspects of the blockchain technology with its possibilities and challenges as well as its public awareness. She has investigated how companies and the public are familiar with the technology, where they get their insights and how they use them. Together with Prof Dr. Christoph Meinel, she has already developed and implemented a MOOC on the OpenHPI platform on the topic of blockchain, which was heled in July 2018. The survey previously issued by Tatiana Gayvoronskaya and Prof Dr. Christoph Meinel was the basis for the MOOC. With this experience, she supported and accompanied another course on the topic in 2019.
Christoph Meinel (Univ. Prof., Dr. sc. nat., Dr. rer. nat., *1954) is CEO and Director of the Hasso Plattner Institute for Digital Engineering gGmbH (HPI) at the University of Potsdam.
Christoph Meinel is full professor (C4) for computer science at the HPI at the University of Potsdam, and holds there the chair of Internet Technologies and Systems. He was the founding dean of the first private faculty of Germany, the Digital Engineering faculty of the university of Potsdam.
He teaches courses on IT Systems Engineering in the Bachelor and Master Degree programs on digital engineering of the HPI and on design thinking at the HPI D-School. He is the author of various interactive online courses at the MOOC platform openHPI.de which was and is developed and operated by his team. His research focus is currently on knowledge and educational technologies, security engineering, and AI. He is also active in innovation research and design thinking. Earlier scientific work concentrated on efficient algorithms and complexity theory.
Christoph Meinel is author or co-author of 19 books, many anthologies, as well as numerous conference proceedings. He has more than 700 (peer-reviewed) papers published in scientific journals and international conferences, and holds a number of international patents. He has supervised and supervises many master and doctoral students, more than 70 have already successfully defended their doctoral theses.
He is a member of the National German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech), director of the HPI-Stanford Design Thinking Research Program, member of the board of governors of the Technion in Haifa, visiting professor among others at the TU Beijing, and member of numerous scientific committees and supervisory boards. Together with Larry Leifer he was program director of the HPI Stanford Design Thinking Program and serious editor of the Springer serious “Understanding Innovation”.
Since 2012 Christoph Meinel has developed the MOOC platform openHPI which is meanwhile used by various partners (SAP, WHO, KI-Campus, …) and counts more than 15 Mio. learner enrollments. In the years 2016-2021 he has developed the HPI Schul-Cloud which meanwhile is used in more than 4.000 schools all over Germany. For many years he offers the HPI ID Leak Checker service which is frequently used by 16 Mio. users. He was the founder of the scientific journal ECCC and in the years 1994-2016 its editor-in-chief.