In Bitcoin SV Academy Conversations, we go behind the scenes with some of the key figures behind Bitcoin SV Academy – the online Bitcoin SV education platform developed by Bitcoin Association. For the first in our series, we speak with Brendan Lee, Training and Development Manager at Bitcoin Association, who shares his insights into the development of Bitcoin SV Academy and what prospective learners can expect from the programme.
More than a year in the making, this week, Bitcoin Association unveiled Bitcoin SV Academy – an online Bitcoin SV education platform offering academia quality, university-style courses and learning materials for those seeking to develop their Bitcoin knowledge. With offerings designed for everyone from new entrants to Bitcoin right through to experienced blockchain developers, with Bitcoin SV Academy, Bitcoin Association is bringing Bitcoin to the masses, making blockchain education accessible, accurate and understandable.
‘Bitcoin SV Academy is designed for people who want to really understand how Bitcoin works,’ explains Lee.
‘Education is one of the areas where I feel Bitcoin has really fallen over in the past. Others have tried to create this type of content before, but oftentimes it has missed the mark. Bitcoin SV Academy is our chance to rectify this by bringing together some of the most talented and knowledgeable teams in the industry to deliver a technically accurate curriculum designed around Bitcoin.’
Bitcoin SV Academy is broken into three core streams, following a progressive programme within each beginning with an introductory course, followed by intermediate and advanced courses for those who want to further develop their Bitcoin knowledge and skillset:
Bitcoin Theory – covers the design of Bitcoin as a system as prescribed by Satoshi Nakamoto.
Bitcoin Development – provides vanguard information for application developers building with Bitcoin, including tools and techniques for leveraging the unique features of the network.
Bitcoin Infrastructure – looks at the underlying architecture of both the Bitcoin network and ledger, including how the network is constructed and scales.
The first course to launch next month will be the introductory course in the Bitcoin Theory stream. Consisting of 13 lectures – 9 hours of content in all – and led by Lee together with Bitcoin Association Curriculum Specialist, Evan Freeman, the first course systematically works its way through the original Bitcoin Whitepaper, covering topics as diverse as economic incentives to proof of work.
‘When we were designing the Introduction to Bitcoin Theory course, we wanted it to be both accessible and useful to everyone from those who have never touched a digital asset before, right through to seasoned Bitcoin professionals,’ says Lee.
‘I’m confident that the quality of the course will speak for itself and that regardless of experience level, participants will come away having learned something new. Perhaps more importantly though, the first course will help to establish a framework that will provide a strong platform for developing further skills in the future.’
In early-2021, Bitcoin Association will unveil the introductory courses for the Bitcoin Development and Bitcoin Infrastructure streams on Bitcoin SV Academy, enabling those who have already completed the introductory Bitcoin Theory course to further broaden their knowledge – with intermediate and advanced courses set to follow.
‘While we are launching with a single course to begin with, it is important to see this in the context of the wider programme and understand that Bitcoin SV Academy is an initiative intended to take years, not weeks,’ explains Lee.
‘There is scope within this structure to add specialisations, whole new streams and topics at all levels. I would personally love to see an ‘arts’ stream where we have an interface to creators with a view to projecting Bitcoin into future stories, as well as using it to innovate in how their work is sold and monetised.’
Further developing and iterating on the Bitcoin SV Academy platform will offer opportunities abound for Lee and the team for years to come, but at present, the firm priority is on rounding out the core courses and offerings – including a robust accreditation system. At the conclusion of each course, participants will be offered a final assessment to test their knowledge of the material and demonstrate proficiency, with plans to have this comprise part of a formal certification system for Bitcoin SV Academy students.
‘We intend to roll out a certification programme that will reward students who complete specific sets of courses, recognising these achievements,’ says Lee.
‘Our goal is to have certifications from the Bitcoin SV Academy recognised by industries looking to employ people to work with blockchain technology and Bitcoin SV.’
To find out more about Bitcoin SV Academy and enrol in the Introduction to Bitcoin Theory course, visit http://bitcoinsv.academy today!
