Should Bitcoin Be Taught in Schools or Remain Self-Taught? Here’s My Take

[Foircia]

I think that rather than relying solely on individuals to learn on their own, Bitcoin and more general crypto education ought to be taught in schools.

Nowadays, the majority of people learn about money informally through friends, social media, or trial and error. People jump in without knowing the fundamentals, which frequently results in miscommunication, fraud, and expensive errors. Before they face risks in the real world, students would receive a structured and well-rounded education on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

I hold this opinion for a number of reasons.

1. It will develop early financial literacy.

Digital finance and the changing concept of money are not covered in many traditional financial education curricula. According to studies, parents and recent graduates believe that formal crypto education is beneficial because it enables young people to make informed decisions and comprehend new financial tools rather than learning by accident or hype.

read more: https://www.kidsmoney.org/news/parents-want-schools-to-teach-cryptocurrency/

2. It will prepare students for the future economy.

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are no longer just specialized technology; they are now a part of digital infrastructure and international finance. To help students stay relevant in the digital economy, blockchain and cryptocurrency modules are starting to be added to schools and even universities worldwide.

read more: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/crypto-and-blockchain-education-gain-significant-traction-in-philippine-universities/

3. It will protect individuals against scams and misinformation.

Lack of knowledge is a major factor in people falling for fraudulent schemes; many don't fully comprehend what they're purchasing or how it operates. Teaching cryptocurrency in schools can help students identify scams early and lessen risk-taking motivated by hype or fear.

read more: https://www.bworldonline.com/sparkup/2022/05/23/450112/edutech-platform-bitskwela-helps-filipinos-understand-bitcoin-cryptocurrency-better/

4. It supports broader financial inclusion.

Understanding digital assets could improve financial access and opportunity for many communities that have historically been underserved by traditional banking in a country like ours with high cryptocurrency adoption and sizable unbanked populations.

read more: https://www.coins.ph/en-ph/blog/why-local-language-education-holds-the-key-to-cryptos-future?

In your opinion, is it better to leave Bitcoin education to independent research and practical experience, or should it be formally taught in schools as part of financial literacy? I'd like to hear both sides' points of view.

[flapduck]

Schools shouldn't be doing price talk or shilling whatever flavor-of-the-month coin is trending, they should be teaching the primitives and the survival skills: what a private key actually is, why transactions are irreversible, how fees work, how scams work, what a seed phrase is and why you never type it into anything, and the basic idea of verifying instead of trusting.

The downside is schools move slow and curricula get politicized fast, so if you try to teach Bitcoin as a narrative you'll end up with outdated info and a lot of cringe.

Ah well, what can you do

[Darker45]

Bitcoin is many in one. It's a religion, economy, philosophy, technology, politics, and so on. The part that should be taught in school is about the underlying technologies that make Bitcoin possible. The rest perhaps schools can do without.

The technical, the objective, the scientific part of Bitcoin should be taught in schools. The subjective interpretations, implications, associations, and whatnot aren't a must. Bitcoin could be cited in economics or finance, for example, but doesn't have to be a course or subject.

[Donneski]

Op what actually stands out to me in this topic is that you’re talking about education not promotion. Teaching Bitcoin doesn’t mean forcing everyone to use it, it means giving people enough understanding to make informed choices. The obvious truth is that money is already becoming more digital and pretending otherwise doesn’t protect students, it instead leaves them unprepared.

Self-education will always be important with something as open and evolving as Bitcoin but formal education can provide the starting point and make it easier for the younger ones to fully understand bitcoin. It gives people context, critical thinking tools and awareness of risks before they learn the rest on their own. If done responsibly, schools can offer the compass while individuals still choose their own path.

[Maus0728]

If bitcoin alone, I think that it should be a self-taught subject but now that there are other cryptocurrency out there besides bitcoin, I think that the one that needs to be taught in school is the more general term which is cryptocurrency, maybe even just a dedicated chapter in any finance or tech related subjects in school would do the thing, most of the time, self-discovery of cryptocurrency is the best, introduction is the only thing that most people need most of the time.

[Eternad]

Maybe this will be add on the economy category of the school curriculum in the future since it’s already widely used globally.

There’s also blockchain courses available in my country that teach basic understanding on Bitcoin and crypto blockchain in general but this courses is just being offered by private banking companies in my country that promote Bitcoin.

Like this one https://ubpxcellerator.apptitude.xyz/course/unionbank-blockchain-technology-application-outlook-in-the-banking-industry-477 and many more through online courses.

[pooya87]

There are definitely a lot of benefits in actually teaching Bitcoin to school kids but as a technology and a decentralized currency. However, the problem is that Bitcoin comes with some attached attributes as an "asset" too, a risky one at that. It also brings a lot of investment talk and price discussion which are not healthy topics to teach to kids in my opinion specially considering the risk and the "gambling" nature of the market which is also attached to bitcoin called the altcoin market.

That's not to mention that in many countries there still is no clear regulations of Bitcoin! So if the topic is added to the curriculum, the legislators could decide to ban bitcoin and that would make things complicated
So I think it is still too soon to officially add "Bitcoin education" to schools. Maybe we need more adoption and more stability first...

[BlackBoss_]

In your opinion, is it better to leave Bitcoin education to independent research and practical experience, or should it be formally taught in schools as part of financial literacy? I'd like to hear both sides' points of view.

Bitcoin is a decentralized project, a decentralized blockchain and education about it should be decentralized too.

Bitcoin can be taught in schools, colleges, universities, no problem with that education channel but there are open source educational resources for learning about Bitcoin.

Getting started with Bitcoin.
Learnmeabitcoin.com
Bitcoin explained.
Bitcoin information and resources.

[Aanuoluwatofunmi]

Already, bitcoin education has been introduced and many are taking advantage of this to grab the knowledge in knowing more and how they could broadens their scope of learning in it, when we go to countries like El-Salvador, we will discover how many schools are incorporating learning bitcoin into their academic schemes, other private and institutional sectors and organizations are also taking it a responsibility in teaching bitcoin to other people, because they see it as a responsibility everyone should enjoy having.

[Furball808]

Another reason why I agree that bitcoin should be taught in schools is that Bitcoin is part of history. What bitcoin has achieved in the past years is something that can't be ignored. The impact and change it has brought to the world is now something part of human history whether people like bitcoin or not. Not everyone will support or use bitcoin but in a few years time, bitcoin will be everywhere and will be normalized.

[purple_sparkles]

 I believe it would be very reasonable if governments paid more attention to financial education, because in reality there are very few countries that can boast a strong school curriculum in terms of practical usefulness for real life. It would be great if financial education were accessible to everyone from school age. I think the financial situation of many people would be much better if they knew and understood how to manage money properly, how to use it and earn it, what investments are, and what types of money exist. Many people do not even understand what bitcoin actually is in its essence and how it can be used, even though it is the foundation and predecessor of all digital currencies.l n our time, it is very important to be financially literate and oriented in these matters. A lack of knowledge and understanding of such information means lost opportunities. Therefore, if governments are interested in ensuring that their citizens are financially secure and that the state itself prospers, it is essential to study finance and its possibilities from school age, and bitcoin is a very large and important part of this subject.

[MArsland]

In your opinion, is it better to leave Bitcoin education to independent research and practical experience, or should it be formally taught in schools as part of financial literacy? I'd like to hear both sides' points of view.

This depends on whether the education curriculum in the country includes blockchain in the learning material or not, because if we as teachers deliberately include it without a foundation from the curriculum then I don't think we should explicitly teach Bitcoin education. Unless you collaborate bitcoin innovation with computer science or economics subjects. I think this can be done as long as the way of delivery still refers to the main material.

[EarnOnVictor]

By being taught in schools, did you mean the regular school curriculum? If that's the case, then no one would want to do that, because Bitcoin is a volatile asset, just like any other assets that are not being taught in schools, so what's the difference?

However, the distinction is that Bitcoin is still being taught all the same. What's needed to be known can be gotten easily and freely online. While some educational centers and tutorials are online for free and paid, and some will even issue certifications.

[Hewlet]

I think that rather than relying solely on individuals to learn on their own, Bitcoin and more general crypto education ought to be taught in schools.

bitcoin or crypto has been taught in school both formally and informally and when it is being taught in school, the narrative is not that scholars are taught that it is an asset that is worth investing in, in most cases, scholars are taught to know that crypto is a form of finance and the theoretical part of it is where the emphasis mostly lies. most computer courses in schools exposes are learners to crypto even though what they learn is more about the blockchain technology that is behind it but at the same time, it gives learners an edge such that any one that is interested in learning more about crypto or investing in it doesn't have to start from scratch.

[Spaceman1000$]

I think that rather than relying solely on individuals to learn on their own, Bitcoin and more general crypto education ought to be taught in schools.

Nowadays, the majority of people learn about money informally through friends, social media, or trial and error. People jump in without knowing the fundamentals, which frequently results in miscommunication, fraud, and expensive errors. Before they face risks in the real world, students would receive a structured and well-rounded education on Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.

I hold this opinion for a number of reasons.

1. It will develop early financial literacy.

Digital finance and the changing concept of money are not covered in many traditional financial education curricula. According to studies, parents and recent graduates believe that formal crypto education is beneficial because it enables young people to make informed decisions and comprehend new financial tools rather than learning by accident or hype.

read more: https://www.kidsmoney.org/news/parents-want-schools-to-teach-cryptocurrency/

2. It will prepare students for the future economy.

Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are no longer just specialized technology; they are now a part of digital infrastructure and international finance. To help students stay relevant in the digital economy, blockchain and cryptocurrency modules are starting to be added to schools and even universities worldwide.

read more: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/crypto-and-blockchain-education-gain-significant-traction-in-philippine-universities/

3. It will protect individuals against scams and misinformation.

Lack of knowledge is a major factor in people falling for fraudulent schemes; many don't fully comprehend what they're purchasing or how it operates. Teaching cryptocurrency in schools can help students identify scams early and lessen risk-taking motivated by hype or fear.

read more: https://www.bworldonline.com/sparkup/2022/05/23/450112/edutech-platform-bitskwela-helps-filipinos-understand-bitcoin-cryptocurrency-better/

4. It supports broader financial inclusion.

Understanding digital assets could improve financial access and opportunity for many communities that have historically been underserved by traditional banking in a country like ours with high cryptocurrency adoption and sizable unbanked populations.

read more: https://www.coins.ph/en-ph/blog/why-local-language-education-holds-the-key-to-cryptos-future?

In your opinion, is it better to leave Bitcoin education to independent research and practical experience, or should it be formally taught in schools as part of financial literacy? I'd like to hear both sides' points of view.

It is a welcome idea that kids should be educated on the awareness of Bitcoin and Blockchain technology in schools, especially during high school, this is so that Bitcoin and what it entails shouldn't come as a surprise to them whenever they about hear it, and the technically part of it should be something they have at their finger tips as they should be taught.

However the advancement part of Bitcoin which deals with investment and financial implication should be taught at the higher institution level, at this stage i believe students can take responsibility for any of the financial decisions they would want to take, most of them might have started earning due to some menial jobs they have or other sources of income they might have, and at that stage, they will have a better psychological approach to things, especially when it concern's investment and the volatility of the market.

[iBaba]

If bitcoin alone, I think that it should be a self-taught subject but now that there are other cryptocurrency out there besides bitcoin, I think that the one that needs to be taught in school is the more general term which is cryptocurrency, maybe even just a dedicated chapter in any finance or tech related subjects in school would do the thing, most of the time, self-discovery of cryptocurrency is the best, introduction is the only thing that most people need most of the time.

True. Creating a whole course just for bitcoin alone without including including the basic and advanced knowledge of cryptocurrency as a concept and the types of cryptocurrencies available including bitcoin, altcoins, stable coins, etc will be incomplete, it will not really be needed and not much can really be discussed and understood by many, so I have also have the opinion of creating a course for bitcoin at least as a trade subject in schools at the secondary schools and universities level but the proposals is still not fully considered and I think K schools can still be able to teach the broader concept of cryptocurrency. It does not even necessarily needs to be started as a full subject yet it can just have a dedicated chapter in either technology or finance related courses would be enough to start with.

[joniboini]

I've always wondered what the content of Bitcoin education would look like. In my country, a semester is around 6 months. How will you use that time to 'teach' Bitcoin? How will the teacher test your comprehension? I feel like a quarterly seminar, or something, is more than enough to tell kids that we have something called Bitcoin instead of forcing them to learn how to math the algorithm to create a new block. We're not even talking about the teachers.

[bhadz]

If bitcoin alone, I think that it should be a self-taught subject but now that there are other cryptocurrency out there besides bitcoin, I think that the one that needs to be taught in school is the more general term which is cryptocurrency, maybe even just a dedicated chapter in any finance or tech related subjects in school would do the thing, most of the time, self-discovery of cryptocurrency is the best

I like this idea more, since it's broader now. It's about not just the technology and itself being a crypto but also being another classification in finance. It has to be a general term and subject that it covers several important things about it. While self taught is a good one but including it in subjects and syllabus gives it an idea to the curious ones why they have to know about it and make them learn more of it.

introduction is the only thing that most people need most of the time.

True, and let each of these individuals do the thing once they're already oriented and introduced.

[Wiwo]

Here in Nigeria, we have what is called Nigeria school of business,  which also known as Lagos school of business, in those kind of academic settings which somewhat none circular educational institutions but an additional certificate that basically concentrate on businesses development and innovations which bitcoin falls into that category.

In such school like Lagos school pf business bitcoin can be adopted and thought, but if you say bitcoin shoul be adopted into National educational curriculum, it's going to face alot of oppositions that can analyse a totally different thing that can make bitcoin unfit for such level of education.

In conclusion, bitcoin may face resistance at national level but at individual level, bitcoin is widely studied and accepted self thought and DCA applied steadily and with recorded success at individual level.

[macson]

It really depends on the government or the policies of educational institutions. In El Salvador, for example, they have implemented a curriculum that teaches bitcoin as part of financial and technology education from an early age. The El Salvador government has included bitcoin material in elementary and secondary school curricula as an effort to improve digital financial literacy.

Some universities also teach bitcoin and blockchain to their students to increase their knowledge of the latest innovative technologies.

So, it all comes down to the awareness of a country or educational institution in responding to bitcoin developments.

But we understand that not all countries or educational institutions care about Bitcoin. So, if we understand this, then self-taught is inevitable.