OERchains

🚀 Vision

OERchains aims to create a decentralized, federated ecosystem for Open Educational Resources (OERs) using blockchain technology. We’re not just building a platform; we’re igniting a revolution in accessible, equitable education and knowledge sharing for all.

🌟 Our Mission

To establish cutting-edge infrastructure and standards that democratize knowledge creation, empower educators and learners, and open up a world of learning opportunities through blockchain technology.

Why OERs?

OERchains focuses specifically on Open Educational Resources (OERs) due to their established heritage in open knowledge sharing and their alignment with our core values of open source principles, regenerative economics, and sustainable development.

Learn more about why we chose to focus on OERs

💡 Key Project Aims

1. Federated Blockchain Protocol

• Develop a protocol similar to Mastodon, encouraging forking of the original chain
• Enable federation between forked chains, creating a diverse yet interconnected ecosystem

2. Cross-Chain OER Standards

• Establish blockchain metadata and file type standards for OERs across all major blockchains
• Create a universal framework for OER files and projects, ensuring interoperability and wide adoption

3. Expansive Definition of OERs

• Embrace a broad view of educational content, including:
  • Traditional formats (documents, books, papers)
  • Interactive media (games, virtual reality environments)
  • Augmented reality experiences
  • Multi-dimensional data visualizations
  • Wall art and other unconventional educational mediums

4. Citation and Attribution System

• Develop a standard for automatic citation trails
• Create plugins for major word processors (Word, Google Docs) to:
  • Publish work-in-progress to the blockchain
  • Establish authorship for original ideas
  • Evaluate and grade the originality of ideas based on existing OER inventory

🛠 What We’re Building

• A decentralized, federated blockchain ecosystem for OERs
• Cross-chain standards for OER metadata and file types
• Smart contracts for fair attribution and incentivization
• User-friendly tools for creating, accessing, and publishing OERs
• Advanced citation and originality evaluation systems

📚 Additional Resources

To get a deeper understanding of the project and how to contribute, please review these additional documents:

• CONTRIBUTING.md: Guidelines for contributing to the project, including coding standards, pull request process, and more.
• CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md: Our community standards and expectations for all contributors.
• ARCHITECTURE.md: An overview of the project’s technical architecture and design principles.
• ROADMAP.md: Our project roadmap and future plans.

These documents are crucial for anyone looking to contribute to or understand the OERchains project in depth. We encourage all potential contributors to review them before getting started.

🤝 Join the Revolution!

We’re looking for passionate individuals who want to make a real difference in education, technology, and knowledge sharing. Are you ready to shape the future of learning?

We Need:

• 👨‍💻 Blockchain Developers
• 🧠 Education Technology Specialists
• 👩‍🏫 Educators and Content Creators
• 🌍 Community Managers
• 🎨 UX/UI Designers
• 📊 Data Scientists
• 📝 Technical Writers
• 🔍 Information Architects

🌈 The Impact

By joining OERchains, you’re not just working on a project. You’re:

• Democratizing education and knowledge creation globally
• Empowering educators, learners, and content creators
• Fostering innovation in educational content and delivery
• Building a more equitable future through open knowledge sharing

🚀 Get Involved

1. Star and Watch this repo to stay updated
2. Check out our Issues for ways to contribute
3. Join our Discussions to share ideas and connect with the team
4. Spread the word! Share OERchains with your network

📬 Connect/Contact

Join the conversation and stay updated:

• Twitter: @joemaristela
• LinkedIn: Joe Maristela
• Telegram: ParkHealthOER
• Perplexity Space: OERchains on Perplexity

For project-related discussions, please use our GitHub Discussions page.

Join us in redefining the future of education and knowledge sharing. Together, we can create a world where learning knows no bounds!

#OpenEducation #Blockchain #EdTech #OER #DecentralizedLearning