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A Blockchain-based decentralised university

 

We first posted this prospect in May 2022, months before generative artificial intelligence displaced blockchain as the principal technological anxiety of the education industry.

Blockchain has not disappeared; its ambitions have narrowed toward credentials, records and decentralized governance while artificial intelligence has raised the larger question of what the university—and perhaps the teacher—is for.

  • Blockchain threatened the university’s machinery.
  • AI threatens to interrogate its purpose.

The blockchain proposition asked: Do we still need a centralized institution to maintain records, confer credentials, distribute money and establish trust?

The AI proposition asks something considerably more uncomfortable: What are students paying the institution and faculty to do when machines can teach, explain, translate, draft, assess, search and increasingly conduct portions of research?

15 February 2025

Blockchain is a decentralized, immutable, and transparent digital ledger that securely records and verifies transactions across multiple computers or nodes. It operates through a network of participants who collectively validate and store each transaction, creating a chain of interconnected blocks. Each block contains a unique cryptographic hash that links it to the previous block, ensuring data integrity.

The distributed nature of blockchain eliminates the need for intermediaries, increases security, and fosters trust among participants. It has applications beyond cryptocurrencies, enabling efficient and reliable solutions in various industries such as finance, supply chain management, healthcare, education and accreditation.

John Domingue | TEDxOpenUniversity:

“I believe that with blockchain technology we can create a radically new type of university: a DAO University. A DAO is a Decentralised Autonomous Organisation which operates with no central control and no humans in the loop and are based on Smart Contracts: pieces of computer code on a blockchain which can represent and enact financial and legal contracts. ”

 

 

Miguel de Cervantes (Don Quixote): “Ladran Sancho, señal que cabalgamos”  

“Let the dogs bark Sancho, it is a sign that we’re moving forward.”

Blockchain & Distributed Ledger Technologies

Blockchain is built so that the system keeps the data across several nodes that form a consensus on the exact position of the data. This storage method is different from the cloud, where data remains in one location and is easily accessible to an individual as a whole.

Accreditation 200

Workcred

“Art of Manliness”

We find relatively few public consultations presented by accredited standards developers in the human resource domain; surprising because human resources are the largest cost center in nearly every industry.  Alas, manufacturers, insurance and conformance companies remain the strongest voices; the “wicked problem” we describe in our ABOUT.

Even before the circumstances of the pandemic inspired a revisit of large government politics and cultural mashing in education communities in the United States we could hear the first footfalls of disruption when ANSI catalyzed the creation of a related entity in 2014, described in the link below:

WORKCRED: Connecting credential, competencies, careers, customers

The proper business of the education industry overall — and the ~$500 billion facility segment we track — is preparing the workforce everywhere to contribute to national economic priorities.   There is a strong cultural component in the human resource domain — i.e. branding — the topic of another post.   For now, we simply suggest that much of the economic activity of education communities is devoted to building a cohort (or guild) that creates an emotional bond that hastens learning and a continual desire to self-educate to remain part of the cohort.

At the moment, the WORKCRED program at this point in its development, appears to provides guidance to conformance and compliance organizations among its members.   The user-interest in the education facility industry, at least dependent on a skilled workforce as any economic sector, and welcomed to participate.  We identify the initiative here and will keep a weather-eye out for commenting opportunities on draft consensus products emerging from it.  The link below should provide a more detailed overview of the program until a “commentable consensus product” suitable for incorporation by reference into legislation is released.

Understanding Successful Career Pathways with Certification & Education Data | January 19, 2021

Of course, there will be cultural competition among the guardians of the cohort.

Organizations with their own credentialing enterprises for skilled trades, ICT, software engineering, etc. — are encouraged to communicate directly with the WORKCRED staff (CLICK HERE).

 

Bridges

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Ploughman’s Lunch

RANDOLPH WEATHER

Standards Wisconsin | Extension Service | Food Standards

August 2025 Update on Extension Budget Reduction

Ploughman's lunch | Traditional, British, Pubs | Britannica

University food service increasingly treats international variety as both an educational and marketing virtue. There is nothing inherently wrong with variety in fair measure. Yet an outsized emphasis on cuisines outside American and Anglosphere traditions can cause universities to neglect the foodways of the very nation and institutions that have attracted generations of international students.

Food is part of the inheritance of an educational settlement. Regional American cooking, the English ploughman’s lunch, Canadian breads and preserves, Australian meat pies and the ordinary dishes of Scotland, Wales and Ireland carry histories of agriculture, climate, season and family life. They deserve a place beside newer arrivals.

Universities need not choose between hospitality and inheritance. A generous table can accommodate both. Indeed, international students may reasonably expect to encounter the distinctive food traditions of their host country. Cosmopolitanism is most interesting when cultures remain recognizable. University kitchens can welcome the world without forgetting the food already at home.

British Food in America


“Millworker” James Taylor

Boston Manufacturing Company: Payrolls list women workers (1817 to 1881)

“The Dressmaking Factory” 1914 | Charles Ginnar @TateFire Safety | Fashion

 

“Millworker” belongs to a later and subtler tradition of “labor music”. There is no strike, no marching line and scarcely a villain. Taylor locates the conflict inside the worker herself: her hands remain at the machine while her mind wanders backward through family, farm and memory.

The complaint is not simply that the work is hard. It is that a human life can disappear into work that asks too little of the human being.  Taylor tells us that millwork is not especially hard. That’s what separates this  song from so much earlier, angrier industrial laments. The injury is monotony, lost possibility and time for a ‘young girl who ought to stand a better chance’.

 

Fashion Design

 

 

Gallery: Doctoral Dissertations, et al

Sketchy:

Jason Arday: An exploration of peer-mentoring among student teachers’ to inform reflective practice within the context of action research

Anilenia Hernández: A Brief History of My Gendered Body (Removed by ProQuest)

Dr. Jill Jacobs-Biden: Student Retention at the Community College: Meeting Student’s Needs

Michelle Obama: Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community

Dr. Claudine Gay: Taking charge: Black electoral success and the redefinition of American politics

Ibram X. Kendi (Henry Rogers):  The Black Campus Movement: An Afrocentric Narrative History of the Struggle to Diversify Higher Education, 1965-1972

Hilary Clinton: There is Only the Fight…

Not Sketchy:

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Comparison of the Conceptions of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman

John Kennedy: Appeasement at Munich

Janet Yellen: Employment, Output and Capital Accumulation in an Open Economy: A Disequilibrium Approach.

John Nash: Non-Cooperative Games

Reflections / John Nash

Alma Adams (D-NC, US House)

Multicultural attitudes and teacher performance in art classrooms in the southwestern city schools of Franklin County /

Jamaal Bowman (D-NY, US House, until 2024)
“Community Schools: The Perceptions and Practices that Foster Broad-Based Collaboration among Leaders within the Community School.”
Raphael Warnock (D-GA, US Senate)
“Churchmen, Church Martyrs: The Activist Ecclesiologies of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King, Jr.”
John Walsh (former Democratic US Senator, Montana)

 

 

“The Crisis in Higher Ed & Why Universities Still Matter”

Ice Cream at the Rock

“The only emperor is the emperor of ice cream”

— Wallace Stevens

 

Michigan Central

The invention of ice cream, as we know it today, is a product of historical evolution, and there isn’t a single individual credited with its creation. Various cultures and civilizations throughout history have contributed to the development of frozen treats resembling ice cream.

One of the earliest records of frozen desserts can be traced back to ancient China, where people enjoyed a frozen mixture of milk and rice around 200 BC. Similarly, ancient Persians and Arabs had a tradition of mixing fruit juices with snow or ice to create refreshing treats.

In Europe, frozen desserts gained popularity in the 17th and 18th centuries, and it was during this time that the more modern version of ice cream, made with sweetened milk or cream, began to take shape. During this period, ice cream became more widely accessible and enjoyed by the nobility and upper classes.



MSU Extension: Dairy Store

MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities

To produce ice cream on a commercial scale, several key pieces of infrastructure and equipment are necessary. The specific requirements may vary depending on the production capacity and the type of ice cream being produced, but the basic infrastructure typically includes:

  1. Manufacturing Facility: A dedicated space or building is needed to house all the production equipment and storage facilities. The facility should comply with local health and safety regulations and be designed to maintain the required temperature and hygiene standards.
  2. Mixing and Blending Equipment: Industrial-scale mixers and blending machines are used to mix ingredients like milk, cream, sugar, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and flavorings. These machines ensure that the mixture is homogenized and consistent.
  3. Pasteurization Equipment: To ensure product safety and extend shelf life, ice cream mix needs to be pasteurized. Pasteurization equipment heats the mixture to a specific temperature and then rapidly cools it to destroy harmful microorganisms.
  4. Homogenizers: Homogenizers help break down fat molecules in the ice cream mix to create a smoother and creamier texture.
  5. Aging Vats: The ice cream mix is aged at a controlled temperature for a specific period, which allows the ingredients to fully blend and improves the ice cream’s texture.
  6. Freezers: Continuous freezers or batch freezers are used to freeze the ice cream mix while incorporating air to create the desired overrun (the amount of air in the final product). Continuous freezers are more commonly used in large-scale production, while batch freezers are suitable for smaller batches.
  7. Hardening and Storage Room: Once the ice cream is frozen, it needs to be hardened at a lower temperature to achieve the desired texture. Storage rooms are used to store finished ice cream at the appropriate temperature until distribution.
  8. Packaging Equipment: Equipment for filling and packaging the ice cream into various containers, such as cartons, tubs, or cones.
  9. Quality Control and Laboratory Facilities: A dedicated area for quality control testing, where ice cream samples are analyzed for consistency, flavor, and other characteristics.
  10. Cleaning and Sanitation Systems: Proper cleaning and sanitation systems are essential to maintain hygiene and prevent contamination.
  11. Utilities: Adequate water supply, electrical power, and refrigeration capacity are critical for ice cream production.

Food Code 2022

Food 500


Design Standard Readability

Fry readability formula

How Consistent Are the Best-Known Readability Equations in Estimating the Readability of Design Standards?

Shixiang Zhou & Heejin Jeong
Industrial and Operations Engineering Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Transportation Research Institute Driver Interface Group
Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

 

Abstract.  Research problem: Readability equations are widely used to compute how well readers will be able to understand written materials. Those equations were usually developed for nontechnical materials, namely, textbooks for elementary, middle, and high schools. This study examines to what extent computerized readability predictions are consistent for highly technical material – selected Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and International Standards Organization (ISO) Recommended Practices and Standards relating to driver interfaces. Literature review: A review of original sources of readability equations revealed a lack of specific criteria in counting various punctuation and text elements, leading to inconsistent readability scores. Few studies on the reliability of readability equations have identified this problem, and even fewer have systematically investigated the extent of the problem and the reasons why it occurs.  Research questions:

(1) Do the most commonly used equations give identical readability scores?
(2) How do the scores for each readability equation vary with readability tools?
(3) If there are differences between readability tools, why do they occur?
(4) How does the score vary with the length of passage examined?

Method: Passages of varying lengths from 12 selected SAE and ISO Recommended Practices and Standards were examined using five readability equations (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, SMOG Index, Coleman-Liau Index, and Automated Readability Index) implemented five ways (four online readability tools and Microsoft Word 2013 for Windows). In addition, short test passages of text were used to understand how different readability tools counted text elements, such as words and sentences. Results and conclusions: The mean readability scores of the passages from those 12 SAE and ISO Recommended Practices and Standards ranged from the 10th grade reading level to about 15th. The mean grade reading levels computed across the websites were: Flesch-Kincaid 12.8, Gunning Fog 15.1 SMOG 12.6, Coleman-Liau 13.7, and Automated Readability Index 12.3. Readability score estimates became more consistent as the length of the passage examined increased, with no noteworthy improvements beyond 900 words. Among the five readability tools, scores typically differed by two grade levels, but the scores should have been the same. These differences were due to how compound and hyphenated words, slashes, numbers, abbreviations and acronyms, and URLs were counted, as well other punctuation and text elements. These differences occurred because the sources for these equations often did not specify how to score various punctuation and text elements. Of the tools examined, the authors recommend Microsoft Word 2013 for Windows if the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level is required.

 

Standard Reference Material

Metrology is the scientific discipline that deals with measurement, including both the theoretical and practical aspects of measurement. It is a broad field that encompasses many different areas, including length, mass, time, temperature, and electrical and optical measurements.  The goal of metrology is to establish a system of measurement that is accurate, reliable, and consistent. This involves the development of standards and calibration methods that enable precise and traceable measurements to be made.

The International System of Units is the most widely used system of units today and is based on a set of seven base units, which are defined in terms of physical constants or other fundamental quantities.  Another important aspect of metrology is the development and use of measurement instruments and techniques. These instruments and techniques must be designed to minimize errors and uncertainties in measurements, and they must be calibrated against recognized standards to ensure accuracy and traceability.

Metrology also involves the development of statistical methods for analyzing and interpreting measurement data. These methods are used to quantify the uncertainty associated with measurement results and to determine the reliability of those results.

National Institute for Standards & Technology

Federal Participation in Consensus Standards

ARCHIVE: UM Welcomes ANSI 2015

The Business of Standards Never Stops

Standards for a Kitchen Symphony | November/December 2024

ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials) is a globally recognized organization that develops and publishes technical standards for a wide range of products, systems, and services. These standards are used by manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders to ensure that products and services are safe, reliable, and of high quality.

In the field of measurement science, ASTM plays an important role in developing standards and guidelines for measurement techniques and practices. These standards cover a wide range of topics related to measurement science, including the calibration of instruments, the characterization of measurement systems, and the validation of measurement results. They are used by researchers, engineers, and other professionals in academia, industry, and government to ensure that measurements are accurate, precise, and reliable.

ANSI Public Review

 

ASTM standards for measurement science are developed through a process that involves input from experts in the field, including researchers, industry professionals, and regulatory bodies. These standards are updated regularly to reflect advances in measurement science and technology, as well as changes in industry and regulatory requirements.  This is a far better way to discover and promulgate leading practice.  In fact, there are regulations intended to restrain the outsized influence of vertical incumbents in legislative precincts where market-making happens.

Federal Participation in Consensus Standards

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