Opinion – Sometimes if you want to get a generation of people to adopt a new technology, the best way to do it is through the education system. This strategy was best executed by none other than Apple. In 1982, Steve Jobs donated 9,000 Apple computers to middle and high schools across the state of California. What many saw as nothing more than a tax write off, was actually a genius marketing ploy to get young kids indoctrinated in the ‘culture’ of Apple computers. A few decades later, you have teenagers and young adults whose only reference for a smartphone is the IPhone. These people became more than just lifelong Apple customers; when it came to consumer electronics, Apple was simply the norm as they has spent more than a decade of their early childhood development using the technology.
Today a handful of Universities have already begun conducting research and developing courses to teach students about blockchain technology and how cryptocurrencies work. These schools are thinking several steps ahead of their counterparts by trying to prepare the next wave of young adults entering the workforce.
However, I’m afraid this strategy isn’t forward thinking enough. Although it’s important to get people in their late teens and early 20’s educated about cryptocurrencies, the real value is in educating middle school and even elementary school children about the technology.
Nowadays, kids as young as 10 years old already have a smart phone, so it isn’t a huge leap to teach them how to download a digital wallet, transfer some of their lunch money over to Bitcoin, and perhaps even make a transactions at the school cafeteria.
These are just some simple steps that can be taken to get kids accustomed to the idea of paying for everyday goods with digital currencies. Cryptocurrency education also provides a unique opportunity for young kids to learn about money, investing and saving, topics the education system has failed to teach, much to the detriment of the millennial generation.
Ultimately, if we ever hope to see Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies achieve mainstream adoption, it may be wise to borrow a page from Steve Jobs book and explore ways in which the technology can play a role in childhood education and development.
Disclaimer: These are the writer’s opinions and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research.
