Defense of the dissertation of Sakhipov Aivar Aituarovich for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the educational program «8D01511 - Computer Science»
L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a dissertation defense for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by Sakhipov Aivar Aituarovich on the topic «The methodology of using blockchain technology in higher education institutions» in the educational program of «8D01511 – Computer Science».
The dissertation was carried out at the «Computer Science» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.
The language of defense is russian
Official Reviewers:
Medeshova Aigul Baktygalievna – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, M. Utemisov West Kazakhstan University, Associate Professor of educational programs for training computer science teachers and IT specialists (Uralsk, Kazakhstan);
Nugmanova Farida Bagadievna – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Y. Altynsarin National Academy of Education, head of the laboratory «On the subject of general development», leading researcher (Astana, Kazakhstan).
Temporary members of the Dissertation Committee:
Shadiev Rustam - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Professor, Zhejiang University, Professor at the Pedagogical College (Nanjing, China);
Akramova Aliya Smagulovna – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Associate Professor of the Department of «Pedagogy and Educational Management» (Almaty, Kazakhstan);
Serikbayeva Sandugash Kurmanbekovna – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Acting Associate Professor of the Department of «Information Systems» (Astana, Kazakhstan);
Makhazhanova Ulzhan Tanirbergenovna – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Acting Associate Professor of the Department of «Information Systems» (Astana, Kazakhstan);
Sembayev Talgat Mukhametkanovich – Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Shakarim University of Semey, senior lecturer of the department of «Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Computer Science» (Semey, Kazakhstan).
Academic Advisors:
Yermaganbetova Madina Askarovna – Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Acting Associate Professor of the Department of «Computer Science» (Astana, Kazakhstan);
Latypov Rustam Khafizovich – Doctor of Technical Sciences, Consulting Professor of the Department of System Analysis and Information Technologies, Institute of Computational Mathematics and Information Technologies, Kazan Federal University (Kazan, Russian Federation).
The defense will take place on May 29, 2024, at 02:00 PM in the Dissertation Council for the training direction «8D015 – Teacher training in natural science subjects» in the specialty «8D01511 – ComputerScience» of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The defense meeting is planned to be held online.
Link: Microsoft Teams http://surl.li/smbut
Address: Astana, K. Satpayev str. 2, №302. .
Abstract (English): The relevance of research. Today, there is a need to integrate blockchain technology - decentralized distributed databases, with a storage device not connected to a common server, which is the most promising and in demand, having a number of advantages, such as: decentralization, transparency, confidentiality and reliability. By allowing digital information to be shared but not copied, blockchain technology has created the basis for a new kind of internet. blockchain technology will change any field of activity based on maintaining records of property rights. The development trends of the modern higher education system also give reason to talk about the presence of significant prospects for the practical use of the principles of blockchain technology in the activities of modern higher education institutions, since this technology has a number of significant advantages compared to traditional methods of information storage. Blockchain technology involves the use of a distributed database registry system, which has the form of a chain of blocks built according to special rules. Each block contains information of a certain kind, and the blocks are interconnected by special links. When building a chain of blocks, a strict relationship between the links of the chain and the chronology of their construction are observed. Cryptography methods are used to sequentially include all blocks into a single system, and provide reliable protection against penetration of information into the database and attempts to change it. The sequential creation of new blocks in the chain and their linking with each other into a single system are necessarily carried out subject to confirmation of the fact of execution of operations by all participants in the system, and storage of copies of blocks is provided for all participants in this system. An additional relevance of the study is that the use of blockchain in the educational field helps to increase transparency and ensure an increased level of security. Thanks to the characteristic features of blockchain, such as data immutability and decentralization, a reliable and secure environment emerges that helps combat academic data fraud and also ensures authentication of the source of information. These measures significantly contribute to building trust between all participants in the educational process and help maintain data integrity. Blockchain technology was originally developed to create a decentralized digital currency such as Bitcoin. However, the scientific community is currently actively seeking and exploring other potential applications of this technology, including educational purposes. In this study, our task is to analyze the lack of theoretical descriptions of scenarios for the use of blockchain technology in education and science. Studying this process from various points of view will help determine the main aspects that can be relied upon when developing real products that can stimulate the educational and cognitive activity of students. Research problem: today there is a need for methodological support for the use of blockchain technology in universities in Kazakhstan. At the same time, there is undeniable uncertainty and a lack of proper legislative justification regarding blockchain technology. This circumstance follows from the fact that the essence and functional aspects of this innovative technology are not always easily amenable to traditional understanding and interpretation of legal norms. Moreover, the Head of State, K.K. Tokayev, in his Address to the people of Kazakhstan dated September 2, 2019, entitled “Constructive public dialogue is the basis of stability and prosperity of Kazakhstan”, highlighted the essential importance of the development of infocommunication infrastructure and noted the essential importance of adapting legislation to the latest technological developments. Blockchain, as an innovative technology, also comes up in the context of this speech, representing a potential component of new technological phenomena that should be paid attention to when considering the adaptation of the legal order to a dynamically developing technological paradigm. Currently in the Republic of Kazakhstan the following state of affairs is observed in the field of application of blockchain technology: 1. There is a shortage of theoretical descriptions, legal justifications and potential scenarios for the use of blockchain technology in the field of education. 2. There are no approaches and methods for the practical implementation of the use of blockchain technology in educational institutions. 3. There is no analysis of the results of introducing blockchain technology into the educational process of universities. 4. There is no analysis of the impact of blockchain technology on the quality of education in higher education institutions. The above factors significantly limit the effective use of blockchain technology in the field of education. It is important to develop and explore more detailed and systematic approaches to identifying promising areas of application of this technology in educational institutions, as well as to identify the features of its implementation and impact on the quality of education. Possible application scenarios must be justified and tested in practice to ensure optimal results and improve the educational process. Purpose of the study - development of methods for using blockchain technology in higher education institutions. This goal led to the definition and formulation of the following key tasks, which are the basis for the successful completion of the research and achievement of the set scientific results: justify the need to use blockchain technology in universities, analyze the principles of operation of blockchain technology, the possibilities of existing methods for using blockchain technology in universities ; determine the legal status and develop proposals for improving the regulatory framework aimed at supporting and introducing blockchain technology into the educational activities of the Republic of Kazakhstan ; develop a model for the use of blockchain technology in universities, based on the use of an educational blockchain platform; develop an educational blockchain platform and test this platform for fault tolerance and security using computer modeling; develop a methodology for using blockchain technology in higher education institutions based on the developed educational blockchain platform; conduct an experimental study and analyze the experimental results. The object of research of the dissertation work is the educational process in higher educational institutions. The subject of the dissertation research is the methodology for using blockchain technology in higher education institutions. The main focus is on studying the potential benefits, possible problems and prospects for the development of this approach in the field of higher education. Research hypothesis: if you use the developed methodology for using blockchain technology in higher education institutions, based on the educational blockchain platform, this will affect the level of students’ knowledge acquisition and the efficiency of organizing the educational process since prospects are opening up for creating a flexible and secure technological educational environment. Research idea. The central concept of the study, dedicated to the methodology for using blockchain technology in higher education, is the search for innovative solutions for optimizing and modernizing educational processes at universities. As part of this idea, the research aims to develop and test a new approach that is based on the integration of blockchain technology to improve transparency, security and efficiency in the management of academic processes. The methodological and theoretical basis of the study was the works of foreign researchers (Grech A., Camilleri A., Sharpes M., Turkanović M., Kandaswamy, Chen G., Zheng Z. , Xie S., Fedorova E.P., Skableva E.I.) in which the prospects for the use of blockchain technology and its importance for the development of accounting and information storage systems in general were summarized and systematized . The works of domestic scientists are considered (Shakan Yu., Kumalakov B., Kystaubaev E., Mutanov G., Baytenova L., Kulumbetova L.) on the use of blockchain technology in education and in general. In progress (Grech and Camilleri) proposed several options for using blockchain- based technology in the field of digital accreditation and intellectual property management. (Sharples and Domingue) considers the idea of permanent distributed accounting of intellectual efforts and associated reputational rewards based on blockchain technologies, which creates and democratizes educational rankings outside the academic community. (Turkanović) propose a global blockchain- based higher education enrollment platform that will process, manage and control the grades that students receive for completed educational programs and courses. In progress (Kandaswamy and Furlonger) identified four areas of blockchain use: 1. Use as an educational and academic publication platform. 2. Digital asset market - for payment, funding and incentives for students. 3. To increase efficiency - create passports of learning and qualifications throughout life. 4. Storage of data and information – for intellectual property management and automatic confirmation of certificates, diplomas and other documentation. In studies examines the value of decentralized registries, in particular those based on blockchain technology, which can bring important benefits to stakeholders in the education sector, with a particular focus on the potential for digital accreditation of personal and academic learning. According to the work blockchain technology is open source for various fields. However, after its active use for digital currency, certain problems arise. The advantage of blockchain is the ability to move from centralized data recording to a distributed system that guarantees that information will not change and confidentiality will be maintained. The questions of this research are reflected in the scientific works of such scientists as I. Hussain O. Cakir, H. Haugsbakken, I. Langseth, I. Yakovenko, L. Kulumbetova and many other researchers. In their study, the authors explained that blockchain technology is new in the field of education. Accordingly, they conducted several research analyses, reviewed various scientific publications, and proposed a framework for three main topics: applications, benefits, and challenges of the topic. As a result, it was revealed that blockchain technology is usually used for the following purposes: issuance and confirmation during verification of academic transcripts and certificates, decentralized exchange of knowledge and educational achievements of students , including for assessing their knowledge, skills, and professional abilities. In their article, the authors explored the features of blockchain and proposed appropriate solutions that will help solve problems arising in education. In the study, the authors discussed that blockchain uses cryptographic methods and distributed consensus algorithms to create features such as decentralized storage, tracking, immutability of data and its properties. The theoretical research that forms the basis of this scientific research was carried out taking into account the real experience of the practical implementation of blockchain technology in various fields and based on the real results obtained when using this technology. All materials that form the basis of this research work were selected in strict accordance with the stated topic of scientific research, which is optimal from the point of view of the prospects for its qualitative disclosure. Research sources: Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Education”, Concept for the development of the industry of information and communication technologies and the digital sphere of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Informatization”, Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Electronic Document and Electronic Digital Signature”, Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Personal Data and Their Protection”, Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Digital Assets in the Republic of Kazakhstan”, Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Access to Information”, legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the regulation of digital technologies, educational and methodological literature on the topic of research. Research methods. The basis of the methodology is a combination of methods for systematic analysis of the advantages of the practical application of blockchain technology in the system of higher educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, with an analytical study of various aspects of the implementation of technology in the activities of modern universities in the country to implement the tasks of organizing the educational process and research work. When researching the educational blockchain platform, the following methods of scientific knowledge were used, such as the method of analysis and synthesis, design, as well as scientific objectivity, a systematic approach to studying the use of blockchain technology in the higher education system. The primary method for researching blockchain technology has become the analysis method. During the analysis, basic concepts such as “ blockchain”, “digital transformation of education”, “educational platform” and many others were studied, as well as the main positions and possibilities of using blockchain, reflected in the sections of the dissertation. The design method made it possible to evaluate the possibilities of using an educational blockchain platform in the system of continuous education and to model a specific prototype of ways to use this technology, which determines the impact of the entire study on the problems arising when posing this topic. The design method is divided into several sub-points, since the solution of all the listed tasks must be consistent and complementary, otherwise the progress of the entire study may not go along the intended path or stop completely if one of the components of the sequence of actions is omitted or changed. The empirical method used in the study of the use of blockchain technology in higher educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan is based on a combination of system analysis with analytical research. This approach involves the use of various methods of scientific knowledge to study various aspects of the implementation of blockchain technology in the educational process and research activities of universities. The scientific novelty and theoretical significance of this study are manifested in the following aspects: – blockchain technology in universities is substantiated; – proposals have been developed to improve the regulatory framework for the introduction of blockchain technology in the field of higher education in the Republic of Kazakhstan; – a model for the use of blockchain technology in universities has been developed based on the use of an educational blockchain platform; – an educational blockchain platform was developed and this platform was tested for fault tolerance and security using computer modeling; – a methodology for using blockchain technology in higher education institutions has been developed based on the developed educational blockchain platform; – An experimental study was carried out and the experimental results were analyzed. Testing and implementation of the research results were carried out on the basis Eurasian National University named after. L.N. Gumilyov, Zhetysu University named after I. Zhansugurov. 238 people took part in the pedagogical experiment, among whom were students of the educational programs “6B01511-Informatics”, “6B06103-Information Systems”, “6B06101- IT management", " 6B06104-Computer technology and software", "6B07102-Automation and control" Faculty of Information Technologies ENU named after. L.N. Gumilyov and undergraduate students of educational programs “ 6B01505-Informatics”, “6B04105-Information Resources Management”, “6B06102-Information Systems”, “6B06103-Architecture of Information Systems”, “6B01502-Mathematics-Informatics”, “6B01504-Physics-Informatics” from ZHU named after I. Zhansugurov. Practical significance of the study: 1. An educational blockchain platform has been developed “Blockchain study” with elements of blockchain technologies for use in higher education institutions in the educational process. A certificate was received for entering information into the state register of rights to objects protected by copyright No. 16276 dated 04/01/2021 (Appendix A) 2. has been developed for blockchain certificates issued on the blockchain platform, containing information about the hash of the previous and current blocks. A certificate of entering information into the state register of rights to objects protected by copyright No. 16665 dated April 14, 2021 (Appendix A) was received. 3. The results of research work have been successfully introduced into the educational process of the technical faculty of Zhetysu University. I. Zhansugurova (Appendix B). 4. An educational blockchain platform with elements of blockchain technology has been successfully implemented as an external module for advanced training of the information system of Zhetysu University. I. Zhansugurova (Appendix B). 5. The textbook “ Introduction to Blockchain Technology” has been published in Russian (ISBN 978-601-337-924-1). Research base: “NJSC Eurasian National University named after. L.N. Gumilyov” (Astana), NJSC "Zhetysu University named after. I. Zhansugurov" (Taldykorgan). The personal contribution of the applicant is expressed in justifying the need to use blockchain technology in universities, developing proposals to improve the regulatory framework for the introduction of this technology into the field of higher education in the Republic of Kazakhstan, creating a model for the use of blockchain technology in universities based on the educational blockchain platform, as well as developing a methodology application of blockchain technology in higher education institutions based on the developed blockchain platform. An important part of the work was practical significance, which manifested itself in the development of an educational blockchain platform and the design of blockchain certificates, taking into account the requirements of the blockchain system. The research results have been successfully introduced into the educational process of universities and a textbook on blockchain technology has been developed for students and teachers. The reliability and validity of the research results are determined by the compliance of the initial methodological principles, an integrated approach to the analysis of the subject area, as well as the use of interrelated analysis methods that correspond to the characteristics of the research object. Achieving a level of practical reliability is justified by using two universities as research bases, functioning as experimental pedagogical structures, thereby improving the methodological apparatus of the study. Confirmation of the initial hypothesis is realized through a comprehensive analysis of accumulated data and identification of the correspondence of the results obtained to theoretical concepts. Additionally, the use of correct statistical indicators ensures their objective assessment and interpretation. The practical implementation of the main provisions of the study in the context of a higher education institution confirms the practical value and applicability of the results obtained. This demonstrates the integration of scientific findings into educational practice, which contributes to the effective implementation of the developed methodology for applying blockchain technology in the university environment. Main provisions submitted for defense: 1. Justification of the need for the use of blockchain technology and potential scenarios for the methodology for using blockchain technology in higher education institutions by analyzing the capabilities of existing methods for using blockchain technology, based on the following aspects: 1.1 The need to systematize educational processes. 1.2 The need for decentralized storage of academic data, a secure educational space. 1.3 Optimization of qualification confirmation processes. 1.4 Determination of the technical and technological foundations and algorithms used in the design of the educational blockchain platform. 1.5 Application of blockchain technology for storing academic records and scientific research between participants in the blockchain chain. 1.6 The use of an educational blockchain platform in the educational process of a university to issue and confirm students’ educational achievements. 2. Proposals for improving the regulatory framework in order to support and implement blockchain in the field of higher education in the Republic of Kazakhstan (reflected in scientific publications). 3. Model for the use of blockchain technology in universities based on the use of an educational blockchain platform. 4. Methodology for using blockchain technology in universities based on the use of an educational blockchain platform, based on the following aspects: 4.1 Generating a private and public key when authenticating a user in the blockchain platform. 4.2 Creating courses and recording them in the blockchain chain in the blockchain platform. 4.3 Assessment of students’ knowledge through blockchain testing. 4.4 Issuing certificates of completion of courses, through confirmation from all participants in the blockchain chain. 4.5 Methodological recommendations for using the developed blockchain platform at a university. 5. Advantages of the developed blockchain platform based on the results of computer modeling (simulation) of the blockchain platform: 5.1 Comparison of performance, power consumption and resistance to attacks of different consensus algorithms. 5.2 Scalability of the platform with an increase in the number of transactions and participants. 6. The results of a pedagogical experiment aimed at testing the blockchain platform in real conditions of the pedagogical environment, conclusions confirming the research hypothesis. Main stages of the study: At the first stage (2019-2020) of this research work, a theoretical study was carried out on the features of the practical application of blockchain technology in various areas of the economy in general and in the activities of institutions of higher education in particular. In addition, at this stage of the research work, a comprehensive analysis was carried out of the key advantages of using blockchain technology in the activities of modern higher education institutions in comparison with previously used traditional methods of storing information. At the second stage (2020-2021) of this scientific research, blockchain technology was introduced into the educational process in the activities of universities in Kazakhstan, in order to ensure the implementation of various tasks of organizing the educational process and research work, as well as the preparation of practical recommendations for the use of this technology in higher educational institutions of the state. In the educational process of ENU named after. L.N. Gumilyov and ZHU named after. I. Zhansugurov implemented a blockchain platform and developed courses for students. Also, after receiving the preliminary results of the experiment of this research work, they were analytically compared with the results of other researchers on the features of using blockchain technology in various areas where it is necessary to create effective systems for storing and processing information. At the final stage (2021-2023) of this scientific research, based on the results obtained, final conclusions were formulated, summing up the entire complex of research work and serving as a logical reflection of the entire course of scientific research. Discussion and implementation of the research results: during the research work, 10 scientific papers were published, of which 4 articles were published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals with a non-zero impact factor in the Scopus database: 1. Application of Blockchain Technology in Higher Education Institutions. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology. – 2022. – №100(4). – P.1138-1147 (ISSN:1992-8645). 2. An educational portal with elements of blockchain technology in higher education institutions of Kazakhstan: opportunities and benefits // Global Journal of Engineering Education. – 2022. – №24(2). – P. 149-154 (ISSN:1328-3154) 3. Distance learning technologies with blockchain elements in the system of continuous education // Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences. – 2022. – №17(9). – P. 3277-3288 (ISSN:1305-9076). 4. Design of an Educational Platform for Professional Development of Teachers with Elements of Blockchain Technology // International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications (IJACSA). – 2023. – №14(7). – P. 519-527. (ISSN: 2156-5570) 5. Перспективы применения технологии blockchain в высших учебных заведениях // ХV Международная научная конференция студентов и молодых ученых «ǴYLYM JÁNE BILIM – 2020». – Астана, 2020. – С. 573-575 (ISBN 978-601-337-318-8). 6. Исследование практических аспектов внедрения блокчейн технологии в высших учебных заведениях // Вестник Казахского национального педагогического университета им. Абая. Серия "Педагогические науки". – 2022. – №1(73). – С. 64-76 (ISSN:1728-5496). 7. Разработка модели образовательного портала с элементами блокчейн технологии для применения в высших учебных заведениях // Вестник Казахского национального педагогического университета им. Абая. Серия "Педагогические науки". – 2022. – №2(74). – С. 114-127. (ISSN:1728-5496). 8. Методика применения образовательного портала с элементами блокчейн в вузах Республики Казахстан // Вестник Казахского национального педагогического университета им. Абая. Серия "Педагогические науки". – 2022. – №3(75). – С. 166-176 (ISSN:1728-5496). 9. Образовательный портал «blockchain study». Cвидетельство о внесении сведений в государственный реестр прав на объекты, охраняемые авторским правом №16276 от 01.04.2021 г. 10. Сертификат достижений учащихся. Свидетельство о внесении сведений в государственный реестр прав на объекты, охраняемые авторским правом №16665 от 14.04.2021 г. 11. Введение в блокчейн технологию: учебное пособие. – Астана: ЕНУ им. Л.Н. Гумилева, 2023. – 134 с. (ISBN 978-601-337-924-1). The structure of the dissertation research includes the following components: introduction, consisting of an introductory part, justification of the relevance of the research problem and the formulation of scientific goals, objectives, hypotheses, methodology and other scientific indicators; three main sections , each of which is detailed at the level of subsections that analyze certain aspects of the topic under study; a conclusion summarizing the main scientific findings and offering their interpretation from the perspective of general scientific problems; a list of references used in the development of the work, including scientific articles, monographs, Internet resources and other academic sources; as well as appendices containing additional materials that enrich the context of the study. The internal content of the dissertation is supplemented with graphic elements in the form of drawings, graphs and tables that facilitate a visual presentation of data and analytical results.
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