by 0x915aa85dc088ea2d5850d44f9a21c7bf388a9672 (TeacherBrooke#9672)
Should the following Tier 6: up to $240,000 USD, 6 months vesting (1 month cliff) grant in the Community category be approved?
Abstract
This proposal seeks a grant to purchase a plot of decentralized land on which to build a learning facility (“METAcademy”) for seekers of knowledge, mentoring, and socialization with others. METAcademy would be a site for learners and educators to interact with knowledge together by sharing online classrooms about any topic imaginable. Additionally, this space would function as a study environment and safe, social zone for intellectuals. As an educator with nearly a decade of experience teaching online and in traditional buildings, it is apparent that education should take the next step toward integrating with technology to provide learners the optimal setting for educating. Learn from the comfort of your computer and be part of the future!
Grant size
240,000 USD
Beneficiary address
0x915Aa85DC088ea2d5850d44f9A21c7BF388A9672
Description
Access to knowledge should be a right–not a privilege. From the most remote corners of the word to new online societies, a main objective should be to spread knowledge and promote learning. Information should not be limited by language, location, or liquidity but rather compared, contrasted, and critiqued. In an era when information is at the tip of a finger, education must shift to a focus on verifying information, processing knowledge, and applying techniques to our lives. METAcademy would be a base for a variety of courses and classes for learners to pursue. From physical fitness and cooking to traditional English and mathematics, this new realm of education would offer learners revolutionized access to topics and concepts. Learners may enter METAcademy and select from a running list of subjects–some of which may take place on Jupiter or in ancient China. Let Shakespeare talk about his time or learn the Pythagorean Theorem from Pythagorus himself. Work completed within the METAcademy may be minted as NFTs for collectibles within Decentraland, with duplicates donated to the learning facility collections. Learners may utilize “rooms” within the METAcademy to study alone or with peers and participate in discussions. Enter the next generation of education and learn something new today!
Specification
To obtain the name “METAcademy” within decentraland, it would cost .007328 ETH. Also, the cheapest parcel of land currently listed for sale is located at -56, -133 for 3,450 ETH. Alternatively, this design may work with other, more fiscal hosting options. A GoFundMe has also been created to promote donations from intellectuals hoping to secure a location for safe and limitless learning: https://gofund.me/d300c2e2 . This location would act as a host for the different classes offered by teacher users. Learners could assemble and select a class and teacher within the server to be relocated for sessions. Educators may utilize their Avatars to interact with students within Decentraland, list zoom links for online class learning, or use Google systems for materials, links, and videos. Several starter NFTs have already been minted for interaction including the building and emotes: 0xee8f3df7e0a66f2943133eb43dd29b354df060f9
Contracts for educators would include sections which agree to refrain from certain interactions and content. Educators would be independent contractors responsible for the materials, instruction, and feedback for learners.
Personnel
I’m TeacherBr00ke (Brooke Cadieu) and I proposed this learning facility after discovering the new society of online users looking to shape the future. I graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a degree in English education for grades 6-12. I received my teaching license from the state of Tennessee and educated in public schools in Chattanooga for several years. Within the brick-and-mortar classroom, I fostered relationships with students and experienced the difficulty of educating large groups of students in real time. Specifically, intrusions of personal space and bullying were common detractions from everyday learning. Further, I noticed a need for specified learning for students with varying interests and skills. This meant that the traditional path and curriculum was not benefitting every student equally. Thus, I realized that learning should be more flexible and interest-driven.
I later switched my educating to online courses offered to students located in China. In these classrooms, students ages 3-15 would log on with a camera and microphone to learn English. With nearly a thousand students and over one-hundred thousand minutes taught online, I learned that every, single student has different needs. Samples of my online teaching can be viewed on Teacher Brooke YouTube. However, regulations in China prohibited the connection of servers from outside Mainland China to continue and I could no longer teach my students in this region.
Roadmap and milestones
Beginning phases should be expected to take approximately three months to procure a location, mint features and emotes, enlist educators, enroll students, and advertise beginning courses. Within the first month, a location for the facility would purchased and design for its interior and grounds would begin. Also, infrastructure for learning environments would be established. By month two, advertisement for educators would begin with applications and contracts submitted for proposed learning topics. Contracts would be signed before educators could submit a course for review. Proposed courses would be reviewed before listed in the curriculum. Advertisements for student sign-ups would begin. By month three, preliminary courses would be offered within Decentraland for students. Over the remaining start-up time, additional courses and educators would be made available and feedback would refine courses for learners. Once the program is fully sufficient, works created within METAcademy will be featured in a collection for viewing, collecting, and showcasing the learning done within METAcademy.