Unlocking blockchain’s potential in education: opportunities, challenges, and future research directions

Blockchain technology is increasingly being explored as a transformative innovation in the education sector, particularly for its potential to decentralize credentialing, enhance data sovereignty, and increase transparency in learning systems. This literature review examines the current state of research on blockchain applications in education, identifying key domains such as digital certification, learner-owned educational records, decentralized identity management, and smart contract-based learning processes. It provides a critical assessment of their potential benefits, inherent limitations, and varying levels of maturity. Findings reveal that, while the theoretical potential of blockchain in education is widely acknowledged, empirical research remains limited, fragmented, and often technology-driven rather than pedagogy-oriented. Major challenges include interoperability issues, regulatory uncertainty, data privacy concerns, and the lack of institutional readiness. This paper contributes to the literature by offering a structured taxonomy of blockchain applications in education, highlighting conceptual tensions, and outlining an agenda for future research. The paper also discusses managerial and policy implications, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, ethical design, and supportive regulation.