Blockchain Foundations and Platforms

This unit introduces foundational blockchain concepts, surveying histories, architectures, and consensus mechanisms of major public and permissioned platforms (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Polkadot, Solana, Hyperledger). Students explore real-world applications, regulatory and security considerations, and basic operational skills to prepare for hands-on development and implementation in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze and compare the architectures, consensus mechanisms, and trade-offs of at least three blockchain platforms (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano) using specified technical criteria.
• Compare public, permissioned, and modular blockchain models and apply selection criteria to recommend appropriate solutions for three industry scenarios (banking, insurance, government).
• Demonstrate secure cryptocurrency handling by setting up a wallet, safeguarding private keys, and executing a testnet transaction and exchange workflow following best-practice procedures.
• Evaluate global regulatory, legal, and ethical considerations affecting blockchain adoption and propose compliance-oriented strategies for implementation in at least two jurisdictions or sectors.