If you’re a regular reader here, you’ve probably gotten used to seeing news about Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies, and blockchain just about every day. And if you’re anything like me, you may be scratching your head and feeling a little confused about it all.
Perhaps you’re thinking about investing in cryptocurrency, but need to know more. Or maybe you’re baffled by the basics, and just want to understand what it’s all about.
Fortunately, there are some opportunities to learn about Bitcoin for free – we’re talking about actual classes, not just a random Google search or two.
One of our faves is 10 Days of Bitcoin, which offers free email courses. The ten-day course syllabus includes overview classes like “The History of Bitcoin – A Unique (and Hard to Believe) Origin Story,” and “What is Bitcoin and What Makes It Different,” as well as classes with practical information for getting involved, such as “How to Get Your First Bitcoin, Safely and Securely,” and “Investing in ‘Initial Coin Offerings’ (or ICOs) and How to Avoid Scams.”
The course was created by John Saddington, a developer/entrepreneur who “desperately desires more people to become ‘tech literate’ and expand their own opportunities through software.” Saddington designed the class after having the same conversations over and over again with friends and family who asked him for explanations. The course is a great overview for folks who don’t really know much about the cryptocurrency and want a place to start learning.
For a more in-depth examination of the top dog of digital currencies, Princeton also has a series of 60 lectures, ranging from two to 28 minutes, that dives into the technicalities of cryptocurrency. These lectures are available on YouTube. In addition to a general overview, this series also looks at the “Mechanics of Bitcoin,” mining, and the “Future of Bitcoin.” It also places cryptocurrency in the context of “Community, Politics, and Regulation.”
With crypto on the rise, it may one day become part of regular course curriculums in high schools and colleges. Until then, there are opportunities online to learn about Bitcoin from reliable sources who aren’t out to sell anything, but simply want to help laypeople educate themselves.
