Pauline Cohen Vorms is an experienced Education leader in the consumer and enterprise space. With a background in in-person and online education at Holberton Schools and Coursera, Pauline now drives the training of future Blockchain leaders and Core developers as co-founder and CEO of the Polkadot Blockchain Academy.
What challenges have you faced in scaling high-quality training programs, and how does the Polkadot Blockchain Academy ensure effectiveness across in-person and online formats?
Scaling training programs presents challenges, especially in maintaining consistent quality and engagement. For the Polkadot Blockchain Academy (PBA), a key difficulty is preserving the community feel and interactive dynamics of in-person sessions when transitioning to online formats. Ensuring the curriculum’s depth and interactivity while retaining skilled instructors across multiple cohorts also adds complexity.
To address these issues, PBA developed tailored strategies for each format. Online delivery leverages two years of curriculum refinement, combining asynchronous recorded lectures with live sessions and teaching assistant support to maintain interaction.
In-person cohorts provide an immersive experience, including co-working sessions and collaboration with Polkadot developers. This dual approach ensures PBA meets diverse participant needs while maintaining high standards.
What knowledge gaps do web2 developers face when transitioning to web3, and how can these be addressed?
Web2 developers often struggle with the foundational concepts of decentralisation, cryptography, and the interdisciplinary nature of web3. Understanding blockchain’s design principles requires a shift in mindset, blending software engineering with elements of game theory, mathematics, and decentralised philosophy.
As Gavin Wood, Polkadot’s co-founder, remarked, understanding web3 requires both a technical and philosophical perspective.
PBA addresses these gaps through its online course, PBA-X, which covers core topics like cryptography, blockchain basics, and economics, making it accessible to a broad audience. For developers seeking advanced knowledge, the in-person PBA Campus focuses on practical protocol and DApp development.
Together, these programmes equip web2 developers with the theoretical and practical skills needed to excel in web3.
What trends in blockchain and computer science education have influenced the PBA-X course?
Blockchain is increasingly recognised as a critical area in computer science education, with universities adding blockchain modules to their curricula. Additionally, the rise of modular, online certification programmes offers flexible learning opportunities. Interactive tools like virtual labs and live Q&A sessions have also gained popularity, promoting engagement and deeper understanding.
These trends shaped PBA-X’s structure, combining recorded content with live sessions for flexibility and interaction. By integrating insights from industry practitioners, PBA-X ensures its curriculum stays relevant to the evolving blockchain sector, balancing theoretical foundations with practical skills in an accessible format.
How are academic institutions adapting to blockchain education, and does PBA plan to collaborate with them?
Universities are slowly incorporating blockchain into computer science and business programmes, though their courses often struggle to keep up with web3′s rapid development and focus more on theory than practical skills.
PBA sees potential in collaborating with higher education institutions to bridge this gap. The academy has already partnered with some universities to enhance traditional curricula with its specialised expertise.
By combining academic rigour with practical application, PBA aims to prepare students for careers in web3, fostering the next generation of innovators and developers.