PROPOSAL EDUCATING IN LATIN AMERICA WITH THE POLKADOT ECOSYSTEM PART 2

PROPONENT: 16fZxnwnnzArZ7SRhSWUcEhGCFk2XDUxD54VqtaKRmr6FhNR

DATE: 26 DE NOVIEMBRE.

REQUESTED: 2.564 DOT

BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

The proposal seeks to consolidate education on decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFT in Latin America by conducting three online courses during the first half of 2025. These courses will be designed to increase adoption and understanding of the Polkadot ecosystem in the region. As an additional incentive, free copies of the DeFi book on Polkadot will be provided to participants in NFT format. The proposal is a continuation of proposal #244 from 2023.

CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

Financial education is a fundamental pillar for economic and social development, especially in Latin America, a region where gaps in knowledge and access to financial tools limit growth opportunities. Advancing in this area not only empowers individuals, but also strengthens communities, promoting a more equitable and sustainable ecosystem In this context, Polkadot is positioning itself as much more than just a blockchain: it is consolidating itself as a resilient computing service, capable of providing efficient and secure solutions for multiple industries. Its application in the field of DeFi (decentralized finance) is a clear example of what it can achieve, demonstrating its ability to transform entire sectors with innovative technologies.

During 2024, the results of the educational program have been highly positive:

One university in the region has joined the proposal, opening training spaces in decentralized finance.
Students from various disciplines have acquired practical knowledge about Polkadot, including the creation of wallets, staking, and the mint of digital assets.
We are starting a dialogue with academic institutions, so that they get to know Polkadot as an innovative and reliable network. • It spreads the word about education at La Bitconf, the oldest cryptographic event, where more than 10,000 people participate. In addition, this educational program highlights the versatility of Polkadot, showing how it can be a driver of change not only in DeFi, but also in areas such as digital identity, logistics, and smart infrastructures. The vision for the future is clear: to consolidate this educational proposal to make Polkadot a benchmark in financial education, blockchain technology, and resilient computing. This effort seeks not only to increase the recognition of the network, but also to have a positive impact on the region by forming generations trained to face the challenges of the digital world.

2. PROPOSAL

Project Proposal: Continuing Education in DeFi and NFT in Polkadot

The proposal includes the implementation of three sequential courses, which will serve as the basis for establishing a learning network on Polkadot in the region.

Part One: Introductory Course to DeFi in Polkadot

Description: A free course designed for beginners, which will cover basic DeFi concepts and how to use them in the Polkadot ecosystem.
Main topics: Introduction to staking, swaps, DEX, and basic DeFi security.
Dates: January 2025.

Part Two: Intermediate DeFi Course at Polkadot

Description: Course focused on deepening knowledge, addressing advanced yield farming strategies, liquid staking and decentralized lending.
Main topics: Yield optimization and multichain strategies.
Dates: March 2025.

Part Three: NFT Course at Polkadot

Description: Course to learn how to create, manage and trade NFT in the Polkadot ecosystem.
Main topics: Introduction to Unique Network, NFT creation, and decentralized marketplaces.
Dates: May 2025.

Supplementary Material: Copies of the book DeFi in Polkadot will be given to participants as part of the training program.

At least 200 Latin American students are expected to be impacted.

METRICS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF PREVIOUS COURSES

Course 1: DeFi in Polkadot V1 (January 2024) Enrolled: 80 people from 9 countries, including Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain, among others. Passed: 15 students (19%). Statistics:

80% had no or limited knowledge of the Polkadot ecosystem.
60% did not use a Polkadot wallet.
80% considered the content to be adequate.
90% would recommend the course.
90% rated the teacher as 7 (scale 1-7).

Course 2: DeFi Intermediate at Polkadot (July 2024) Enrolled: 64 people from 9 countries, including Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain, Honduras, among others. Passed: 10 students (16%). Statistics:

57% had no or limited knowledge of the Polkadot ecosystem.
57% did not use a Polkadot wallet.
83% felt that the content was adequate.
100% would recommend the course.
100% rated the teacher 6 or 7 (scale 1-7).

Additional achievements to the previous proposal In addition to meeting the proposed objectives, the following milestones were achieved with the previous proposal,

In addition to the planned delivery of NFT and physical books, “DeFi en Polkadot” books were sent to the Polkadot Colombia team.
An invitation to participate in the education panel of La Bitconf in Buenos Aires, the oldest cryptocurrency conference in the world with more than 10,000 attendees.
At La Bitconf, a relationship is established with the “Whabbit” community of creators, with whom we will seek to work on initiatives in the Polkadot ecosystem.
An introductory course to DeFi is held at the University of Santiago de Chile, a university with 176 years of history and more than 35,000 students. The course is a success. All students receive a book as a gift.
Presentation of the DeFi book at Polkadot at the University of Santiago, with the presence of university authorities, such as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, the Vice Rector of Research and other authorities. New connections are generated with other departments of the University for future collaborations.
Establishment of connections for future collaborations with two other interested universities, who learned about the initiatives carried out.
The DeFi online course at Polkadot has the participation of a Member of Parliament from Honduras and representatives of the Autonomous University of Honduras, which may be useful for future joint activities.

FUNCTIONS

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

The function of Program Director is created, with the following responsibilities:

Direct and coordinate training activities.
Maintain and strengthen relations with partner universities.
Expand the network of educational institutions interested in collaborating, particularly in Chile.
Supervise the execution of the courses and ensure their quality.

PROGRAM MANAGER

In order to improve the educational service and the student's experience, it is considered necessary to maintain and expand the Program Manager function by considering two people, with the following responsibilities:

Coordinate the preparation of class material and student support material, such as guides and assignments.
Manage communications with students by email, regarding schedules, contents, evaluations and workshops.
Manage queries and requests generated by students through the Telegram group of the community.
Manage class calendars, platform agendas, sending appointments, schedules, changes.
Manage class recording, save in shared repository and also share with students.
Manage the delivery of NFTBooks to students.
Manage the delivery of NFT certificates to students.

PROGRAM TEACHER

The role of the program teacher considers the following tasks,

Preparing and teaching the program classes.
Conducting the program workshops.
Generate assignments, evaluations and exams.
Delivering final grades.

OBJECTIVES

Free Education in DeFi and NFT: To provide fundamental and advanced knowledge so that participants can use DeFi and NFT tools in Polkadot.
Promote Polkadot Adoption: Foster interest and active participation in the Polkadot network, consolidating it as a viable option in Latin America.
Develop Autonomous Communities: Create empowered local communities that can share knowledge and replicate initiatives in their regions.
Foster Financial Inclusion: Democratize access to digital financial services in a region with high rates of banking exclusion.
Distribute Educational Resources: Facilitate access to knowledge through the free delivery of books, ensuring that they reach underserved sectors.

WORK REPORT

A detailed report will be provided for each course, including participation statistics, attendee feedback and educational impact analysis.

TOTAL BUDGET

Theachers fees 100 usd/hor 6.000 usd

2 Manager fee 500 usd/month 6.000 usd

Director fee 1000 usd/month 6.000 usd

Zoom account 1 year 150 usd

20 Gift physical books 25 usd +send 1.000 usd

200 Gift NFTBook 0 usd

Total 20.000 usd

a 7,8 usd/DOT, son 2.564 DOT

PROJECT LEADER

MacZam, is a professional with a solid background as an Engineer, Master in Finance and Investments, and Diploma in Cybersecurity, with an outstanding trajectory in the financial industry. MacZam is the creator of the “GreenBoard DeFi” channel on YouTube, where he shares his knowledge on decentralized finance. In addition to his work on digital platforms,

MacZam is the author of three books: “DeFi on Astar Network”, “NFT on Polkadot, not only for artists and collectors, but as the new way to build community” and “DeFi on Polkadot”. These works are available in digital and physical format through the Amazon platform and in web3 format on the Bluez Marketplace, deployed on Astar Network and Unique Market, deployed on the Unique blockchain. With a deep commitment to knowledge dissemination, MacZam has been an ambassador for Astar Network and Darwinia Network in Latin America. An admirer of the Polkadot project, he values its philosophy and the implementation of blockchain technology and today is an active member of the community, also participating in the Editorial Board.

Additionally, MacZam is the founder of the course “DeFi in Polkadot”, which is oriented to teach decentralized finance on the Polkadot ecosystem and has been taught online to students in Latin America in two versions, with the participation of students from 9 countries. Additionally, he has taught the course “Introduction to DeFi”, as part of the Vector program at the University of Santiago de Chile. MacZam is also part of the teaching staff of the Unlearning business school, where he develops the NFTs class and is Co-founder. MacZam is part of the first cohort of the Editorial Board of Polkadot in Spanish.

More information here.

https://cl.linkedin.com/in/macariozamoranofuentes

https://twitter.com/Criptomaczam1

https://www.youtube.com/@CriptoMacZam

https://www.amazon.com/DEFI-EN-ASTAR-NETWORK-DESCENTRALIZADAS-ebook/dp/B0CGCKMM5P

https://medium.com/@MacarioZamorano/dapp-staking-c26875b2038f

ANNEX

The following improvements have been incorporated into the proposal as a result of the feedback received.

I have been thinking about the following metrics.

1.Growth in Student Enrollment

• What it measures: The number of people enrolling in the course compared to the previous year.

• Why it matters: Reflects the growth of the educational activity.

• How to measure it:

• Formula: (Number of attendees in 2025 - Number of attendees in 2024) / Number of attendees in 2024 × 100.

2.Participant Retention

• What it measures: The proportion of people who complete the course compared to those who started it.

• Why it matters: Indicates the quality of the content and user experience.

• How to measure it:

• Formula: (Number of participants who completed the course / Initial number of participants) × 100.

Learning Assessment

• What it measures: The improvement in participants' technical knowledge before and after the course.

• Why it matters: Demonstrates whether the course’s learning objectives are being achieved.

• How to measure it:

• Compare results from initial tests or questionnaires (pre-test) with final ones (post-test).

NPS (Net Promoter Score)

• What it measures: Participants’ willingness to recommend the course to others.

• Why it matters: Provides insights into perceived impact and satisfaction.

• How to measure it:

• Key Question: "How likely are you to recommend this course?" on a scale from 1 to 10. • Formula: % Promoters - % Detractors.

Additionally, regarding additional objectives, I hope to advance conversations with other universities and houses of study to develop face-to-face activities and also forge a lasting link with universities, involving other actors in the ecosystem that can use this relationship for new collaborations.