What is #APRENDOcripto?

#APRENDOcripto is our flagship educational program, designed to empower young people in Latin America with knowledge in Blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and personal finance.

This program is conducted in person in vulnerable neighborhoods across Latin America, which requires significant logistical and organizational efforts. However, this format allows us to provide a more personalized learning experience, tailored to the needs of each student, significantly increasing the chances of creating a real and lasting impact on the participants.

Early Experiences and Lessons

In the early editions of #APRENDOcripto, we faced several challenges and learned key lessons. During the pilot workshop, we realized that it wasn’t enough to master the program's content; the challenge lay in adapting the material and language to align with the realities and prior knowledge of young people from vulnerable communities. This allowed us to build on their existing understanding before introducing the technical knowledge of the course. This adjustment was implemented in the second edition, highlighting the importance of continually iterating on the workshop's approach and content to effectively meet our goals.

We also learned valuable lessons about how to recruit students for the workshops. In the first workshop, held in Barrio 31 in Buenos Aires, the recruitment was managed by a local church, which resulted in a high level of participation. For the second edition, however, we conducted a direct "door-to-door" recruitment ourselves. This strategy resulted in lower attendance due to the lack of prior groundwork in the community and the residents' unfamiliarity with our initiative.

These experiences taught us that it is crucial to:

• Tailor the courses to the realities of the target audience.

• Establish strong relationships with local organizations that can provide spaces and assist in recruiting students.

#APRENDOcripto Objectives:

• Teach personal finance knowledge and planning, saving, and investment tools that are useful for students' personal development and necessary for understanding Blockchain technology and participating safely in the ecosystem.

• Introduce participants to blockchain technology and the crypto ecosystem, highlighting its use cases and the job and entrepreneurship opportunities that this emerging industry can offer.

• Teach specific technological tools that reduce the digital divide and enhance the personal and professional development of the participants.

• Encourage graduates to join the #comunidadAPRENDO program, connecting young people with similar interests in a collaborative learning journey within the tech world.

#APRENDOcripto Curriculum

#APRENDOcripto consists of five in-person theoretical and practical sessions, each lasting two hours. The content of each workshop is as follows:

• Financial Education: Introductory concepts on personal finance, savings, and investment tools.

• Blockchain Technology and the Crypto Ecosystem: A theoretical introduction to the technical principles behind blockchain technology and its main use cases.

• Advanced Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence: Presentation of projects and narratives derived from blockchain technology (DAOs, NFTs, DeFi, etc.) and the use of AI tools like ChatGPT.

• Cybersecurity and Opportunities in the Ecosystem: Best practices and tips for navigating the internet safely and avoiding scams.

• #comunidadAPRENDO: We introduce participants to the benefits of joining this virtual learning community and invite them to continue developing their skills after completing #APRENDOcripto.

In our next article, we will dive deeper into #comunidadAPRENDO, exploring how it came about, its objectives, and the learning initiatives for its members.

Learning Methodologies

At #APRENDOcripto, we use a combination of educational methods, including traditional classes, self-organized learning environments (SOLE), and gamification.

• Traditional Classes: We offer structured sessions where teachers present theoretical and practical content directly, ensuring that students grasp the fundamental concepts of the course.

• SOLE Exercises: This methodology, developed by Professor Sugata Mitra, encourages autonomy and collaborative learning. During classes, students work in groups to research complex questions and find answers independently, with minimal teacher intervention. This fosters independent exploration and teamwork.

• Gamification: At the start of each workshop edition, students are divided into teams to tackle various tasks and challenges, earning points for completing them. At the end of the course, the team with the most points is awarded a prize. This method makes learning more dynamic and motivating, promoting collaboration and active participation among students.

Regional Expansion: From Buenos Aires to All of Argentina

After several successful editions in Buenos Aires, we set out to expand #APRENDOcripto to other provinces in Argentina. To achieve this, we developed a replicable methodology that allowed us to bring the workshop to different regions of the country. We remotely coordinated and trained the teachers, and this strategy proved to be highly effective.

International Expansion: Bringing #APRENDOcripto to Latin America

With a year and a half of experience and promising results, we decided to intensify our efforts. We expanded our reach to other Latin American countries with the ambitious goal of taking the workshop to an international level. This expansion has not only increased our geographic presence but also enriched the program with diverse cultural perspectives, furthering our mission to close the digital divide across the region.

#APRENDOcripto Impact

So far, #APRENDOcripto has trained over 900 young people in more than 50 editions, with a focus on gender equity, achieving 48% female participation. Beyond education, the program fosters a learning community that extends beyond the classroom and continues to grow.

Throughout our editions, #APRENDOcripto has proven to be much more than just an educational program. It has built a bridge between theory and practice, providing young people in Latin America with essential tools for their personal and professional development.

Planting Seeds for the Future

Our journey is just beginning. With each new edition, we are planting the seeds of innovation and progress in vulnerable communities across Latin America. The knowledge we share today is empowering a generation of young people to face and transform the challenges of the digital future.

Join APRENDO’s Mission!

If you are passionate about financial education and blockchain technology, you can join our mission by supporting our initiatives, participating in our workshops, or sharing our content to amplify our impact.

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Together, we can bridge the digital divide and create new opportunities for young people in our region!