Bachelor 2019/2020

Blockchain Basics

Type: Elective course (Business Informatics)

Area of studies: Business Informatics

Delivered by: Department of Information Systems and Digital Infrastructure Management

Where: Graduate School of Business

When: 3 year, 1 module

Mode of studies: distance learning

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 4

Course Syllabus

Abstract

This first course of the Blockchain specialization provides a broad overview of the essential concepts of blockchain technology – by initially exploring the Bitcoin protocol followed by the Ethereum protocol – to lay the foundation necessary for developing applications and programming. You will be equipped with the knowledge needed to create nodes on your personal Ethereum blockchain, create accounts, unlock accounts, mine, transact, transfer Ethers, and check balances. You will learn about the decentralized peer-to-peer network, an immutable distributed ledger and the trust model that defines a blockchain. This course enables you to explain basic components of a blockchain (transaction, block, block header, and the chain) its operations (verification, validation, and consensus model) underlying algorithms, and essentials of trust (hard fork and soft fork). Content includes the hashing and cryptography foundations indispensable to blockchain programming, which is the focus of two subsequent specialization courses, Smart Contracts and Decentralized Applications (Dapps). You will work on a virtual machine image, specifically created for this course, to build an Ethereum test chain and operate on the chain. This hands-on activity will help you understand the workings of a blockchain, its transactions, blocks and mining. Main concepts are delivered through videos, demos and hands-on exercises.

Learning Objectives

• to recognize foundational concepts of blockchain

Expected Learning Outcomes

• application of blockchain concepts for solving applied tasks

Course Contents

• Blockchain Defined
  We will introduce and define blockchain, explain the structure and operational aspects of Bitcoin blockchain, and compare different types of blockchains.
• Ethereum Blockchain
  We will discuss the innovation of the Ethereum blockchain, review its protocol, and explore the payment model for code execution.
• Algorithms & Techniques
  We will discuss the concept of asymmetric key encryption, define the concept of hashing, and explain techniques that use algorithms to manage the integrity of transactions and blocks in blockchain.
• Trust Essential
  We will define elements of trust in blockchain and discuss the Consensus protocol.

Assessment Elements

• score for current work during the online classes (tutorials)
• Oral exam

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (1 module)
  0.4 * Oral exam + 0.6 * score for current work during the online classes (tutorials)

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Quiniou, M. (2019). Blockchain : The Advent of Disintermediation. London, UK: Wiley-ISTE. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=2147382
• Yaga, D., Mell, P., Roby, N., & Scarfone, K. (2019). Blockchain Technology Overview. https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8202

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Antonopoulos, A. M. (2017). Mastering Bitcoin : Programming the Open Blockchain (Vol. Second edition). Sebastopol, CA: Reilly - O’Reilly Media. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1533377
• Lee, D., & Deng, R. H. (2018). Handbook of Blockchain, Digital Finance, and Inclusion : Cryptocurrency, FinTech, InsurTech, Regulation, ChinaTech, Mobile Security, and Distributed Ledger. London, United Kingdom: Academic Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=1348391