AUTHOR=Espinoza S. , Kumar K. , Laredo F. , Compton K. , Yanik C. , Bishop-Currey L. , McCarthy-Page E. , Lukács B. , Weidener L. 
  
TITLE=DeSci EDU: course design and self-perceived evaluation in decentralized science education 
  
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Blockchain
  
VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2025
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/blockchain/articles/10.3389/fbloc.2025.1693540
  
DOI=10.3389/fbloc.2025.1693540
  
ISSN=2624-7852
  
ABSTRACT=IntroductionDecentralized science (DeSci) aims to address structural inefficiencies in traditional research yet lacks formal educational pathways.MethodsThis exploratory case study develops and evaluates an eight-week blended course, DeSci EDU, which combines theory-based seminars, scaffolded assignments, and alumni mentorship. Thirty-two participants completed pre-course self-assessments across ten blockchain and DeSci domains; 22 provided post-course data, and 11 supplied matched identifiers.ResultsCohort means increased by 41% for blockchain and 53% for DeSci, with the largest relative gains in governance mechanisms and token-based incentives. Matched-pair analysis showed comparable improvements (+51% and +58%).DiscussionThe early-career, highly educated sample and reliance on self-report limit generalizability and causal attribution. Nonetheless, the results suggest that a structured practice-oriented curriculum can quickly enhance DeSci literacy. Future iterations should integrate objective performance tasks, transversal competencies, and automated participant tracking to enable scalable and rigorous evaluation.