Building the Future of Bitcoin Education

Bitcoin Magazine recently sat down with Lisa, founder of the Bitcoin++ and Base58 Bitcoin developer courses, to discuss her work and vision for structured education in the Bitcoin space.

Lisa’s journey in the Bitcoin space has been multifaceted. Currently, she works part-time with Blockstream on their core Lightning project, and she also runs Base58, a platform designed to provide intermediate and advanced developers with in-depth knowledge of Bitcoin technology developments. This initiative stems from her belief that structured training can significantly increase the capabilities of the Bitcoin development community.

“Like a good curriculum, structured instruction is difficult,” Lisa said. “I think the path that someone shows you about your information environment is really important in terms of your success,” she said.

Bitcoin LARP Game: Making Learning Fun

One of the standout initiatives led by Lisa is the Bitcoin LARP game. This innovative educational tool is designed to make learning about the technical aspects of Bitcoin accessible and enjoyable for people of all ages and backgrounds. The game breaks down complex concepts into engaging, practical activities so participants can gain confidence and a deeper understanding of Bitcoin.

Lisa shared her experience facilitating Mexico’s first Bitcoin LARP, highlighting how it brought together individuals from different regions and countries. The success of this initiative highlights the potential of interactive and immersive learning experiences in understanding the complexities of Bitcoin.

“Bitcoin LARP games are a great training tool for experienced engineers,” she explains. “It’s really fun to see people’s faces light up and realize, ‘Wait a minute, this is what I can do. This is what I can do,’ as all the pieces start to model themselves in their heads.”

Understanding Mempool

Lisa’s vision for Base58 includes expanding the curriculum to cover advanced topics such as Taproot, Lightning Network, and Covenants. One of the important components of Bitcoin transaction processing that Lisa highlights is the mempool. Her research and insights into mempool mechanisms reveal the subtle and often surprising ways they work, essential for developers seeking to optimize transaction efficiency.

“Mempool works in amazing ways,” Lisa said. “There are a lot of unclear aspects that can have a big impact on how transactions are handled and prioritized.”

Lisa explained that understanding mempool is important for developers looking to optimize transaction efficiency and fee management.

The importance of a good curriculum

Throughout the interview, Lisa reiterated the challenges and needs of good curriculum development. A well-structured training path not only provides learners with essential knowledge, but also builds their confidence in navigating Bitcoin’s technical landscape. Base58 aims to be a platform where anyone can teach Bitcoin-related classes, fostering a community of knowledgeable and skilled developers.

“It’s interesting how difficult it is to get a good education. A good curriculum is really important,” Lisa emphasized. “Seeing the outlook and charting a path for others is essential to successful learning.”

Future plans for Base58

In the future, Lisa plans to solidify Base58’s position as the best Bitcoin education platform. This includes creating new classes, securing non-profit status to offer scholarships, and enhancing the online learning experience. The goal is to create a robust structure where both seasoned developers and newcomers can find valuable resources to advance their understanding of and contributions to the Bitcoin ecosystem.

“Ideally, we want Base58 to be a place where if we have a class, we can run it here without worrying about finding students.” Lisa

explained. “Helping people get their classes together in person or online is a key goal.”

Lisa’s work on Bitcoin++ and Base58 is paving the way for a more educated and capable Bitcoin development community. By emphasizing structured training and innovative learning tools like the Bitcoin LARP game, she is helping the next generation of Bitcoin developers be equipped to build and advance the protocol.