THE ACCOUNTANT_AUTUMN_2018_VER-7-L

FEATURE
them from opening bank accounts. This does not mean
that anti-money laundering procedures are not to be
adhered to, but it would completely change the prospects
of genuine individuals who seek higher education outside
their countries. Governments, too, can issue scholarships
at universities and monies could be released either to
the student or the institution itself based on predefined
criteria using smart contracts.
What advantages does it offer to educators?
Blockchain technology can help academics to publish their
research on an open platform while keeping track of not
only viewership but use of such research material. In the
same way, educators can have quick access to information
and research produced by other colleagues. Through
blockchain, teachers can be rewarded based on the actual
use of training or research materials provided, through
the creation of a specific coin(s), which coin(s) could be
attributed a monetary value.
Platforms are being created to provide educators with a
flexible educational hub. Through these hubs, educators
can directly connect, plan and confirm courses. Meanwhile,
students will be able to place requests for specific courses
to which teachers can reply directly. This can be anything
from a short introductory course to a complete program
of studies.
Another crucial theme for educators is Continuous
Professional Development (CPD), which is often
fragmented and rarely recorded in an adequate manner.
A blockchain system could collate information and record
attendance to CPD courses and other forms of learning
while teachers and other professionals would be able
to receive guidance from trusted providers. This would
create a further incentive to enhance, not only the quantity
of their CPD hours, but most importantly the quality.
Clearly, blockchain technology has application across the
whole education system. At the same time, however, the
reputation of the school, college or university will still play
an important part and students and educators need to go
beyond the trust that is provided by the technology.
The principal obstacle to the implementation of blockchain
technology not only in the educational system but in all
its applications is its scalability. Whilst there are several
benefits the technology does present areas of concern,
namely: GDPR loss of cryptocurrencies, as well as moneylaundering
issues, just to mention a few. Blockchain cannot
be considered in isolation and it requires a cultural shift in
the way we interact with technology before we can fully
embrace its potential and enjoy the benefits it brings to
the learning community.
PRESCRIBING CREATIVITY AND
HUMOUR IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS
Humour is universal, and it is considered the most creative
aspect of language. Humour is, therefore, one of the
most important topics in the study of communication.
The benefits of a healthy sense of humour has long been
recognized: our ability to laugh, feel joy and happiness
helps us appreciate the beauty in any loving relationship.
The sharing of humour and laughter, in fact, plays a
significant part in social bonding. Women are attracted
to men who make them laugh while men are attracted
to women who laugh at their humour (Martin, 2007).
It has also been shown that, in a long-term relationship,
women’s humour may be even more important for the
maintenance of a relationship.
The child in us
‘Falling in love’ is very often related to an uncontrollable
and crazy feeling. Similarly, creativity is also associated with
being free, crazy and uninhibited. Maintaining love means
maintaining this ‘falling in love’ syndrome throughout
your life. Both humour and creativity use spontaneity and
surprise to activate a smile and a feel-good factor. Both
sets of skills can bring out ‘the child in you’, which is one
of the keys for success in a relationship. An unexpected ‘I
love you’ note or a bunch of red roses, an impulsive hug,
a spontaneous kiss, a sudden invitation to swim with the
dolphins all contribute to a sincere and inspired smile. The
child in us triggers fun, relaxation and happiness. The child
in us also helps us use ‘self-deprecation’ in those moments
in which we need to be human. Being able to laugh and
share our imperfections and our embarrassing moments
can induce potential joy while also playing a significant part
in social bonding.Our quality of life is killed if we suffer from
a deficiency in humour dosage.
Stuttering, Creativity and Humour
What about humour and relationship to clients in the
therapeutic setting? In anything one does, passion is
essential. I, for example, ampassionate both in my work as a
speech language pathologist and fluency specialist, as well
as in my interest in humour research. It just happened that
DR JOSEPH AGIUS
DR. JOSEPH AGIUS IS
A EUROPEAN FLUENCY
SPECIALIST/ SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST WITH SPECIAL
INTEREST IN HUMOUR RESEARCH.
theaccountant.org.mt
59