We will publish a peer reviewed paper to discover and address misconceptions about dReps and Cardano for an Empowered Adoption Roadmap (日本語訳 | 普通话翻译 | 한국어 번역)

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Robert Danielson, PhD

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

drep.catalyst.research@gmail.com

Additional applicants

Alexander James, MA

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

8

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

No

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

Yes

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] Category of proposal

Education

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Plain language summary:

Cardano content is far from scarce. From IOG's official announcements to thousands of YouTubers exploring the protocol, the digital ether is thick with information. Many Catalyst projects earnestly aim to enlighten newcomers about the Cardano ecosystem, and the dRep role and voting system. Yet, despite these efforts, glaring and damaging misconceptions about Cardano continue to thrive, perplexing both newbies and crypto veterans alike.

You might be asking, why is that? Surely, if we keep flooding the space with accurate information, these misconceptions will eventually wash away, right? Well, the reality is quite contrary. The 'if we build it, they will come' approach doesn't always hit the mark when it comes to shifting paradigms.

The truth is, simply presenting more and more information doesn't necessarily change minds. Why? Because many communicators lack an understanding of how to truly facilitate conceptual change. The good news? That's where we come in.

As far as we know, no one has systematically tackled the terrain of Cardano misconceptions, nor have they used research-based methods to shape the best ways to eradicate misconceptions and instigate conceptual change. That's where our project takes root.

With over 20 years of combined expertise in Educational Psychology and Technical Project Management, our team is set to gather the data and conduct a necessary conceptual change study. Our aim is to gain a precise understanding of the barriers to entry into the Cardano ecosystem, and the specific conceptual challenges faced by dReps, leading to their subpar participation.

Once our study is complete, we're not going to squirrel it away in a drawer somewhere. We plan to publish our findings in a peer-reviewed open access journal. We believe in open information and making our insights available to everyone, to the benefit of the broader crypto community.

In essence, we are not just building more content and hoping for the best. We are strategically targeting and breaking down the barriers that stand between potential dReps and their engagement with Cardano's transformative potential. In short, we're not just building it - we're paving the path to make sure they will come."

TL;DR:

Our project targets persistent misconceptions about Cardano and dReps, obstacles that curb community participation despite an array of available resources. Guided by a team of experts in educational psychology and technical program management, we propose in-depth research to elucidate these misconceptions, thereby establishing the much-needed empirical basis for enhancing dRep adoption. Our strategy involves recognizing the role of prior knowledge and embarking on a conceptual change study. Our ultimate objective is not just to boost dRep participation and improve the caliber of discussions and decisions, but also to offer open-source findings for future researchers. This will empower the community to create a more effective adoption roadmap for dReps, Catalyst, and the Cardano ecosystem at large.

日本語訳

普通话翻译

한국어 번역

Formal description:

Problem Perception and Approach Rationale:

Our understanding of the problem is that significant, glaring, and even damaging misconceptions about Cardano and dReps persist for both newcomers and seasoned participants in the crypto-space alike. Despite the abundance of content about Cardano created by IOG, Cardano Foundation, Catalyst Projects, and many enthusiasts, these misconceptions continue to be barriers to entry and active participation.

As a team consisting of an educational psychologist and a technical program manager, we firmly believe in the power of research and strategic education in combating this misinformation. We are presenting a research proposal to clarify the major barriers to becoming dReps, misconceptions around dReps, the Cardano ecosystem, and even the concept of decentralization and decentralized governance on Cardano.

The urgent need for our project becomes evident when one considers it as a foundation upon which other dRep-related efforts should be built. The current participation rate in Catalyst voting is less than 20%, and a startling 30% of these voters apparently cast their votes randomly, without even reading the proposals. How can we justify investing in the creation of more tools to foster dRep usage if we haven’t first addressed the root cause behind the lackluster participation rates?

Our project aims to systematically investigate and identify these obstacles and misconceptions to understand the fundamental causes behind poor dRep participation. This research will provide the foundational, empirical data necessary to inform and shape an effective, targeted roadmap for enhancing dRep adoption. Without this foundational understanding, any further work or investment in the dRep space might be misdirected, leading to wasted resources and diminished potential impact.

Our approach is based on the understanding that prior knowledge greatly impacts the learning process. Most of the time, prior knowledge is a great advantage. For example, coming into an advanced mathematics course after having mastered a number of foundational mathematics courses will, all things considered, grant you an advantage over your peers. However, if prior knowledge conflicts with new information, it creates a challenge. For example, trying to learn how to navigate the Linux operating system, after spending years utilizing Windows or macOS might be more painful and problematic than if you started with Linux and then tried to learn Windows. This difficult process of re-classifying knowledge is referred to as conceptual change, and it can be notoriously difficult to overcome through either dialog or educational contexts. This phenomenon is seen in various areas, such as climate change and human evolution, and we suspect that it applies to the Cardano ecosystem as well. Therefore, our approach involves creating and empirically testing multiple conceptual change interventions to dispel these misconceptions.

Engagement:

Our project will engage a wide range of Cardano community members, newcomers, existing participants, and potential dReps. By exposing and addressing misconceptions, we aim to make the Cardano ecosystem more accessible and engaging.

Impact Demonstration:

We'll demonstrate the impact of our project by systematically documenting the landscape of Cardano-related misconceptions and applying research-based methods to counteract them. This process will involve publishing our findings in a peer-reviewed, open access journal, providing transparency and accessibility of our work. We'll also measure engagement metrics with our educational content to evaluate reach and uptake. Ultimately, not only will an increase in dRep participation and improved quality of discussions and decisions indicate our project's success, but the transparency and open source data and findings will ensure future researchers can replicate and extend our findings.

[IMPACT] How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

Our proposed solution directly addresses the challenge:

Here's how:

1. Engineering of decentralization and/or distribution of decision-making advances for the Catalyst Voting System: Our project intends to improve the understanding and engagement of potential and existing dReps in the Cardano ecosystem. This is directly related to advancing the state of decentralization and the distribution of decision-making within the Catalyst Voting System, as it aims to increase the participation rate of informed voters.
2. Systemic improvements (Technical or Procedural) that streamline or otherwise enhances Project Catalyst processes: By identifying and addressing misconceptions, our project can guide procedural enhancements to educate and onboard new and existing members more effectively. These insights can streamline the process of becoming a dRep and improve the overall Project Catalyst processes.
3. Academic research that clearly defines a known Catalyst-specific problem-space where the intention is to identify facts and/or clearly stated opinions that will likely assist in solving Catalyst-specific problems, or a detailed study of a Catalyst-specific subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding: This aspect aligns perfectly with our proposed solution, as it involves research to identify the main barriers and misconceptions about the Catalyst, the Cardano ecosystem and dReps. The findings from our research can inform solutions to increase participation and improve the effectiveness of decision-making within Project Catalyst.

Thus, our project's intention to research and address misconceptions to increase dRep participation and the quality of decision-making could make valuable contributions to Catalyst Systems Improvements.

By aiming to elevate the understanding and engagement of potential and existing dReps in the Cardano ecosystem. By systematically identifying and addressing misconceptions about Cardano and its decentralized governance model, we're taking a crucial step towards improving the effectiveness of decision-making within the ecosystem.

The foundational nature of our project lies in its potential to provide the data necessary for forming a robust adoption roadmap for dReps. Our research will serve as a groundwork upon which strategies for improving participation and engagement can be built, grounded in a more accurate understanding of the existing barriers and misconceptions.

The benefits that our project will bring to the Cardano community are multi-faceted. Firstly, by rectifying misconceptions, we aim to increase the participation rate of dReps and thereby increase diversity, which is critical to maintaining decentralization. Additionally, by providing clear and accurate information, we will also empower voters to make informed decisions, resulting in improved quality of decisions and proposals within the ecosystem.

The impact of this project on Cardano will be tangible and far-reaching. By making the ecosystem more accessible and understandable, we expect to attract new participants to the community, contributing to its growth. Furthermore, our project will also strengthen the ecosystem by addressing a key problem - misinformation and misconceptions – which are common barriers to effective participation and informed decision-making.

Quantifying the impact, we hope to see a significant rise in the number of dReps participating from diverse backgrounds within a year of implementing our project. We also aim to see a considerable increase in the percentage of voters voting 'carefully', indicating a higher level of informed decision-making. However, we will also have a direct impact on the individuals engaged in our studies. In this way, even if we fail to increase the number of dReps participating, we will uncover significant misconceptions in the community and show significant knowledge gains for those who participate. 

Of course, the timing and exact numbers will depend on several factors, including the prevalence of the misconceptions we aim to rectify and the effectiveness of our educational interventions. However, we're confident that our systematic, research-based approach will have a notable positive impact on the Cardano ecosystem.

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TL;DR:

Our project offers a solution that tackles misconceptions about Cardano and its decentralized governance model, aiming to enhance understanding and engagement within the Cardano ecosystem. The foundational aspect of our project, through systematic identification of misconceptions, will serve as the groundwork for an effective adoption roadmap for dReps.

[IMPACT] How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

Increase in the number of dReps: We will track the number of dReps onboarded before and after the implementation of our project. An increase in this number will indicate that our educational content and interventions are effectively clearing misconceptions and motivating people to become dReps. Though this wouldn't be solely attributable to our efforts, we would certainly consider this an indication of success. 

Improved voter decision-making: We aim to increase the percentage of voters voting 'carefully'. A significant increase in this percentage would indicate that our efforts to educate the community and rectify misconceptions are resulting in more informed decision-making.  

Pre and Post-Assessment: Part of our proposed approach would include conducting assessments before and after users engage with our content to gauge their understanding or misconceptions around the topics of decentralization, dReps, and Cardano. By comparing the two, we can directly measure how our content is contributing to dispelling misconceptions and enhancing understanding. Further we will capture demographic information as part of our data collection. This allows us to gain clear insights into misconceptions held by particular groups, as well as other trends.

These measures are realistic as they directly reflect the aims of our project and are achievable with the methodology we have proposed. They allow us to gauge both the immediate and long-term effects of our interventions.

In terms of Cardano’s productivity and growth, our project is expected to enhance the overall understanding and engagement within the ecosystem in the short term. This will foster more informed decision-making, leading to more effective and beneficial outcomes in Catalyst and other governance processes.

In the long term, the systematic removal of misconceptions and barriers can lead to a larger, more diverse, and more engaged community. This increased participation and improved decision-making have the potential to accelerate Cardano's growth and evolution, ensuring that it continues to remain decentralized and robust in the face of future challenges and opportunities.

[IMPACT] Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

Our plan to share the outputs and results of our project involves a multi-pronged strategy to ensure the widest possible dissemination and application of our findings:

Open Access Publication: We intend to publish the results of our research in peer-reviewed open access journals. This will not only expose our work to peer review, ensuring its quality and rigor, but also make it freely available to anyone interested in understanding and addressing misconceptions around Cardano, dReps, and decentralized governance. We will also publish all educational content, pre/post assessments, and de-identified data. 

Educational Content: The educational content that we create based on our research findings will be made freely available across various platforms. This could include platforms like YouTube, Medium, Cardano community forums, and social media channels, to name a few.

Community Engagement: We will actively engage with the Cardano community, presenting our findings at virtual meetups, webinars, or even in-person events. This will allow us to directly interact with the community, clarify their doubts, and gather their insights to further refine our content and approach.

Partnerships with Other Catalyst Projects: We are open to collaborating with other Catalyst projects that are working towards the same end. By sharing our research findings and methodologies, we can enhance the overall effectiveness of educational efforts within the Cardano ecosystem.

As for the utilization of the results generated from the project in further research and development activities, they will form a solid foundation for future work. We can delve deeper into particular misconceptions that prove especially resistant to change or explore the effectiveness of different types of educational content. Furthermore, our results can also inform other projects working on similar issues in other blockchain ecosystems, thus contributing to the broader blockchain community.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Our team is uniquely positioned to deliver on this project with high levels of trust and accountability, based on our combined expertise in educational psychology, technology program management, and content development.

Robert Danielson, an educational psychologist, brings over a decade of experience in using quantitative and qualitative research methods to address learning barriers. His work, backed by over 25 peer-reviewed publications and nearly $2m in funded projects, attests to his ability to handle complex research projects with professionalism and integrity. Furthermore, his recent work on conceptual change, which is central to our project, bolsters our capacity to tackle the specific challenges of this project. His most recent work includes a meta-analysis of studies leveraging refutational approaches to overcoming misconceptions (funded by the National Science Foundation) and a textbook chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Educational Psychology on teaching for conceptual change. 

Alexander James, with his extensive experience in technology program management and content development, strengthens our project's implementation side. His track record of driving successful technology adoption and value-realization projects, in various contexts from startups to government agencies, lends credibility to our capability to deliver. His graduate-level training in qualitative research methodologies further enhances our research capacity.

We both have a clear understanding of the importance of trust and accountability in projects, particularly in the crypto space where transparency is paramount. We are committed to maintaining open communication with the Cardano community, regularly updating them on our progress, challenges, and learnings. We are also open to undergoing any necessary reviews or audits to ensure the utmost accountability.

Finally, our shared passion for the Cardano ecosystem and belief in its potential to revolutionize the way we transact and interact assures our dedication to delivering a project that truly benefits the community.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals of our project are as follows:

Systematically Identify Misconceptions: The first step is to document the most prevalent misconceptions about the Cardano ecosystem and the role of dReps, specifically within the developer community.

Validation: We will validate this goal through the completion of an extensive research report detailing these misconceptions, their origins, and their impact on the community.

Undertake a Conceptual Change Study: Following the identification of these misconceptions, we aim to discern the most effective means of facilitating conceptual change to foster a more accurate understanding of Cardano and decentralized governance.

Validation: This will be validated through the creation and execution of a research study protocol, followed by analysis of the gathered data.

Dissemination of Findings: We will make our findings widely available, through publishing the study in an open access, peer-reviewed journal.

Validation: The acceptance and subsequent publication of our study in a reputable journal will serve as validation of this goal.

Creation of Educational Content: Armed with the results of our study, we plan to produce and distribute educational content designed to address the identified misconceptions.

Validation: We will gauge the feasibility of this goal by tracking the development and distribution of our content. Feedback from the community and user engagement metrics (views, shares, comments, etc.) will serve as qualitative and quantitative measures of success.

From a technical perspective, the implementation of our approach mainly involves extensive research and content creation, areas where our team has significant experience. The feasibility of our approach hinges largely on the strength of our methodology and our commitment to rigor, areas that we have successfully navigated in our past works. As for highly experimental elements, we will apply research-based methods and ensure that our processes are transparent, allowing us to adjust our approach based on the feedback and results obtained.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Please see our detailed project plan here: https://bit.ly/catalyst-detailed-project-plan

Initial Discovery Completion - This includes identification of misconceptions, defining the assessment metric, potential impacts, and defining high-level categories of misconceptions.

Quantitative Data Discovery Completion - This milestone includes building and launching the survey, and analyzing its outputs to define the most prevalent and impactful misconceptions.

Completion of First Round of Qualitative Data Discovery - This includes conducting observational data gathering, contacting potential informants, interviewing them, and conducting initial coding of the data gathered.

Completion of Second Round of Qualitative Data Discovery - This includes conducting a second round of informed observational data gathering, interviewing more nominated informants, and conducting secondary coding of the data gathered.

Completion of Data Analysis - Conducting thematic and/or discourse analysis on the data collected to identify core misconceptions around Cardano.

Completion of Conceptual Change Study - A literature review, generation of misconception and refutational materials, recruiting study participants, presenting the study materials to participants, gathering data, analyzing results, writing up results, and preparing them for publication.

Dissemination of Study Results - This includes circulating reports or memos on the findings to relevant researchers, holding workshops, making presentations at research conferences, preparing articles for publication in appropriate scholarly journals, creating a public website to host reports, and organizing workshops at conferences.

Preparation and Submission of Summary Report for Catalyst Community - This includes defining what kind of content would achieve the desired conceptual change, content design, creation, and distribution.

Each of these milestones represents a significant step towards achieving the overall goal of our project. They provide clear points of progress that can be tracked, reviewed, and used to communicate the project's status to the community, which we plan to do by way of regular blog updates via an outlet like Substack or elsewhere.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Initial Discovery: The deliverables will be a comprehensive report detailing the potential misconceptions around Cardano, the assessment metric for these misconceptions, and their potential impacts. The outcome is to set the foundation for subsequent research phases and provide initial insights into common misconceptions about Cardano.

Quantitative Data Discovery: The deliverables will be a survey focused on potential and/or apparent misconceptions, along with a documented justification for the choice of forum for survey launch. The intended outcome is to gain quantifiable data regarding the prevalence and impact of misconceptions.

Completion of First Round of Qualitative Data Discovery: The deliverables will include documentation of the observational data gathering process, transcripts from informant interviews, and initial coding of gathered data. The intended outcome is to provide a nuanced understanding of misconceptions about Cardano from a qualitative perspective.

Completion of Second Round of Qualitative Data Discovery: The deliverables will consist of a second round of observational data and informant interview transcripts, along with a refined coding of gathered data. The intended outcome is to solidify the findings from the first round of qualitative data discovery and expand the understanding of the identified misconceptions.

Completion of Data Analysis: The main deliverable will be a comprehensive report of the thematic or discourse analysis on the gathered data, identifying the core misconceptions around Cardano. The intended outcome is to provide a finalized, data-backed list of prevalent and impactful misconceptions.

Completion of Conceptual Change Study: The deliverables will include a written report detailing the process and results of the study, including generated misconception and refutation/educational materials. The intended outcome is to assess the effectiveness of these educational materials in changing the misconceptions around Cardano.

Dissemination of Study Results: The deliverables will consist of reports or memos, workshop and conference presentations, and articles for scholarly journals. Additionally, a public website hosting the reports and the full database will be created. The intended outcome is to widely disseminate the findings of this project and stimulate discussion and further research.

Preparation and Submission of Summary Report for Catalyst Community: The deliverables will include a high-level summary of the findings tailored for the Catalyst and Cardano community, along with a set of talking points and an infographic. The intended outcome is to raise awareness in the community about the prevalent misconceptions and provide tools for countering these misconceptions.

Each of these milestones will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the misconceptions about dReps, decentralized governance, and Cardano generally, and will provide the Catalyst community and the larger Cardano ecosystem with the information and tools they need to counter these misconceptions effectively.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

Primary Researchers Compensation:

We anticipate two primary researchers (the joint applicants, Robert and Alexander, listed above) working on the project for a total of approximately 675 hours. This includes time spent on the research, development, data analysis, content creation, and distribution aspects of the project.

Breakdown:

Estimated time: 675 hours

Estimated cadence: 10 sprints, each consisting of between 10-and-12 days

Rate: $37/hour

Total: $24,975 per researcher

Overall: $24,975 * 2 = $49,950

Expenses & Participation Incentives:

There will be expenses related to subscriptions, fees associated with publication, and other incidental costs.

Additionally, given the importance of obtaining quality data from interview participants, some funds will be set aside to offer as participation incentives. This could help ensure high-quality responses and a broad pool of participants. We intend to pay the participants where possible in ADA, which will also serve as a validation step in some instances that they are active in the Caradno ecosystem, at least to some extent.

Breakdown:

Total: $1000

Thus we request 200,000 ADA or approximately $50,000 USD (if valued at .25 USD/ADA)

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

Our project costs primarily reflect the time and effort of two highly experienced professionals, Robert Danielson and Alexander James, who bring over 20 years of combined experience in education, research, and technical program management. We estimated our effort at $37/hour, which is quite reasonable considering the average rates for professionals with similar qualifications and experiences in our respective fields.

The value for the Cardano ecosystem is multi-faceted.

Addressing Community Misconceptions: First, our project directly addresses an identified problem within the community: misconceptions about the Cardano ecosystem and the role of Delegate Representatives (dReps). By clarifying these misconceptions, we aim to facilitate more participation and more effective decision-making within the Catalyst voting system.

Research-based Approach and Dissemination: Second, our approach is methodical and research-based, incorporating the principles of educational psychology to understand and rectify common misconceptions. Our plan to publish the results in an open access, peer-reviewed journal also ensures that the findings will be verified and widely accessible to the Cardano community and beyond.

Long-term Ecosystem Growth: Third, the potential long-term benefits of our work are substantial. By improving understanding and engagement in the Cardano ecosystem, we contribute to a healthier, more informed, and more democratic blockchain community. Over time, these benefits could lead to more effective proposals, higher-quality discussions, and better decisions, resulting in overall growth and progress for Cardano.

Community Engagement: By regularly updating the community through blog posts, we are also fostering an ongoing conversation about Cardano, keeping the community engaged and invested in the project.

In summary, while the cost may appear high at a first glance, the value it brings to the Cardano ecosystem through improved community engagement, informed decision-making, and future growth potential makes it a worthy investment.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.

I Accept