Abstract:

This paper presents ALEX (Active Learning EXperience), a decentralized, offline-first learning environment designed to overcome the structural limitations of traditional Learning Management Systems (LMSs). Aligned with Education 4.0 principles, ALEX fosters learner autonomy, resilience, and inclusivity by integrating project-based and flipped learning methodologies with emerging Web3 technologies. The platform leverages blockchain smart contracts to enable performance-based task incentives and decentralized credentialing, while peer-to-peer storage through the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) ensures resilient and equitable access to educational content, even in low-bandwidth contexts. ALEX’s offline-first architecture allows seamless learning experiences without continuous connectivity, addressing critical access gaps in underserved regions. Unlike previous decentralized LMS prototypes, ALEX holistically combines decentralized storage, blockchain-based incentive and funding systems, and active learning workflows into a coherent pedagogical and technological infrastructure. We describe ALEX's architecture, implementation, and pilot deployments, reporting usability feedback and learning outcomes from project-based initiatives with university students. Findings indicate high learner engagement, operational resilience, and the development of transversal skills, though they also reveal challenges related to user onboarding and interaction with decentralized systems. Based on these insights, we identify critical technical, pedagogical, and ethical challenges, and outline future research directions towards scalable, inclusive, and learner-centered decentralized learning networks. ALEX thus provides a working blueprint for reimagining LMS architectures beyond centralized paradigms, contributing to the broader vision of Education 4.0 through the synergy of active pedagogies and Web3 infrastructures.

Keywords:

Active Learning, Student-Centered Learning, Project-Based Learning (PjBL), Flipped Learning, Web3, Decentralized Learning, Offline-First Architecture, Blockchain in Education.