Class Assignment
A few weeks ago I gave an essay assignment to all 4 of my ICT classes (which means I graded upwards of 180 essays; should have been over 200 but many students didn’t turn it in). The question was simple: “How do you imagine technology will affect your culture in the next 5, 10, and 20 years?”
My goal wasn’t to get anything from class regurgitated, but rather to see if they could apply what we’d discussed this term in a somewhat creative and self-aware manner. Reading all the responses gave me a whole new perspective on how the material I’m teaching will always be received in a fundamentally different manner from that which I originally imagine it is, due to our respective cultural filters. I ended up writing down quotes from nearly every paper I received; here are my favourites:
Doomsday and Roses:
- “Technology will destroy the world.”
- “Technology will make the world a peaceful and beautiful place.”
- “Technology will not allow us to live in peace in this world.”
- “The future will be very enjoyable due to technology.”
- “People use technology to tell lies, because of this in 5 years we will suffer a lot in the nation.”
- “Corruption and robbery all will end and it will be peaceful in the world.”
“…And get off my lawn too!”
- “In the olden days, you wouldn’t see West African young ladies wearing all this short dressing that we are experiencing nowadays. I suppose that it is the modern experiences that is affecting us all. In 10 years coming we will see that our young sisters will wear an underwear only and say that it is the modern thing.”
- “In the future man will leave the planet and build a mansion and stay there through technology, which is very greedy because God created men in His image and has given them the place to live and worship Him and you don’t want to establish yourself on another place which is very very bad.”
Reminders that I’m not in Kansas any more:
- In the next 20 years there will be a computer/laptop in everyone’s house. (similar statement was made in multiple essays)
- “Technology will help us to get off the planet and this universe in the nearest future. It will even help us get to the sky to see how the moon, the sun, and the stars look like from the sky.”
- “In 10 years communication will be easier and faster because at that time when you get your mobile it can call a person in America or any place you like.”
- “In the next five years cell phones will have special receivers which will pick calls and answer them in the owner’s own voice.”
- “In the future digital cameras will take pictures and print them at the same time.”
- “In the next 10 years I expect technology to be improved to produce automatic tanker systems which will provide every home with water.”
- “There will be robots and machines which will collect litters from the streets to improve upon sanitation and stop diseases.”
- “In the next 10 years mobiles will be cheap for even adolescents to buy their own.”
- “In 10 years the prices will be very cheap so that every individual can afford to get at least one computer in his or her life.”
- “In the future they will be sending text messages even if the person is just near you.”
- “There will someday be a new technique of teaching in the classroom by the aid of internet. Through the use of internet students will not find it difficult in learning and writing their notes, because theories and notes will be internetted directly into their various computers.”
- “In 20 years all feeder roads will be tiled.” (or “all minor roads will be surfaced”)
- “In 10 years time they will not use chalk to write on chalk boards because there will be a flat screen for teachers to use with the computer instead.”
- “Students will not go and sit in class to learn but rather use the internet from home.”
- “In 10 years time people will no longer need cash but can simply use an E-Zwitch card whenever they make a purchase.” (E-Zwitch is an independent debit card provider emerging in West Africa)
