Extra Credit

The Fun They Had

By: Isaac Asimov

Question:

1. What are some of the positive aspects of school in 2157?

Some of the positive aspects I find in the school in 2157 are that the children have mechanical teachers that adjust to fit the mind of every student since each student has different ways of learning. I find this a positive aspect because then every student has work to do on their very own level of intelligence. Also this way the mechanical teacher has all the time needed and provided to make sure that the student knows and understands what he/she are doing. Another positive aspect is that the "school" is actually in their home, meaning that the students have special rooms in which they have their classes in. This way, there is no way a student would be late for class and feels much more comfortable in the whole environment. The last good aspect is that lots of trees are saved because no longer anything is done on paper. Everything is done through technology and the tree and the nature is saved. Thanks to no more use of trees in such big amounts, there are more trees on Earth as more oxygen.

  2. What do you think would be some of the drawbacks or downsides to school in 2157?

There are definitely lots of drawbacks. Firstly, the kids in those generations have no idea of how school looked like before, and what a book is. Books are rare to find and they are very interesting for the people that find them. Secondly, I find it very stupid to underestimate teachers and human people by comparing them to robots which is actually technology. The weirdest thing is that it seems like all those people living in the future believe that robots are smarter than people. Thirdly, I really think that people should socialize between each other and not online and on internet. Before, there where schools in which all of the students would go spend good and bad moments together, have fun and learn at the same time. Everyone would talk and socialize. Now, they all go home alone and learn from robots which aren't even human.

3. Which version of school do you think would be better? The version you have now, or the version Margie and Tommy have in 2157?

I definitely think that this version we have now is much better. Yes, we are using paper which comes from trees, but other than that all is fine. We socialize, talk, have fun and all learn together. Sometimes we don't feel like going to school, or are late because of traffic but I would rather be late than always on time being thought by a teacher who isn't even human. I strongly believe that humans are smarter than robots, because we are the ones creating them. I think it is totally different when you have a book in front of your eyes, and your reading it, looking at it, touching it. There is so many cool ways to learn without using technology. With technology you just stare at a monitor all day long, probably even get glasses from all the fake light. There is a big difference in virtual and reality life. I think it would be very hard to combine both worlds into one, by staring and learning everything from a virtual (internet) and then when finishing classes, step out on the sun or contribute to a discussion with someone that is really standing in front of us. I strongly support and think that our school would be better than Margie and Tommy's school in the year of 2157.