Saturday, February 10, 2018

Technology in Education - Digital Classrooms

Guest Blog by Wrench in the Gears

Building Sanctuary: A Dystopian Future We Must Fight To Avoid

The next wave of education reform is one part of a much larger societal shift that hinges on the use of Big Data, predictive analytics, and digital profiling to control populations in a world of growing economic uncertainty and unrest. What follows is a speculative dystopian scenario, a world that could very well emerge from systems being put in place right now. It centers on two sisters, Cam and Li, who live in a near future New York where authorities have come to view human life primarily as a source from which to extract financial profit. Many elements of the story read like science fiction, but they are not. I’ve included links to sources at the end of each post so you can explore this reality for yourself.

The future is uncertain and unlikely to play out exactly as described. Nevertheless, we must begin to comprehend how technological developments combined with concentrated power and extreme income inequality are leading us to increasingly automated forms of oppression. My hope is that communities will begin to incorporate an understanding of this bigger picture into resistance efforts for public education and beyond. Let us join together, embracing our humanity, to fight the forces that would bring us to “lockdown.” How can we preserve our lives and those of our loved ones outside the data stream? How can we nurture community in a world where alienation is becoming normalized? What do we owe one another? What are we willing to risk? I have divided my story into seven parts. I hope you’ll read along and consider sharing it with others.


Click here for the full story: Building Sanctuary

Or read in parts:

Plugging In

Automated Education

About the author of Building Sanctuary and popular blog Wrench in the Gears:
A Skeptical Parent's Thoughts on Digital Curriculum
I am writing this blog in tribute to the critically important work on the history of education and its intersections with military research and automation done by brothers David and Douglas Noble. I hope that in some way my words can build upon the strong foundation they have laid.

Contact at:  awrenchinthegears@gmail.com
Visit blog:  Wrench in the Gears

Popular and informative blog posts from Wrench in the Gears:

From Neighborhood Schools to Learning Eco-Systems, A Dangerous Trade

Stop! Don’t opt out. Read this first.