The Cursed Earth post – the AI version
In my last post I messed around with the idea of Judge Dredd’s Cursed Earth story as a metaphor for aspects of educational technology. I thought I’d try this idea as a ChatGPT prompt. It strikes me as a good example of the type of thing generative text isn’t very good at, because it’s quirky and relies on some depth of understanding. At OER23 Dave Cormier called this kind of AI “the autotune of knowledge“, and this seemed like a good example to test that notion. What it generated is below.
Thanks, I hate it. I mean, it’s very impressive from such an idiosyncratic prompt, but it’s so bland it makes me want to puke. But to be fair, most writing we’re required to produce isn’t like this, and for that Ai is fine, and frees up time to read comics. But I don’t think I’ll hand over the edtechie controls to robots just yet (but it is a quick way to write blog posts about how you’re not using it).
Write a blog post about Judge Dredd’s cursed earth story as a metaphor for educational technology
Judge Dredd is a popular comic book character who has been around for over four decades. One of his most famous story arcs is the Cursed Earth saga, which tells the story of Judge Dredd’s journey through a lawless and dangerous wasteland.
While the Cursed Earth story is typically seen as a tale of survival and adventure, it can also be viewed as a metaphor for the challenges and risks associated with educational technology.
In the Cursed Earth, Judge Dredd faces a number of obstacles, including hostile mutants, dangerous radiation, and treacherous terrain. These challenges mirror the difficulties that educators face when implementing new technologies in the classroom. Just as Judge Dredd must be vigilant and adapt to his surroundings, teachers must also be mindful of the risks and pitfalls that come with new educational tools.
Furthermore, the Cursed Earth story emphasizes the importance of communication and collaboration. Judge Dredd often teams up with other survivors in order to overcome the obstacles in his path. Similarly, teachers and administrators must work together to ensure that educational technology is being used effectively and safely.
Finally, the Cursed Earth story also underscores the importance of adaptability and resilience. Judge Dredd is forced to make tough decisions and adjust his strategies in order to survive in the wasteland. Similarly, educators must be willing to adapt and adjust their teaching methods in order to effectively integrate technology into their classrooms.
In conclusion, Judge Dredd’s Cursed Earth story serves as a powerful metaphor for the challenges and risks associated with educational technology. By being vigilant, communicating effectively, and remaining adaptable, educators can successfully navigate the complex landscape of technology in the classroom.
5 Comments
Rebecca
Agree that its first attempt is weak, but if you refine the prompt you can generate something that’s not bad for a blog post. It can also come up with points and comparisons that you can build on. On the other hand, tweaking the prompt to get the sort of blog post you want probably takes as long as writing the blog post would do. We’re developing a new genre: skilful prompt writing.
<The Cursed Earth, an iconic storyline in the Judge Dredd comic book series, depicts a post-apocalyptic world destroyed by nuclear war. Judge Dredd travels through the harsh landscape to deliver a life-saving vaccine to Mega-City Two, the largest settlement in the area. The story highlights the importance of communication and collaboration in a world where everything is disconnected.
<Similarly, educational technology can connect students and teachers worldwide, providing opportunities for collaboration and communication regardless of location. However, access to technology and resources remains unequal, creating a digital divide that undermines the potential of educational technology.
<In the TV show The Walking Dead, the survivors who collaborate and communicate effectively are the ones most likely to survive the zombie apocalypse. The same principles apply to education: working together to overcome challenges is crucial.
<It's essential to recognize the cynical portrayal of educational technology in some UK tabloids, depicting screens as a substitute for teachers and human interaction. However, technology can enable more significant communication and collaboration, bringing together learners and educators in ways previously impossible.
mweller
I think there’s a lot in what you say Rebecca, we had a GO-GN webinar on ChatGPT and social justice and the progressive refinement of prompts really improved results. A new skill to develop as you say.
Alan Levine
I fell asleep halfway through. The utter sameness of AI writing is all the deliight of synthetic vanilla flavored tofu. Metaphorically speaking!
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Jon Harman
I’ve found it incredibly useful for helping write funding applications or other admin reports that always need a paragraph or two of banal waffle about something. But I have also used it with creative writing classes to create writing prompts, for instance give it the task of responding in the manner of a character and use character description as part of the prompt, you can then explore a dialogue with your character, using it as a writing prompt.