Robbie Fordyce
Faculty of Arts
Shaping tech, not just consuming it
In Robbie’s class, students learn to think critically about the tools they use every day and discover their power to create positive change.
What do you hope your students take away from their time with you? Is there a student moment you’ll never forget, and why?
I hope they develop a curiosity for technology, and a willingness to go beyond the received notions of what it's for and how it works. I fondly remember having a group of students sharing the joy and laughter over a satirical journal article that poked fun at the way that ethics is sometimes used to gloss over real and substantial issues with underlying technology. Not only did they love the reading, it really seemed to help break down some of their barriers in studying technology.
What do you hope your students remember about you 10 years from now? What mindset do you want your students to carry into their careers?
I'm not too worried about whether students remember me so much – I’m not the important part of their education! I just hope that they remember that they are empowered and can choose how and when they use technology. It’s not just a black box and they don't have to let it control how they live and work. They can work together to enact positive changes in our social use of tech.
What legacy or ripple effect do you hope to leave behind?
A willingness to explore, study, or experiment with technology, and not just accept it in the terms of advertising materials.
What’s the biggest myth about university education you wish more people would rethink?
I think one myth that persists is that I'm the only source of knowledge in the room. I want students to recognise the value in learning from their peers. There is a real value in hearing each other talk and understand ideas, concepts, perspectives, and theories, and to help each other use and understand technology. I push students to do this wherever they can.
I hope that students remember that they are empowered and can choose how and when they use technology. It’s not just a black box and they don't have to let it control how they live and work. ”
What does being a 'Changemaker’ mean to you personally?
Trying to do something different and new in each unit I develop. I try to test out new ways of delivering and assessing students whenever I can, and try to push myself to incorporate new ideas and approaches every time I step into a classroom.
What motivates you to continue pushing boundaries in your work?
Genuine curiosity and a sense of a social, public mission to do good work.
How would you explain your role to someone who’s never met a university educator?
A nine-year old once asked me what I do, and I told them that I’m like a YouTube influencer who makes really long videos that try to help people understand complex topics.
How do you tailor your teaching approach to engage and inspire today's students?
I think our students aren't as different from us as we make out. They have many of the same concerns and many of the same anxieties about climate change, politics, economics, and culture. What I've tried to do in some units has been to produce lectures in alternative formats, which fit in with students' experiences with online media. For instance, vertical videos that align with their use of TikTok and Instagram. Experimenting with green screen effects like YouTube Streamers, and in one case a recorded walking lecture.
What does being a teacher allow you to do that nothing else can?
I think it's worth noting how much the students shape me. I learn from them about perspectives I hadn't considered, or gain insights into things that students draw on from their own lives or other studies. More generally, I've felt encouraged from the positive feedback I've had at times from students who have gone into the workplace or headed on to further studies, and getting a sense that they've carried something from me into the future has been really lovely.