The other day a student in my morning class gave a presentation on the history of society and the effects technology have had on social groups and civilizations. The assignment I had given the class was essentially just that, “Prepare a presentation on the topic you have chosen relating to society and technology.” One student dove into technology, one into the more scientific aspect of humans and how we behave, this student chose to explore society as an idea.

At one point in their presentation they brought up an example from an anime that they loved. They giggled, as the rest of the class did, at bringing up something seemingly completely unrelated to class and, I think to a lot of people, to school as a whole. This one example then led to a 30 minute discussion on cryptocurrency, the relationship between society and economy, major differences in how humans interact with currency across different time periods, and the major processes that are effected by technology. They even independently ( I promise I didn’t coach them) brought up passages from Marshall McLuhan’s ‘The Medium if the Massage’.

Four students, two of whom has barely known each other before this term, exploring highly advanced media theory and its real world application all because one of those students felt comfortable enough to include an example of something they cared about. It was a better lesson than I could have planned, and it was an organic moment, powerful and empowering. This is the kind of work that students remember, that sticks, that proves true the maxim, “Every moment is a teachable moment.” It’s the kind of work that builds agency, confidence, and the ability to make connections and then act on those connections. Trust your instincts and teach students to trust theirs as well, and above all else remember that Lupin III is a great way to teach technology’s effect on societies.