Apple Music
‘Okay, Siri. Play this week’s Top 40.’ ‘Sorry, Jean-Luc. This is only possible on Tuesday afternoon between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., and it will only be the Top 40 of 2004.’
Can you imagine? I pay for it. It is a service that knows me and that is therefore customised to my wishes and preferences. We still consider the next scenario normal, however.
‘I want to take my statistics course on Wednesday morning, so that I can do sports in the afternoon.’ ‘That’s not possible, unfortunately. The course is on Wednesday afternoon. Everybody has to attend. If you don’t, you will miss some of the information required for the exam and fail the exam.’
Thuisbezorgd.nl
I want to order something for dinner, but the French fries and hamburger are not delivered. Potatoes and beans are all I can get, precisely on a day I fancy something savoury instead of eating healthy food.
For a meal delivery service, this would be ridiculous. This does not apply to Thuisbezorgd, however, where I can order anything I want. So why is this so difficult at school?
‘I understand the statistics now. I would like to know more about the practical side of things. How to apply this knowledge in practice? How do professionals use it?’
‘The work placement is in the third year. Every now and then, we do have guest speakers visiting us. For the time being you should learn from the textbook and pass the test. If you do, you can do a work placement next year and practise what you have learned.’
Greenwheels
I want a Greenwheels to drive to the builder’s merchant’s, but only a Ferrari is available. Well, I don’t really need a Ferrari, to be honest.
Not imaginable either!
But this is reality:
‘All information is in your report, but the table of contents of your portfolio does not meet the requirements. Consequently, we cannot mark the report, and you have failed. It is very unpleasant, but we have to comply with the rules or we may lose our registration as a higher professional education institute.’