What if .....

This simple task is designed to get students to think carefully about the purposes of a range of hardware. It can easily be adapted for other topics such as software.

1) Get students into groups. Handout or display on the whiteboard a set of 'What if' scenarios. They could include:

     a) What if there were no hard disk in a computer?
     b) What if the ROM got corrupted and didn't work anymore?
     c) What if RAM were non-volatile?
     d) What if your computer had no cache?
     e) What if computers didn't have a chassis?
     f) What if the CPU clock worked at 4 kHz?
     g) What if the Internet hadn't been invented?
     h) What if USB pen drives didn't exist?
     i) What if mice didn't exist?
     j) What if printers hadn't been invented?
     k)What if plotters hadn't been invented?
     l) What if the CPU worked directly with the hard drive rather than RAM?

2) Explain to groups that they must prepare one minute answers to as many of the questions as possible and in as much detail as possible. After a set time, each group will be required come up to the front of the class. Other students will then ask them two of the 'What if' scenarios from the list and the group has to nominate one person, who will have to give their answer for 1 min. Others in the group can prompt if necessary, but it may affect their marks!

3) You can ask the students to 'mark' the answers out of 10 (accuracy, completeness, good ideas, speaking at a good pace get marks, incorrect information, too many gaps, slow speaking, reading out, repeating themselves, getting help from others in the group lose marks). They can ask the teacher to explain any technical words during the preparation phase. They should try to think through the consequences of each scenario. They should ensure each student is prepared to answer. They can use notes but will be penalised for just reading out answers. Use a silent 1 minute countdown clock.

4) After this task, ask groups to write on a piece of paper a new 'What if' scenarios of their own. They should then swap them with another group, who have to write down their answers and give them back.

5) Bring together as a class the students' scenarios and answers.