What do people who study to become teachers dread and hope with regard to technology? Pre-service teachers (n = 21) were encouraged to consider the future of education by incorporating elements of, for example, augmented and virtual reality and Chat-GPT during three workshops that introduced them to the subject of sociotechnical imaginaries. Pre-service teachers were requested to write reflections and narratives for their logbooks. Individual thought expression can encourage group discussion and make instructors more confident in controlling future narratives. Such empowerment can mitigate risks and potential, inform elective courses of action, and improve understanding of the complexity of the future of digital education. Reflections were therefore done both individually and in groups. Data were analysed using the lens of Diffusion of Innovations theory, using thematic analysis. Three themes were identified, and key findings reveal opposing and ambivalent responses to the digitalisation of teaching, with plurality and flexibility on the one hand and restriction and isolation on the other. The results convey both passivity and hope as digital innovation was thought to solve problems by bridging the classroom to the outside world, leading to increased loneliness. The paper would interest stakeholders looking to leverage responsible digitalisation, the teaching community, and educational researchers.