Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things were the major themes at CeBIT 2017, the world's largest trade fair for information technology, which opened on March 20, 2017. Also on March 20, a seminar began at the wannseeFORUM in which trainees from Berlin and Hamburg explored various aspects of "Humans, Machines, Possibilities: Living & Working in a Smart World." This was because technological innovations are linked to complex questions: how does technological progress influence and change everyday life, the professional world, and our social interactions with existing values and conventions, both today and in the near and distant future?.
What do algorithms have to do with human rights? What impact will Industry 4.0 have on our lives? What questions must we, as a society, ask ourselves as humans and robots increasingly merge?
The six-day seminar generated further questions and a wide range of results and media products, which the Multimedia workshop group has documented on their blog, escapethefilterbuble. You can view, listen to, and read the results there – enjoy!
Multimedia workshop
Quoted from the blog:
Man, machine, possibilities – Life in a smart world
For one week, various groups discussed this topic in the wannseeFORUM in Berlin. We, the "Multimedia" group, decided to start a blog on the topic of "„Filter Bubbles“to publish. …With this blog, we want to inform you about the phenomenon of filter bubbles and draw your attention to the influence you have on how one-sided the information world becomes in your social media.
Read more from the workshop group
The blog and its posts as a workshop outcome: escapethefilterbubble.wordpress.com
including an excursion to Museum for Communication and Use of the Futurlab „Freiraum“
Workshop group Black and white photography“
Quoted from the blog:
„"Surveillance"“
The Black and White Photography group has chosen the exhibition „Watched!“ in the C/O Museum of Photography The group visited the exhibition in Berlin to get a first impression of how the theme of "surveillance" can be explored through analog photography. The exhibition showed them the many forms of surveillance that exist. Not all of them are as conspicuous as the video cameras at train stations. In fact, people are often monitored without their knowledge. Social media and its data storage are just one example of this. …read and see more
Audio workshop
Quoted from the blog:
Industry 4.0
Within the seminar, the "Audio" group explored the topic of "Industry 4.0." This refers to the fourth industrial revolution, which began at the end of the 20th century. Previously analog technologies are increasingly being digitized, and cyber-physical systems are being integrated.
…To gather initial information on how technology and communication networks have developed in recent decades, the group organized the exhibition „"The network"“ in the Technical Museum visited in Berlin.
…The group revealed to us that they not only incorporate their own opinions and knowledge into their audio recordings, but also draw inspiration from other sources. …read and listen to more: „Soundgarden radio show“
Staged reading
Quoted from the blog:
Cyborgs
The "Staged Reading" group creatively explored the topic of cyborgs. Cyborgs are technological devices integrated into the body as replacements for, or to support, organs that are not functioning adequately. Initially, the group used a mind map to capture their first thoughts and ideas about cyborgs. Then…
Later, the group members wrote various texts. They received no specific guidelines and were free to let their creativity flow. For example, two participants wrote a dialogue from the perspective of God and the Devil, with which they wanted to offer an ethical view of the topic. …In the end…
Read and view more, e.g., images and text from the presentation.
Comic:
Quoted from the blog:
Virtual Reality
The "Comic" group explored the topic of virtual reality. Virtual reality refers to a representation of a virtual world, created by a computer. Using VR glasses, users can immerse themselves in this world and bring their ideas to life. This includes the simulation of various sensory impressions such as sounds and touch. ...For their field trip, the group visited the Computer Games Museum in Berlin. There she visited the special exhibition "Virtual Reality" and was able to gain initial experience with the topic. …
Read and watch more, e.g., this Comic book as a PDFor as VR glasses experiment
Conversation in the „Freiraum“/Museum for Communication with Johannes Lindenlaub, press officer (right) and Stefan Jahrling, media educator (left)
Impressions from the entire seminar:
http://bs-alster.hamburg.de/bericht-ueber-das-fami-seminar-im-wannsee-forum/
Image at the beginning of the article:
Excerpt from the photographic work „What are you looking for?“ by Franz Kedrowski (photographed in the final exhibition)
The seminar took place as part of the collaboration within the program „Civic youth education in the AdB“ in the project group „Digital Media and Democracy“ instead. It is supported by the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family
The wannseeFORUM Foundation is a recognized sponsor of the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
