What lies behind the broad term "digitalization"? In the seminar "Unboxing: Digitalization. Life in a Digitalized Society," trainees from the Louise-Schroeder-School spent five days "unpacking"—that is, researching, discussing, and producing—about artificial intelligence, algorithms, social media, and many other issues that affect us both privately and professionally and play an increasingly important role on a societal level. From June 20th to 24th, the parallel workshops—staged reading/writing, podcasting, coding, analog black-and-white photography, and comics—explored a wide range of aspects related to this topic.
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Seeing and being seen: Images flood individuals and society with data. What changes as a result of the focus on image data creation and collection, and its evaluation by humans and machines? What does information, truthfulness, or interpretation of images still mean in light of filters and suggestion algorithms? These and other questions formed the starting point for the Analog Black and White Photography workshop group, leading to discussions and the development own image series on the topic, as well as their practical implementation using analog materials in the darkroom. The result was a diverse range of concepts and series, which the participants presented in an exhibition: enjoy viewing them on Flickr.
Algorithms are increasingly shaping our private lives, professional lives, and social interactions. Even public spaces are undergoing significant transformation through the use of artificial intelligence. Those with a social function, in particular, are experiencing major changes – from supermarkets to libraries. What demands do these data collection and processing locations place on their operators and users? Can future technologies like image recognition, for example, support archiving for the preservation of cultural heritage, or will AI erase it as outdated? Can prior programming experience help in addressing these questions? The participants in the coding workshop put this to the test, programming their own applications after researching and discussing artificial intelligence . Using the Scratch programming language and a machine learning platform, they gained firsthand experience in constructively working with algorithms and applying them in learning environments like libraries.
Future technologies are intended to make individual lives and society more efficient, technologically advanced, greener, and more socially inclusive. However, against the backdrop of concerns such as data misuse and fears of surveillance, the question arises as to what role artificial intelligence will and should play in self-determination in our personal and professional lives. In the comic workshop, participants explored the relationship between humans and machines, emotions, and artificial intelligence, developing a narrative framework with chapters. The complete comic , "Therapy 2.0," can be viewed here as a PDF download.
Podcasts have been an important audio media format for digital information and entertainment – and not just since the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated lockdowns – and are just one example of how strongly digitalization influences how we understand the world. But what does it mean to live and work with digitalization? What fears are associated with it, what opportunities does it offer, and where are its effects already visible today? The podcast workshop group conducted interviews with participants, wrote their own scripts based on their research, and produced their own podcast. It's available on Audiyou.de – enjoy listening!
For many, the smartphone in hand has almost become an extension of their own body. This demonstrates that the relationship between technology and humanity—and thus also nature—is fundamentally changing. What new possibilities, access points, and opportunities, but also anxieties, do future technologies bring with them? Concepts like transhumanism raise ethical questions. Are humanistic values of self-determination and community living up to their potential, or could artificial intelligence be the crucial key to "better" people/a "better" society? Where are the boundaries?
In the workshop "Staged Writing/Reading," participants explored these and other questions, developing their own texts which they then staged as a performance. The images below offer some impressions of the workshop.
More photos from the workshop groups and the overall seminar at wannseeFORUM, available on Flickr, a glimpse into the work and learning process of "Unboxing Digitalization." The topic remains relevant, and the learning continues…
The seminar took place as part of the "Political Youth Education in the AdB" within the "Digital Media and Democracy" . It was funded by the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family.
The wannseeFORUM Foundation is a recognized partner of the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
