Models of Understanding
The Office as a Focal Point of the Mediatization of Work View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Caroline Elisabeth Roth-Ebner,
Larissa Herrnhofer
Computerization has profoundly transformed the world of work. Media and communication studies describe the interplay between work and evolving media technologies as the “mediatization of work.” This shift affects not only work processes but also the design and use of workspaces. One major change is the overlap of physical and virtual office spaces, exemplified by the rise of home offices supported by Wi-Fi and digital conferencing tools. Flexible workplace concepts, workspaces for vacation trips (workation), and public work hubs like those in train stations further illustrate the growing potential for location-independent work enabled by digital technologies. Against this backdrop, the office emerges as a focal point of the mediatization of work. This paper explores media discourses surrounding the mediatization of the office from the 1980s onward. Using Reiner Keller’s Sociology of Knowledge Approach to Discourse, it analyzes how the transformation of the office—shaped by technological, social, economic, and political factors—has been represented and negotiated in newspapers and magazines. The research operates on the premise that discourses not only reflect reality but actively contribute to its construction. Preliminary findings show that early discourses were critical of computer and network technologies, fearing job losses due to automation. Throughout the time, media coverage became more positive, portraying digital media as enablers of flexible work processes and spatial settings. This shift also highlighted productivity gains and efficiency, aligning with a neoliberal discourse of self-responsibility. Despite this, critical perspectives, such as concerns about the always-on working mentality, persist.
A Bug in the Code: Rethinking the Mechanics of Predictive Processing
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Jovana Isevski
The sciences of the body have historically employed various mechanistic metaphors to describe the brain. In Descartes’ time, the brain was likened to a hydraulic machine; in the 18th century, it was thought to function as a clockwork mechanism; since the 1950s, cybernetic networks have dominated research and modeling paradigms. Despite the failure of mechanistic models to capture the intricacies of the mind’s contingencies, such metaphors persist. In this paper, I examine how the leading theory of the mind in neurosciences at the moment—predictive processing (PP)—is a useful but non-exhaustive tool for explaining human behavior. PP defines the mind as a “prediction machine” that does not have direct access to reality but is always in the process of hypothesizing about the cause of stimuli based on previous experiences. An individual can then either update their internal world model or change the world to align with their model. On the one hand, PP’s emphasis on knowledge construction, perpetual change, and the role of affect in cognition can assist cultural studies in challenging the hubristic belief that a human being can ever access the assumed “objective reality.” However, PP falls short of explaining the ontological difference between humans and machines as well as why people find some models more affectively salient than others. Additionally, as with many neuroreductive models, PP fails to connect its findings to larger social and political issues. Finally, I suggest that cross-fertilization between cultural studies and sciences of the mind is crucial to address such theoretical gaps.
Can We Digitize a Soul? : A Study of AI and Ethics, Spirituality, and Humanity View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Debby Espinor
Advancing computing technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) are bringing rapid and fundamental changes to our lives and the educational enterprise. Some view this with great anticipation, and others with great concern. In this paper, we examine changes in society, demographics, and technology that will continue to impact the existence and form of a Christian higher education institution. There are many conversations about what AI can do, yet there are many areas in which AI cannot replace human attributes. Many of those areas involve matters of the heart and spirituality. This study explores faculty experiences and attitudes on AI’s role in teaching and research with a particular focus on concerns around the security and privacy of data used in AI-powered teaching and research tools, the reproductions and creation of art and music, the impact on the liberal arts and the impact on spiritual communities such as Christian universities and religious communities. This study continues to explore intellectual and academic integrity in the classroom and AI’s impact on critical thinking and education. In addition, ethical concerns are addressed as faculty were surveyed about spiritual, moral, and wisdom concerns. The overarching question is, “What does it mean to be human?
The Epistemology of Playful Learning - the Discovery Tour in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey as a Tool for Teaching and Knowledge Transmission: From Interactive Exploration to Historical Understanding
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Jairo Melo Sánchez,
Jorge Guerra Antequera,
Francisco Ignacio Revuelta Domínguez
This paper explores how the Discovery Tour mode in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey serves as a learning tool that integrates different epistemological paradigms in the teaching of history and culture. It analyzes how this mode structures knowledge through interactive exploration, historical simulations, and immersive storytelling, providing players with an engaging and research-based educational experience. Additionally, it discusses case studies where the Discovery Tour has been used in educational settings to enhance historical understanding, demonstrating its potential as an innovative resource for knowledge transmission.
