coursemapLoading course
School of Cybernetics · ANU College of Systems and Society
This course has not been adjusted for remote participation. Students must attend on-campus activities to complete the course. In this course we will start to create practitioners of Applied Cybernetics who can carefully examine new and emerging cybernetic systems, the building blocks they are made from, and the questions they raise for human society and our ecosystems. Through the course, we will challenge students to take different approaches to studying and understanding cybernetic systems: systems with human, technological, and environmental components. These approaches do not start with identifying and solving problems, but instead start with framing questions about these systems, their building blocks and the dynamic relationships between their human, technological, and environmental components. Students will learn to engage with important terminology and detail, integrate multiple perspectives, question assumptions, and think critically and creatively in order to start with framing questions about emerging cybernetic systems and the future we want to collectively create with them. This course gives students exposure to conceptual approaches of Applied Cybernetics. It draws on a range of research methodologies from cybernetics, systems thinking and control theory, design thinking, social sciences, humanities, and critical theory. It serves as a foundation for applying cybernetic approaches to cybernetic systems analysis in Semester 2.
Tutorial exercise (Engaging with concepts and resources)
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Completing practice tasks
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Individual portfolio
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Written analysis task
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
The quantum of work through the semester will be approximately 130 hours per 6 units of course. This will include a mixture of classes, workshops, site visits and seminars, as well as group work, independent reading, viewing, and study. Students will also also participate in whole-of-Institute activities. Work Integrated Learning Fieldwork This course gives students exposure to the conceptual approaches of Applied Cybernetics. Students will start to become practitioners of Applied Cybernetics, who can carefully examine new and emerging systems, the building blocks they are made from, and the questions they raise for human society and our ecosystems.
None Preliminary Reading During the semester we’ll introduce a selection of resources for debate, discussion, critique and inspiration. Resource lists will align with the fortnightly themes of the program. Students are expected to engage with all the resources assigned. Resource lists for this course will include a wide variety of materials, including books, articles, films, art and podcasts. We try to ensure as much as possible that our resource lists reflect a diverse set of voices and perspectives: diverse in terms of gender, ethnicity, time, cultural context and resource format. Where possible, we go back to original sources, being mindful of context, and that there were often multiple people behind a single author’s work. Resource lists aren’t complete or definitive guides to a topic. At any given time, the resource list represents a snapshot of the influences and discussions shaping the School of Cybernetics. We encourage students to identify and share additional resources, including through the fortnightly team read session. Here is an indicative selection from across the course. - Diana Forsythe (1993) Engineering knowledge: the construction of knowledge in artificial intelligence. Social Studies of Science 23: 445. Paper. - Klaus Schwab (2016) The Fourth Industrial Revolution: what it means, how to respond. Published on the World Economic Forum website. Blog. - Elyssebeth Leigh & Kat Cutay (2017) Aboriginal Engineering: Technologies for an enduring civilisation. Expansion of processes developed by OLT Projects, Engineering Across Cultures and Indigenous Online Cultural Teaching and Sharing. Booklet. - Kate Crawford & Vladan Joler (2018) Anatomy of an AI system. Artwork. - Brendan Traw & David Aucsmith (1999) Content protection for transmission systems. US Patent 5,949,877. Patent. - Seymour Papert (1966) The summer vision project. MIT Artificial Intelligence Group. Memo. - 99% Invisible (2019) Episode 361: Built on sand. Podcast.