The Humans & Machines course recently wrapped up with a bang with a thought-provoking screening of a documentary film, Coded Bias (2020), directed by Shalini Kantayya at Forum Cinema. 

Conversations were at the heart of this classroom community. Week after week, students vigorously engaged in student-led discussions and debates, covering topics ranging from nineteenth-century literature to AI ethics to design justice. Together, they shaped the course. It was only fitting that the screening began with a brief introduction and finished with a stimulating discussion led by the course’s students, exploring the film’s themes and their implications.

Chiaki Bems, the lecturer of this course, hopes that these engaging moments of their collaborative learning will stay with the students beyond the classroom. They certainly will for Chiaki! “I take great pride in our inaugural class of bright students – without them, this experimental yet fantastic journey would have been impossible!” explains Chiaki. 

Eduards Lapiņš, our third-year Bachelor of IT Leadership student, says, “Current, important, and motivating. Pushing me to stay at the forefront of AI development.”

Melānija Odrija, our final year Bachelor of Business Administration student, explains, “One of the highlights of the course for me was the opportunity to witness firsthand the degree to which we, as students, were able to actively participate in developing the course. We were encouraged to bring our own creative ideas and topics to the table, which allowed for a more dynamic and engaging learning experience.”

We thank our bachelor program director, Claudio Rivera, director of communication and marketing, Agnese Strazda, and project specialist, Lelde Kiopa, for their assistance in making this event a success. Additionally, we extend our appreciation to “Women Make Movies” for granting us the license to showcase the film to Riga Business School students.