User:Bujatt/Media lab

Media lab (often referred to as new media lab, media art lab or media research lab) is a term used for interdisciplinary organizations, collectives or spaces with the main focus on new media, digital culture and technology.

Discussion of the definition
The definition of media lab is widely discussed and is open for debate. The term can describe a space, a cultural organization or a way of working in which collaboration, experimentation plays a crucial role. Media labs usually
 * gather participants of multiple disciplines and diverse professional backgrounds
 * draw inspiration from, and try to work in the spirit of free culture
 * often use open source softwares
 * offer the possibility of non-formal learning practices.

History
The name "media lab" was coined in 1985 with the creation of the MIT Media Lab by Nicholas Negroponte grew out of the Architecture Machine Group - a research group dedicated to studying man-machine interfaces - within MIT's School of Architecture and Planning.

Activities
In media labs diverse activities take place: artistic research and development, creative production, knowledge sharing and exchange, education program, workshops, tinkering, experimentation, cultural mediation.

Organization forms
Media labs can be most easily categorized by the way they are organized which often relates to the way they are funded:
 * University labs
 * Public funded
 * Private funding
 * Grassroot initiatives

Typology
Media lab
 * Fab lab
 * Hackerspace
 * Pop-up lab (temporary space or project space)
 * Art initiative with media art focus

Motivation
A lot of people are motivated to use technological tools for social and political goals.

Social effect
Media labs play a role in society to understand the new ways of education, culture, communication and even political participation.

Working in a media lab context can be considered as informal ways of learning.

Related terms
working attitudes: artistic research - creative technologies - DIWO - DIY - DIY culture - experimentation - interdisciplinary

fields of activities: digital art - digital culture - human–computer interaction - interaction - internet - media art - new media art

tools, concepts: Creative Commons - F/LOSS - FLOSS Manuals - free culture - open content - open hardware - open source - public domain