On October 16, 2023, our event “Digital Empowerment Transformation with you!” took place online via Zoom. In order to actively involve the participants, who consisted of teachers, trainers, and educational leaders of higher education institutions, in the discourse on digitalization in the context of Service-Learning, the innovative method of the World Café was chosen for the online setting. Furthermore, different forms of the method were used in a targeted manner for the respective phases. For example, the following questions, which were central to the event, were brought into focus in the 3 rounds of the discussion phases:

• What are the reasons to (not) be digitally empowered?
• What kind of consequences of using digital technologies can be stated?
• What kind of vulnerabilities arise from the use of emerging digital technologies in service-learning?

In the first round, a “Generative Café” was held to identify challenges and questions in order to open up the associated topics. In the second round, the “Absorption Café” was used. Here, the results of the first round were summarized by the table hosts, and, building on this, the participants were asked to structure and discuss the associated aspects in greater depth. In the last round, the “Idea Café” was held. The focus here was on learning from each other in order to discuss possible solutions and good practices for the challenges.

The Harvest

The results of the individual rounds were then compiled and graphically visualized in the Harvest.

Based on the experience gained and the rich results of the event, we are now working on a manual for the use of the (online) World Café method in the context of Service-Learning and a publication on the topic of Digital Empowerment and Service-Learning and the associated aspects discussed is in the works. When these are ready, we will be happy to publish them on this website or you can subscribe to the newsletter and will then be informed about the publication.