THIS SYLLABUS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS<\/p>\n
HIST 428: Adventures in Digital History<\/strong><\/p>\n TR, 11-12:15 Jeffrey McClurken Twitter: @jmcclurken<\/a><\/p>\n Course Description<\/strong><\/p>\n This seminar will focus on the process of creating digital history.\u00a0 The course readings, workshops, and discussions will be aimed at exposing students to the philosophy and practice of the emerging field of History and Digital Media (sometimes called Digital Humanities).\u00a0 The course will be centered on the creation of four digital history projects, all of which are related to making local resources available online.\u00a0 These projects are likely to include: the creation of a digital exhibit and repository for the diary of a Civil War Solider (CWS); the digitizing of the papers of Fredericksburg\u2019s Civil War-era Mayor, Montgomery Slaughter (MS); a digital history of the ITCC\/Hurley Convergence Center (HCC); OR the development of a series of videos on the work and artifacts of the James Monroe Museum (and a site to house the videos) including potentially 3D scanning some of those items (JMM).<\/p>\n This course counts in the History Major, the American Studies Major, the Museum Studies Minor, the Communication and Digital Studies Major, and as a capstone course in the Digital Studies Minor.<\/p>\n Departmental Learning Objectives<\/strong><\/p>\n Course\u00a0Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n Every student and group will:<\/p>\n 1) Complete a group project based on a contract made between the group and the professor<\/p>\n 2) Post weekly progress reports on your own DoOO-based blog<\/p>\n 3) Regularly present to the class about the status of your project<\/p>\n 4) Participate in class discussions of readings, videos, and the process of creating digital history<\/p>\n 5) Participate in class workshops related to specific programs<\/p>\n 6) Create or refine a digital r\u00e9sum\u00e9 or e-portfolio for yourself.<\/p>\n 7) At end of the semester, complete a brief paper\/blog post reflecting on the process and defending your project as contracted<\/p>\n 8) Make any changes to the project required by the professor after the final version is completed.<\/p>\n Students are expected to attend all classes, read all assigned texts, and participate in class. Laptops are not required, but it will often be easier to have your own computer here as you learn new skills, hear about various tools, explore particular web sites, and work on your own digital projects. [Projects are due at the start of class (11 AM) on the day they are due. Assignments are considered late if turned in\/posted\u00a0anytime<\/strong>\u00a0after that. Late projects will be penalized one full letter grade or, after 24 hours, not accepted.]<\/p>\n Discussions<\/strong><\/p>\n Students are expected to attend all classes having read the assigned material. Class participation includes\u00a0actively\u00a0<\/strong>participating in daily discussions and responding to class presentations. To that end, for each class for which there are readings\/videos, students should also prepare a list of comments on the material (parallels, problems, factual questions, reminders of past readings, connections to ideas from other classes or from \u201creal life\u201d) so that they have those points in front of them for the discussion. Although I have no current plan to collect these comments, I reserve the right to do so at some point during the semester.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blogging<\/strong><\/p>\n Narrating the planning, research, and implementation processes via your blogs is a central part of the class and a way for me to measure your effort, your creativity, and your progress as digital scholars. Blog about your problems as well as your successes. Be sure to comment on each others\u2019 blogs and help each other out. This is a community of people going through similar efforts that you can tap into, so do so.\u00a0Weekly posts & comments are a minimum expectation of the class.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Texts<\/strong><\/p>\n Daniel J. Cohen & Roy Rosenzweig,\u00a0Digital History: A Guide to Gathering, Preserving, and Presenting the Past on the Web<\/em>\u00a0(2006). Available at\u00a0http:\/\/chnm.gmu.edu\/digitalhistory\/<\/a>\u00a0.<\/p>\n Other texts for this semester are also available on-line.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Final Grades<\/strong><\/p>\n Final grades will be determined based on class participation (including blogging, mini assignments, and regular presentations to the class) (35%), on performance on the group contract (5%) and group project (50%), and on the quality of the final formal presentations on the group projects (10%). [Unsatisfactory mid-semester reports will be reported for anyone with a grade of D or below at that time.]<\/p>\n Honor Code<\/strong><\/p>\n I believe in the Honor Code as an essential, positive component of the Mary Washington experience. You should know that if you cheat or plagiarize in this class, you will fail, and I will take you to the Honor Council, so do not do it. On the other hand, I also believe that having friends or family read and comment on your writing can be extremely helpful and falls within the bounds of the Honor Code (assuming the writing itself remains yours). If you have questions about these issues, then you should talk to me sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n Group Projects<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 See\u00a0Project Outlines<\/a>.<\/p>\n Group Contracts<\/strong><\/p>\n Each group will create contracts with me about their projects. The contracts are due Monday, February 8, though each will need to be approved by me & may need to be tweaked before that happens. Each contract must include:<\/p>\n NOTE: These contracts may be revised as the semester goes on, though only with good reasons and only after a meeting with me.<\/p>\n NOTE #2: Although each group will receive one shared grade for their contract, on the final project everyone will earn an individual and a group project grade, which will be averaged together to make each person\u2019s project grade.<\/p>\n Digital R\u00e9sum\u00e9\/E-Portfolio\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n During Week 8, we will discuss ways of showcasing your work (digital and otherwise) in an electronic portfolio. \u00a0Each student will be expected to create their own (or share an existing) digital r\u00e9sum\u00e9 by\u00a0Tuesday, March 15.<\/p>\n Regular Presentations<\/strong>\u00a0(Updates)<\/p>\n Starting in week 7, each group will be expected to make weekly status updates in class (typically) on Thursdays on its progress toward their projects. Although some weeks 3-5 minute updates will be sufficient, every other week groups will need to present a more thorough update. See the schedule for more details on when your group does which presentation.<\/p>\n End of the Semester (Public) Presentations<\/strong><\/p>\n At the end of the semester each group will make a formal, public 8-10 minute presentation summarizing their project. More on this later in the semester.<\/p>\n Reflection post\/defense of contract<\/strong><\/p>\n In the last week of the semester, each person will be expected to write a brief blog post or paper (your choice). This paper (~1-2 pages\/~500 words) should reflect on the process and defend your group\u2019s project as contracted.<\/p>\n Extra credit<\/strong><\/p>\n Our \u201ctext\u201d is Cohen and Rosenzweig\u2019s Digital History<\/em><\/a>, written in 2006. While it remains useful in bringing up key issues for those considering creating digital history projects, it is beginning to show its age as tools and the field change signficantly.\u00a0 For each week that we read a chapter or two of Digital History, <\/em>I\u2019ll offer extra credit if you write a blog post in which you identify passages or concepts that need to be updated (be precise), find current sources (at least 2015 or newer), and summarize how the section should be updated. Tag these posts \u201cDHUpdate2016\u201d.<\/p>\n Accommodations<\/strong><\/p>\n If you receive services through the Office of Disability Resources and require accommodations for this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Bring your accommodation letter with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in the strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you need accommodations, (note taking assistance, extended time for tests, etc.), please consult with the Office of Disability Resources (x1266) about the appropriate documentation of a disability.<\/p>\n Course Schedule*<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 1<\/strong><\/p>\n Jan. 12<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Introduction and Digital Workshop \u2013 Domain of One’s Own, WordPress<\/p>\n Jan. 14<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 What is Digital History? \u00a0[What are the Digital Humanities? \u00a0How are the two different?] \u2014 Brief Group Meetings<\/p>\n Reading<\/strong>: Cohen & Rosenzweig,\u00a0Digital History<\/em>, Introduction, Ch. 1;\u00a0Information R\/evolution<\/a>; AHA Resources on Digital History<\/a>\u00a0(many great resources linked here);\u00a0Digital Humanities Definitions by Type<\/a>;\u00a0Wikipedia definitions of\u00a0Digital History<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Digital Humanities<\/a><\/p>\n Assignments for Thursday:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 2<\/strong><\/p>\n Jan. 19<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Digital Workshop \u2013 Omeka (& Zotero)<\/p>\n Jan. 21<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Exploring Other Digital History Projects \u2014 Group Meeting<\/p>\n Reading<\/strong>: Cohen & Rosenzweig,\u00a0Digital History<\/em>,\u00a0Chapter 2<\/a>,\u00a0Chapter 4<\/a><\/p>\n Check out at least five of the following websites (including at least one Omeka site)<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0Valley of the Shadow,<\/a>\u00a0French Revolution<\/a>,\u00a0The Emancipation Project<\/a>;\u00a0Gilded Age Murder<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Omeka-based<\/a>\u00a0sites, including\u00a0Great Molasses Flood<\/a>\u00a0(built in Omeka and Neatline).\u00a0Map Scholar<\/a>; University of Houston\u2019s\u00a0Digital History<\/a>\u00a0site;\u00a0Emile Davis Diaries<\/a>;\u00a0several sites at the\u00a0Digital Scholarship Lab<\/a>;\u00a0Mapping the Republic of Letters<\/a>;\u00a0Virtual Paul\u2019s Cross Project<\/a>;\u00a0Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database<\/a>, Imagining the Past<\/a>, Grad Student DH Projects at UNC<\/a>, How did they make that?<\/a>.<\/p>\n Assignments for Thursday:\u00a0<\/strong>Blog about:<\/p>\n 1) some creative uses of the tools we\u2019ve learned about so far. [e.g., how might you use\u00a0Zotero\u00a0for something other than citation\/research? What could a WordPress blog be used for other than personal reflection? What creative ways can you think of to use Omeka? How might you use these tools in combination with each other or with others you\u2019ve used outside of class. [Be playful with your ideas here.]]<\/p>\n 2) Based on your review of the Digital History websites above:\u00a0Think about what you like about these websites as a whole, and what you don\u2019t.\u00a0 What works and what doesn\u2019t?\u00a0 What elements would you want to incorporate and which do you want to avoid in your own project?<\/p>\n UPDATE: During\u00a0Thursday’s class, each group should post a summary of their discussions (to one group member’s class blog) about the other DH sites and how that impacts\u00a0their own ideas about their projects.<\/strong><\/p>\n References<\/strong>: More generally, for advanced topics in digital history, check out the other lessons in the Programming Historian<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Week 3<\/strong><\/p>\n Jan. 26<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Digital Workshop \u2013 Mapping & Timeline Tools, RSS Readers, Google Tools<\/p>\n Jan. 28\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014 Digital Archives and Issues of Digitization Reading<\/strong>: Lincoln Mullen\u2019s Spatial History tools<\/a>; Cohen & Rosenzweig,\u00a0Digital History<\/em>,\u00a0Chapter 3<\/a>,\u00a0Chapter 6<\/a>;\u00a0\u00a0Kate Theimer,\u00a0The role of \u201cthe professional discipline\u201d in archives and digital archives<\/a>, Feb. 17, 2014.<\/p>\n Check out at least five of the following websites<\/strong>:\u00a0Hurricane Digital Memory Bank<\/a>,\u00a0September 11 Digital Archive<\/a>,\u00a0Footnote.com<\/a>;\u00a0JSTOR<\/a>;\u00a0Internet Archive<\/a>;\u00a0A House Divided: America in the Age of Lincoln<\/a>;\u00a0Famous Law trials<\/a>;\u00a0Criminal Intent<\/a>;\u00a0Photogrammar<\/a>;\u00a0Mapping DuBois<\/a>;\u00a0Hull House and Neighborhoods<\/a>; Lost & Found Archive Project<\/a>, Searching for Residential Schools<\/a>, St. John’s Micro History Mapping Project<\/a>. Lists of other digital archives and digitization efforts can be found at\u00a0http:\/\/www.archivesnext.com\/?page_id=62<\/a>.<\/p>\n Assignments: Use Feedly\u00a0<\/a>or another RSS tool to subscribe to the blogs of the people in class and two digital humanities blogs from the\u00a0DH Compendium<\/a>.<\/p>\n Resources: For more on spatial history, see\u00a0http:\/\/www.stanford.edu\/group\/spatialhistory\/cgi-bin\/site\/pub.php?id=29<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 4<\/strong><\/p>\n Feb. 2<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Digital Workshop \u2013 Media Editing<\/p>\n Feb. 4<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Group Meeting<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Reading<\/strong>: Cohen & Rosenzweig,\u00a0Digital History<\/em>, Ch. 5 (we\u2019ll discuss this next week, but it\u2019s important to read before you complete your group contracts).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Group Contracts are due via Google Doc from each group on\u00a0Monday, February 8<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Week 5<\/strong><\/p>\n Feb. 9<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Group Meeting and Planning \u2014 discussions of contract proposals<\/p>\n Feb. 11<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Thinking About and Building an Audience \u2014 Discuss C&R, Ch. 5<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Week 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Feb. 16<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Copyright and Wikipedia: What\u2019s the Big Deal?<\/p>\n Reading<\/strong>: Cohen & Rosenzweig,\u00a0Digital History<\/em>, Ch.7;\u00a0http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/<\/a>; Stanford\u2019s\u00a0guide to fair use<\/a>; Jimmy Wales (2005) How a Ragtag Band Created Wikipedia (watch at TED.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n Other resources:<\/strong>\u00a0Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video<\/a>;\u00a02007\u00a0documentary on copyright<\/a>\u00a0(and music and video remixing);\u00a030+ places to find Creative Commons media<\/a>;\u00a0ProfHacker post on Google Images and usable works<\/a>.<\/p>\n Blog Assignment<\/strong>: 1) Look at the History and Discussion tabs of several Wikipedia history entries and write\u00a0about what you see. 2) Consider what Creative Commons License you might use for your own site. \u00a0What role does copyright play in the resources you are working with this semester?<\/p>\n Feb. 18\u00a0<\/strong>\u2014\u00a0Group Meeting and Planning<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Feb. 23<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Group Meeting and Planning<\/p>\n Feb. 25<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 All groups\u00a0present 10-minute progress reports. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 8<\/strong><\/p>\n Mar. 8<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Building a Digital R\u00e9sum\u00e9 or E-portfolio; Digital Identity<\/p>\n Readings<\/strong>: Read\/look at three of these and post on five lessons you learned from them about digital identity.<\/p>\n Mar. 10<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Group Meeting and Planning<\/p>\n Assignment:\u00a0<\/strong>Create your own Digital R\u00e9sum\u00e9<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week\u00a09<\/strong><\/p>\n Mar. 15<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 All groups\u00a0present 10-minute progress reports.<\/p>\n Mar. 17<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Group Meeting and Planning<\/p>\n Assignment via private message to me in slack:\u00a0Write a paragraph summary of your group’s\u00a0successes and problems so far.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 10<\/strong><\/p>\n Mar. 22\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>Text Mining, Topic Modeling, and Searching in History<\/p>\n Reading:<\/strong>\u00a0Nicholas\u00a0Carr,\u00a0Is Google Making Us Stupid?<\/a>\u00a0(2008);\u00a0William Turkel, \u201cSearching for History,\u201d\u00a0Digital History Hacks<\/a>\u00a0(12 Oct 2006);\u00a0\u00a0Cohen,\u00a0Google Books, Ngrams and Culturomics<\/a>;\u00a0Mining the\u00a0Dispatch<\/em><\/a>; Megan Brett, “Topic Modeling: A Basic Introduction<\/a>,”\u00a0Journal of Digital Humanities<\/em>, 2012;<\/p>\n See also: Topic Modeling and Mallet<\/a>, The Programming Historian<\/em><\/p>\n Mar. 24<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 CWS, MS\u00a0present 10-15 minute progress reports; JMM, HCC\u00a0present 3-5 minute progress reports<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 11<\/strong><\/p>\n Mar. 29<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Group Meeting and Planning<\/p>\n Mar. 31\u00a0\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>JMM, HCC\u00a0present 10-15 minute progress reports; CWS, MS\u00a0present 3-5 minute progress reports<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Week 12<\/strong><\/p>\n Apr. 5<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 Impact of Digital History on Historians and on the Practice of History<\/p>\n Reading and Assignment:\u00a0<\/strong>See\u00a0this set of articles in the AHA\u2019s\u00a0
\nSpring 2016
\nHCC 327<\/p>\n
\nOffice Hours: 9-11 AM, MW; 10-11 AM, TR, or by appointment. Given that I have two offices (HCC 419 and Monroe 219), please contact me in advance to see where I will be.<\/p>\n\n
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\nMiriam Posner,\u00a0\u201cUp and Running with Omeka.net,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0 and\u00a0\u201cCreating an Omeka.net Exhibit,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0The Programming Historian, 2 [Note that this topic is for a hosted Omeka account.\u00a0 You could also create an Omeka Installation in your Domain of One\u2019s Own account.]<\/em><\/p>\n
\n\u2014 Brief Group Meeting<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Build a basic map in StoryMapJS\u00a0<\/a>or a similar mapping tool and a basic timeline in TimeLineJS<\/a> or a similar tool with at least five events. \u00a0Blog about the experience and about how you might use this in your project.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>For more information on the nuts-and-bolts process of digitization, see\u00a0http:\/\/www.digitalpreservation.gov\/personalarchiving\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n
\nSPRING BREAK!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n