Resources
Table of contents
- Class preparation assignments (20% of grade)
- Group project assignment (35% of grade)
- Reflections assignments (45% of grade)
Class preparation assignments (20% of grade)
Readings + annotations
Readings are assigned weekly and should be completed before each class. We won’t have an extensive discussion of the assigned material during class time; instead, the class will work to collaboratively annotate the readings using the Hypothes.is tool. We will discuss more about Hypothes.is on the first week of class. Readings and annotations will help you prepare for class, understand the stakes and possibilities of various methods and tools in digital scholarship, and deeply engage in dialogues with your classmates.
Guidelines
Each week, you will review a variety of materials that may differ from what you are accustomed to encountering in a graduate-level history course. The assigned materials reflect an assortment of formats and genres including case studies, process documents, “grey literature,” artistic creations, recorded talks, blog entries, and formal or informal discussions of methods and/or tools. In addition, the creators of these works will come from an array of disciplinary and professional backgrounds which may be unfamiliar to you.
- In reviewing these items, I ask that you:
- Consider the context in which the material was published or presented. An article from the International Journal of Communication, for example, may not (and should not be expected to) answer all of your historiographical questions.
- Recognize that it’s easy to levy criticism, undirected outrage, and sactimonious dismissal toward projects, problems, and strawmen. Proposing or pointing to concrete solutions is a much more constructive tactic and will serve you more fruitfully in your professional pursuits.
- Reflect consistently on how you can augment the material’s content and add to an open-minded, solution-oriented group conversation.
Grading criteria
Aim for five (5) or more “substantial” annotations per piece - thoughtful contributions that productively move the conversation forward. Hypothes.is also has some tips for better annotations here
Leading discussion
Each student in the course will lead discussion during one week of the class. On this week you will be responsible for posing questions in the readings annotations and keeping the conversation going. You’ll give a brief summary on the discussion at the start of class.
Group project assignment (35% of grade)
Description
Collaboration is hard! But it’s also a vital tool within workplaces and for working on projects with many moving parts. You’ll be creating a final project with many moving parts by the end of this semester, and it’ll be necessary to collaborate with several of your classmates to complete it. This can serve as a community for you to explore ideas and methods while you work to complete milestones in digital project management that you can bring with you beyond this course.
Components
The Team Charter
Due by 5pm September 19, 2022.
Each group will complete a Team Charter, defining roles and expectations of members. This document will inform the project process going forward. To submit, follow the directions in your GitHub repository.
The Project Proposal
A number of elements fit into a completed Project Proposal, explained in detail below. These components are scaffolded and have their own separate due dates.
Proposal Part 1: The problem + evidence
Due by 5pm September 26, 2022.
Each group will identify a “problem” - a research question that they will attempt to answer in their project by incorporating their “evidence” - their analyzed source material. They will also take time to consider the group’s intended audience, and how that might impact the formulation and presentation of a supported argument. To submit, follow the directions in your GitHub repository.
Project Proposal Part II: The method(s)
Due by 5pm October 3, 2022.
Each group will consider which tools and methodologies may help them convey a supported argument using their problem and evidence to the intended audience. They will also inventory their assets and needs at this point. To submit, follow the directions in your GitHub repository.
Project Proposal Part III: The outcome
Due by 5pm October 10, 2022.
Each group will analyze their problem and evidence with the identified methods in order to convey an argument, and they will define parameters and a loose timeline for the project outcome. To submit, follow the directions in your GitHub repository.
Group Check-In
Schedule a time for me to check in with your group on your progress during the first week of November.
Project Presentation
Due December 5, 2022
Your group will present the results of your group project in a 10-15 minute presentation on the last day of class, December 5, 2022. You will walk us through your process, reflecting on any challenges you encountered and how you approached them. Explain the problem, evidence and methods, the outcome, and any next steps.
Grading criteria
The entirety of this portion of your individual final grade will be determined by you and your group members with the completion of Peer Evaluation Forms toward the end of the semester.
Reflections assignments (45% of grade)
Every student in this class has different educational interests, needs, and priorities to fulfill. I’d like you to have the freedom to tailor this class to yours, as much as is possible.
Attend a workshop/event outside of class (15% of grade)
Due by 5pm November 28, 2022
Hands-on experience really is the best way to learn how to work with digital tools. We will work on small skills-oriented projects in our Lab during class, but this is a chance for you to engage with a topic or tool that is interesting or important to you personally in a structured, supportive environment. To submit, follow the directions in your GitHub repository.
Grading criteria
Assessment of content 7.5 points
Assignment critically assesses an aspect of digital scholarship praxis in relation to student’s own interests, competencies, skills, or professional contacts. End product represents substantive reflection upon future applications of a tool, methodology, theory, practice, or skill.
Assessment of form 7.5 points
Student’s process and outcome reflect professionalism, innovation, collegiality, and adherence to given guidelines regarding medium, organization, length, and other factors. Student included visual or other supplementary material to demonstrate an aspect of their learning.
Digital project review (15% of grade)
Due by 5pm November 28, 2022
By now, you’ve gained a bit of experience in and understanding of the behind-the-scenes processes of digital history work. Equipped with this knowledge, you now have a chance to critique a project created by someone else. The goal of this review is to provide guidance to potential users and producers of similar digital projects. Your assessment also serves as a contribution to the critical discourse surrounding digital scholarship at large, in an effort to raise the level and quality of work in the field. To submit, follow the directions in your GitHub repository.
Grading criteria
Assessment of content 7.5 points
Review critically assesses the substantive content of a digital project, providing feedback related to the resource’s contribution to scholarship, main themes, intended audience, sources, interpretation, and the process and circumstances of the project’s production.
Assessment of form 7.5 points
Review critically assesses the technical aspects of a digital project, providing feedback related to the resource’s accessibility, navigability/ease of use, design, structure, sustainability, technical innovativeness, and instrumentation of digital media tools.
End-of-semester survey (15% of grade)
Due by 5pm December 5, 2022
When you reach the end of semester, take a moment to reflect on the things you learned, the challenges you faced, and the accomplishments you are proud of. You will receive an email with the link to the survey, and you can also find it here.