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DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE
Course Code: HIST 2807 Course Title: DIGITAL HISTORY Credits: 3 Semester offered: 2
Prerequisites: None
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is designed to expose the student of Caribbean history to the symbiosis and conflict of academia and the digital world - the world of online resources and communication. This course will examine the theoretical and practical elements of digital history (the expressions of history online) and the potential and shortcomings of such resources. In this assessment of the digital world’s continuous and ever-changing impact on the humanities, students will be introduced to the major themes, issues and developments surrounding the research, writing, assessment and presentation of history online.
COURSE ORGANISATION The course is divided into three major areas (i) Understanding Digital History, which: provides a basis for understanding all aspects of online history; defines the digital historian, as well as the major developments, shortcomings and benefits of the medium, and explores the issues involved in the exploration of history online and the impact on the developing world; (ii) Preserving And Writing History Online, which explores in detail the ways in which the online world has been used to showcase history, and (iii) Constructing Digital History through which the student will gain firsthand experience and knowledge of the options, benefits and problems associated with developing online history resources.
The course investigates the growing employment and the efficacy of such resources in general, and, specifically, in the Caribbean context. The course is designed to encourage the new generation of Caribbean history students to begin exploring this aspect of history and building a Caribbean History online community and resources.
COURSE RATIONALE It is important for students of history in the 21st century to be exposed to online history in a professional academic setting, and to acquire the tools necessary for proper use, assessment and construction of historical resources online. Students of the Humanities tend to be the last to be exposed to such online resources that have the ability to greatly enhance their area of 2
study and their understanding of the modern age on human relationships, society and communication. Therefore, it is incumbent upon The University of the West Indies, and the History department, to always be at the forefront of education and thus to usher students of history into the digital age, in order for them to be internationally competitive and competent in both traditional and modern capacities. A course in digital history will prepare students of history for careers in research, teaching or digital preservation, thus making them highly employable. It will also encourage them to take their history outside of the classroom to a wider audience of the Caribbean and the international community, thus always ensuring their relevance and contribution to an evolving world.
ENTERING BEHAVIOURS Students must have basic level computer skills and access to the internet outside of the university.
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
TARGET GROUP This course is designed for second year level history students, though it is relevant to any student of the Humanities who intends to function within the discipline in the modern age. All students of the Humanities, and particularly History students, will require the understanding and skills taught in this course to fully comprehend and engage in this significant, inevitable and absolutely essential evolution of their field. Thus offering the course early in the history programme is both logical and necessary.
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION Dr. Debbie Mc Collin Office: 217a, 2nd Floor Humanities Building 662-2002 x83049 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Varies according to semester Preferred Method of contact: Via email or face to face during office hours Class room: FHE Computer Laboratory, South Building
LETTER TO THE STUDENT
WELCOME TO DIGITAL HISTORY!
This is a course designed to pique your interest, hone your internet skills and sharpen your intellectual understanding of your field (both general history and Caribbean history) and its representation on the internet. It is intended to equip you with the skills necessary to traverse the digital world with the eyes, mind and voice of an intellectual. 3
This course brings history into the modern day, exposing you to a new, exciting way of understanding and exploring the subject. You will learn the history of the internet and its relationship with the humanities, how to research, assess and write history online and gain information about interactive academic tools. It ultimately offers you the chance to become a part of this evolution, providing the opportunity to design a Caribbean history web page of your own to add to the growing body of history on the net.
The ultimate goal of this course is to bridge the gap between the traditional and the modern, and allow you, the history student of the modern age, to make your world of Caribbean history accessible, relevant and interesting to the wider world.
Enjoy the journey.
CONTENT
COURSE TOPICS
A) UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL HISTORY 1. The Rise of the Digital Age 2. Digital Humanities and the Digital Historian: History and Education in the Digital Age 3. Exposing the Caribbean: Digital Access for the Humanities in the Developing World
B) PRESERVING AND WRITING HISTORY ONLINE 4. Digitization: Digital Preservation of Sources - Library, Museums and Cultural Archives - Historical Archives - Online Books - Online Encyclopædia
5. The Social Web and Education 6. Network Communication and History 7. Writing History Online
C) CONSTRUCTING DIGITAL HISTORY 8. Websites of History and Caribbean History 9. Beyond Words: a) Audio and Video b) Illustrative- Photographic, Mapping and Timeline History Online 10. Interactive History: Building Virtual Historical Sites 11. Introduction to Interactive Learning Aids 12. Caribbean History Projects
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MAIN GOALS This course will - Help students understand what is meant by the digital humanities and the digital historian. - Expose students to methods of understanding and using historical resources through the web and other interactive means. - Introduce the online world to the Caribbean historian and thus to Caribbean historical research, preservation and study. - Encourage the expansion of Caribbean historical content and resources on the internet. - Help students to understand the impact of the digital world on history and on the society. - Provide them with practical experience and professional guidance on creating history on the web in a reliable and internationally accountable style. - Teach the skills necessary to evaluate online history content.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES The main goals will be accomplished by: 1. Exposing the students to readings about the internet, digital humanities, digital history and the theories and issues surrounding the field, including those specific to the Caribbean. 2. Tracing, through specific internet websites, the various expressions of the Humanities and History online. 3. Providing general criteria for judging an academic website. 4. Providing students with opportunities to practise, through web review writing, how to correctly evaluate a website. 5. Training students through web exercises (refer to pages 21-23) how to identify, qualify and trace relevant historical web content over the internet and to properly reference internet text. 6. Exposing students to programmes for designing websites, constructing interactive components, and writing history online. 7. Guiding students through the beginning, middle and latter stages of creating a Caribbean history website using an online website creation programme.
LEARNING OUTCOMES By the end of the course, students will be able to: - Use the internet to research, teach and preserve history. - Define digital humanities, digital history, archiving, online libraries, web search techniques, blogging, networking and interactive tools and explain their role in the presentation of history. - Define the terms ‘designing’ and ‘developing’ a website. - Access and assess the academic literature and issues surrounding the digital humanities. - Assess websites and other web resources in a manner that is consistent with historical professionalism and academic rigour. 5
- Design and develop an online digital history resource. - Apply referencing appropriate to online writing. - Explain copyright issues specific to online writing. - Assess the impact of this new presentation of history in the West Indian History community and the Caribbean at large.
COURSE OUTLINE
A) UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL HISTORY
1. The Rise of the Digital Age
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To describe the stages of evolution of the internet and academic cyber world. 2. To be familiar with the Web blogging page and web site building programme used for the course.
UNIT READINGS:
Leiner, Barry M. et al. Histories of the Internet, The Internet Society ISOC, 2011. http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/brief.shtml
Ryan, John. The History of the Internet and the Digital Future. Reaktion Books, 2010.
RESOURCES: Computer History Museum, http://www.computerhistory.org/internet_history/ History of the Internet, Internet for Historians by Richard T. Griffiths, Leiden University. http://www.let.leidenuniv.nl/history/ivh/frame_theorie.html The History Of The Internet: Motiongraphics Documentary With PICOL Icons, 2009, http://Www.Lonja.De/The-History-Of-The-Internet/
MAIN EXERCISES: Web scavenger hunt assignment. Visit the web blogging site West Indian History in the Digital Age and sign up for a Word Press page.
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2. Digital Humanities and the Digital Historian: History and Education in the Digital Age
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To establish a definition of the digital historian and explain the purpose and impact of digital history. 2. To identify the different means of presenting, researching and exploring history. 6
3. To assess how the relationships among professional and amateur historians, researchers, teachers, librarians, students, archivists, curators and the general public, have changed because of digital technology.
UNIT READINGS: Anand, Rohit, Internet Education. New Delhi: International Scientific Publishing Academy.2005.
Borgman, Christine L. Scholarship in the Digital Age: Information, Infrastructure, and the Internet. Christine L Borgman, 2007.
Cohen, Daniel J. “The Future of Preserving the Past”. CRM: The Journal of Heritage Stewardship, Summer 2005. http://www.dancohen.org/files/future_of_preserving_the_past.pdf
Cohen, Daniel J. “Zotero: Social and Semantic Computing for Historical Scholarship”, Perspectives: History and Technology, May 2007. http://www.historians.org/Perspectives/issues/2007/0705/0705tec2.cfm
Cohen, Daniel J., Michael Frisch, Patrick Gallagher, Steven Mintz, Kirsten Sword, Amy Murrell Taylor, William G. Thomas III, and William J. Turkel. "Interchange: The Promise of Digital History," Journal of American History 95, No. 2 (Sep 2008). (N.B. You have to log in to the UWO library to access this paper). Online discussion which took place over the course of several months in the winter of 2008 including Daniel Cohn CHNM at George Mason University, Michael Frisch at University of Buffalo, State University of New York, Patrick Gallagher, Principal of Gallagher and Associates, Steven Mintz, Columbia University, Kirsten Sword, Indiana University, Amy Murrell Taylor, SUNY, William Thomas II, University of Nebraska, and William Turkel, University of Western Ontario.
Courant, Paul N. “Scholarship and Academic Libraries (and their kin) in the World of Google,” First Monday, Vol 11, No. 8 (2006).
Head, Alison J. Beyond Google: How Do Students Conduct Academic Research?, First Monday1, Volume 12, Number 8 - 6 August 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1998/1873.
Parry, D. Be Online or be Irrelevant, academhack Blog post- http://academhack.outsidethetext.com/home/2010/be-online-or-be-irrelevant/
Rieger, Oya Y., Framing Digital Humanities: The Role Of New Media In Humanities Scholarship http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3198/2628
1 First Monday is an online peer-reviewed journal of the University of Illinois at Chicago University Library. 7
Shifflett, Crandall, “Seeing the Past: Digital History as New Model Scholarship”, MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, Vol. 3, No. 1, March 2007.
Thomas, Sue, Chris Joseph, Jess Laccetti, Bruce Mason, Simon Mills, Simon Perril, Kate Pullinger. “Transliteracy: Crossing Divides”, First Monday, Volume 12 Number 12 - 3 December 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2060/1908
Vess, Deborah, “History in the Digital Age: A Study of the Impact of Interactive Resources on Student Learning” The History Teacher, Vol 37, No. 3, May 2004. http://www.jstor.org/pss/1555676
RESOURCES: Art-Humanities.net, http://www.arts-humanities.net/digital_historian Digital History Reader, http://www.dhr.history.vt.edu/ The Digital Historian, http://www.arts-humanities.net/digital_historian The History Engine, http://historyengine.richmond.edu/-
MAIN EXERCISE: Write a blog entry (on the site West Indian History in the Digital Age) discussing the necessity and the ways that your department can greater utilise digital resources.
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3. Exposing The Caribbean: Digital Access For The Humanities In The Developing World
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To identify the significant issues and challenges surrounding the exposure and use of the internet in education in the developing world 2. To assess the impact of this on the use and availability of digital resources for Caribbean countries.
UNIT READINGS:
Chinn, Menzie D. and Robert W. Fairlie. ICT Use in the Developing World: An Analysis of Differences in Computer and Internet Penetration. Bonn: The Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) Discussion Paper No. 2206, July 2006.
Osin, Luis. Computers in Education in Developing Countries: Why and How? World Bank. Human Development Network. 1998
Wallsten, Scott, Regulation and Internet Use in Developing Countries (December 2002). World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 2979. December 2002.
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Wooldridge, Brooke and Laurie Taylor and Mark Sullivan. "Managing an Open Access, Multi- Institutional, International Digital Library: the Digital Library of the Caribbean". Resource Sharing & Information Networks. 20: 1 (2009).
RESOURCES: The Digital Library of the Caribbean, http://dloc.com/
MAIN EXERCISE: Choose a website which deals with a Caribbean subject and determine its effectiveness in achieving its main aim. ______
B) PRESERVING AND WRITING HISTORY ONLINE
4. Digitization: Digital Preservation of Sources
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To describe the methods used to preserve history online. 2. To discuss the controversies surrounding archiving online. 3. To assess online archives of primary and secondary sources, the reliability of each type of source and its contribution to international research accessibility.
UNIT SECTIONS AND READINGS:
Rosenzweig, Roy. “Scarcity or Abundance? Preserving the Past in a Digital Era.” The American Historical Review, Vol 108, No. 3, June 2003. http://chnm.gmu.edu/resources/essays/scarcity.php
Zorich, Diane M. “Defining Digital Stewardship In The Digital Age”, First Monday, Volume 12, Number 7 — 2 July 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1927/1809
Library, Museums and Cultural Archives
Elbaek, Mikael K. and Lars Nondal, “The Library As A Mediator For E-–Publishing: A Case On How A Library Can Become A Significant Factor In Facilitating Digital Scholarly Communication And Open Access Publishing For Less Web-–Savvy Journals”, First Monday, Volume 12 Number 10 - 1 October 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1958/1835
Elings, Mary W., and Günter Waibel, “Metadata For All: Descriptive Standards And Metadata Sharing Across Libraries, Archives And Museums”, First Monday, Volume 12, Number 3 — 5 9
March 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1628/1543
Eschenfelder, Kristin R. and Michelle Caswell, “Digital Cultural Collections In An Age Of Reuse And Remixes”, First Monday, Volume 15, Number 11 - 1 November 2010
Rosenzweig, Roy. “Digital Archives are a Gift of Wisdom to Be Used Wisely,” Chronicle of Higher Education, Volume 51, No. 42 (24 Jun 2005).
Schnapp, Jeffery, “Animating the Archive,” First Monday, Volume 13 Number 8 - 4 August 2008. http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2218/2020,
Historical Archives: Digitizing History
Cox, Richard J. and The Archives Students, “Machines In The Archives: Technology And The Coming Transformation Of Archival Reference”, First Monday, Volume 12, Number 11 - 5 November 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2029/1894
Talbot, David. “The Fading Memory of the State: The National Archives Struggle to Save Endangered Electronic Records,” Technology Review (July 2005).
Xiaolong Jin, Jianmin Jiang, Geyong Min, “A Software Agent And Web Service Based System For Digital Preservation”, First Monday, Volume 15, Number 10 - 4 October 2010 http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3069/2629
Online Books and Journals
Roush, Wade. “The Infinite Library: Does Google's Plan to Digitize Millions of Print Books Spell the Death of Libraries; or Their Rebirth?,” Technology Review (May 2005).
Online Encyclopædia
Wilkinson, Dennis M. and Bernardo A. Huberman, “Assessing the value of cooperation in Wikipedia,” First Monday, Volume 12, Number 4 — 2 April 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1763/1643
Spiro, Lisa, “Is Wikipedia Becoming a Respectable Academic Source?” Digital Scholarship in the Humanities Blog, 1 Sept. 2008, http://digitalscholarship.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/is-wikipedia-becoming-a- respectable-academic-source/#comment-1043
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MAIN RESOURCES: History in Action, Journal of the History Department of the University of the West Indies, http://www.mainlib.uwi.tt/epubs/historyaction/index.htm The British National Archive, http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ The British Library, http://www.bl.uk/ European History Online Resources, http://primary-sources.eui.eu/ National Library of Jamaica, http://www.nlj.gov.jm/ The History of Mary Prince by Mary Prince, http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17851 The British Museum, http://www.britishmuseum.org/ Smithsonian, http://www.si.edu/Museums Images of Colonialism, http://hcl.harvard.edu/collections/digital_collections/colonialism.cfm WWW-VL: History Index of Maps, http://vlib.iue.it/history/materials/maps.html Google Books Wikipedia JSTOR
MAIN EXERCISE: Begin to write text for Caribbean History Online Project. Find three Wikipedia entries that fit the categories of (i) historically accurate, (2) historically misleading and (3) historically elementary. Accompanying explanations required. ______
5. The Social Web and Education
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To define the social web and explain how it has been used for scholarship. 2. To discuss the possible historical functions of social networking sites such as Youtube and Facebook. 3. To assess the viability of the use of the social web and the controversial discourse surrounding its employment in the academic world.
UNIT READINGS: Boyd, Danah M. and Nicole B. Ellison, “Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship.” Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Volume 13, Issue 1: 210– 230, October 2008. First published online- 17 Dec 2007.
Friesen, Norm. “Education And The Social Web: Connective Learning And The Commercial Imperative”, First Monday, Volume 15, Number 12 - 6 December 2010 http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3149
RESOURCES: Facebook, www.facebook.com Official Fan Page for The History Channel, http://www.facebook.com/History West Indiana, http:www.facebook.com/West Indiana 11
Youtube, www.youtube.com
MAIN EXERCISE: In groups, construct a public profile designed specifically for the humanities audience. ______
6. Network Communication and History
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To identify the methods of historical communication via the internet. 2. To discuss blogging as a viable means of networking and presenting information within the historical community. 3. To access effectiveness of blogging in acquiring and presenting oral history and as teaching tool.
UNIT READINGS: Kaufman, Scott Eric. “An Enthusiast's View of Academic Blogs,” Inside Higher Ed (1 Nov 2007).
Kotsko, Adam “A Skeptic's Take on Academic Blogs,” Inside Higher Ed (1 Nov 2007).
Kugelmass, Joseph. “Academic Blogging Revisited,” The Valve (1 Nov 2007).
Pepperell, N. “'Mainstreaming' Academic Blogging,” RoughTheory.org (30 Oct 2007).
RESOURCES: BBC History Magazine Blog, http://www.historyextra.com/blogs The History Blog, http://www.thehistoryblog.com/
MAIN EXERCISE: Find and assess three academic blogs which attempt to present or explore history in different ways. ______
7. Writing History Online
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To describe the correct means of referencing a variety of online sources for both traditional and online writing. 2. To develop the skills required for writing for both an academic and non-academic audience. 3. To identify the copyrighting issues associated with writing online and the issues surrounding the protection of intellectual property online.
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UNIT READINGS: Ayers, Edward L. The Pasts and Futures of Digital History, http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/ Pasts Futures.html, (accessed July 25, 2008), http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/PastsFutures.html
Cohen, Daniel J. and Roy Rosenzweig. Chapter 7: Owning the Past”, Digital History: A Guide To Gathering, Preserving, And Presenting The Past On The Web.
Davidson, Kathy, “Does Digital Publishing Need Peer Review?” Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Advanced Collaboratory. http://www.hastac.org/blogs/cathy-davidson/does- digital-publishing-need-peer-review
Koltay, Tibor, “New Media And Literacies: Amateurs Vs. Professionals”, First Monday, Volume 16, Number 1 - 3 January 2011, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3206/2748
Kilfeather, Eoin Hypertext Theory And Narrative, Dublin Institute of Technology, 1 Jan 1996. Paper 11 http://arrow.dit.ie/aaschmedart/11
RESOURCES: Anthurium, A Caribbean Studies Journal, http://anthurium.miami.edu/home.html Cambridge Journals, http://journals.cambridge.org/ History in Action, Journal of the History Department of the University of the West Indies, http://www.mainlib.uwi.tt/epubs/historyaction/index.htm JSTOR, www.jstor.com Oxford Journals, http://www.oxfordjournals.org/our_journals/
MAIN EXERCISE: Present Portfolio of Caribbean History Online Project
C) CONSTRUCTING DIGITAL HISTORY
8. Websites of History and Caribbean History
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. Site analyses to determine a) what is currently exists in terms of Caribbean online history and b) weakness present in existing sites. 2. To develop basic web design and database creation skills using an online web programme.
RESOURCES:
Caribbean Histories Revealed, The British National Archives http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/caribbeanhistory/ Manas, Indian Diaspora, http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/mainhist.html 13
Mary Seacole 1805- 1881, http://www.maryseacole.com/maryseacole/pages/ St. Vincent History, http://svgancestry.com/index.php/st-vincent-history/ The Ex. West Indian Service Men Association, http://www.westindiaregiment.org/history.html The West Indiana Section, The Alma Jordan Library, The University of The West Indies, St. Augustine.
MAIN EXERCISE: Examine one Caribbean history online resource and determine its strengths and weaknesses. Write a brief explanation, as a student of Caribbean history, of what would attract you to use a Caribbean history site.
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9. Beyond Words: (a) Audio and Video
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To discuss the alternative methods of presenting history online through audio and video media. 2. To identify the problems associated with such sources especially in relation to protection of intellectual property.
UNIT READINGS: Cohen, Daniel J. and Roy Rosenzweig. “Chapter 7: Owning the Past: Images, Music and Movies”, Digital History: A Guide To Gathering, Preserving, And Presenting The Past On The Web.
Fogu, Claudio. “Digitalizing Historical Consciousness”, History and Theory, Vol. 48, No. 2, Theme Issue 47: Historical Representation and Historical Truth (May, 2009) (pp. 103-121)
Kaufman, Peter B. “Video, Education And Open Content: Notes Toward A New Research And Action” agenda, First Monday, Volume 12, Number 4 — 2 April 2007, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1767/1647
RESOURCES: History.com, Videos, http://www.history.com/videos Youtube, www.youtube.com
(b) Illustrative- Photographic, Mapping and Timeline History Online UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the techniques and impact of the use of photographic material online to enhance the presentation and understanding of history 14
2. To examine the different manifestations and manipulations of maps and mapping techniques to illustrate history online. 3. To develop middle level building skills to create a map/timeline that is academically sound and user friendly.
UNIT READINGS: Bonnett, John. (2004). New Technologies, New Formalisms for Historians: The 3D Virtual Buildings Project, Literacy and Linguistic Computing, 19, 273-287.
Harley, J.B. (1988). “Maps, Knowledge, and Power” in Denis Cosgrove and Stephen Daniels (Eds.), The Iconography of Landscape (pp. 277-312). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tulloch, David L. “Many, Many Maps: Empowerment And Online Participatory Mapping”, First Monday, Volume 12, Number 2 — 5 February 2007 http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/1620/1535
Young, Jeffrey R. (2006, November). “With Digital Maps Historians Chart a New Way into the Past: A Push to Make Historical Data More Visual Could Yield a Better Understanding of Events, Chronicle of Higher Education, 53. Retrieved February 28, 2007, http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i12/12a03301.htm.
RESOURCES:
Caribmap: A Cartographic History Of The West Indies, http://www.caribmap.org/ History of the West Indies Cricket Team http://www.windiesonline.com/west_indies_image_gallery/p17_sectionid/2 Histografica http://www.histografica.com/ Interactive Timeline, Digital History, http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/timeline/timelineO.cfm The American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection, http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/digilib/maps/index.cfm
MAIN EXERCISE: Develop an online timeline or map to be incorporated into the Caribbean History Project. Create a digital historical image(s) to be included in your Caribbean History Online Project. ______
10. Interactive History: Building Virtual Historical Sites
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To describe the evolution of the use of 3D imaging and the virtual world in presenting history online. 2. To discuss the concerns surrounding its use in the academic world and to assess its efficacy in presenting history online. 15
UNIT READINGS: Frank, Ilene. “Second Life: A Virtual World. Why Are Librarians There?, First Monday, Volume 13 Number 8 - 4 August 2008, http://www.uic.edu/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2222/2010
Kansteiner, Wulf. "Alternate Worlds and Invented Communities: History and Historical Consciousness in the Age of Interactive Media," in Keith Jenkins, S. Morgan, and A. Munslow eds. Manifestos for History, (London: Routledge, 2007), 131-148.
Nelson, Robert K., Scott Nesbit, and Andrew Torget, “The History Engine: Doing History with Digital Tools”, [blogs] http://www.academiccommons.org/commons/essay/history- engine, Posted September 9th, 2009.
RESOURCES: Google Art Project, http://www.googleartproject.com/ Great Hospital Online, http://www.thegreathospital.co.uk/ BBC History World Wars, WWI Trenches, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/launch_vt_wwone_trench.shtml Second Life, www.second life.com Virtual History, Discovery Channel, http://www.yourdiscovery.com/virtualhistory/_home/index.shtml
MAIN EXERCISE: Write a review of one virtual website. ______
11. Introduction to Interactive Learning Aids
UNIT OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the value of interactive games, tests, quizzes, etc. for teaching and learning history.
UNIT READINGS: Blundell, Chris. Investigation Of The Effectiveness Of Computer Game-Based Virtual Learning Environments To Facilitate Students‟ Understanding Of The Features And History Of Ancient Architectural Wonders. Computer Education Research Project Master of Education, Griffith University May, 2007.
Champion, Erik, “Heritage Role Playing- History as an Interactive Digital Game” in Yusuf Pisan, Proceedings of the 1st Australian Workshop on Interactive Entertainment ( Sydney: Creativity and Cognition Studios Press, 2004) 29-35.
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RESOURCES: BBC Interactive Games, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/interactive/games/ Exploring Ancient Wonder, The Parthenon, http://www.plutonicdesign.com/eaw/ Playing History, http://playinghistory.org/ School History.com, http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/games/ Indian History project. Assess one interactive history game.
MAIN EXERCISE: Develop an online educational game using Stagecast as part of your Caribbean History Online Project. ______
12. Presentations of Caribbean History Online Projects
UNIT OBJECTIVE: 1. To display, present and critique the semester long Caribbean History Online Project 2. To assess the knowledge acquisition, skills demonstration and creativity of student peers. ______
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT
Assessment in this course will be solely by coursework.
1. Biweekly class weblog on West Indian History in the Digital Age- 10% Based on weekly readings. Purpose: To assess the level of comprehension and analysis of weekly readings and related relevant issues; to assess the level of participation in online discourse and improvements in students’ online writing for an academic audience; to assess whether students are discussing topics outside of classroom setting.
Assessment methods: Quality of entry: Expression – 1% Relevance to topic- 2% Evidence of external reading/ research/ knowledge- 2% Assessment – 5%
Due Date: Friday of every other week
2. Weekly exercises - 10% A variety of weekly exercises relating to the subjects discussed in that week 17
Purpose: To enhance understanding of the topic; to practice a particular skill learnt during class; to investigate and analyse particular issues which may arise in class lecture, reading or discussion. Refer to pages 20-22 for details on each weekly exercise.
Assessment methods: Varies according to exercise.
DUE DATES: Weekly
3. 4 Website reviews (including 2 historical websites) as blog entries- 30% Evaluation of particular websites related to topics. Purpose: To gain skills and experience writing reviews for internet and academic audiences, learn skills on how to assess websites thoroughly and effectively, become aware of the pitfalls and benefits of web page designing, learn how a web page should be organised based on purpose, message and audience.
Assessment Methods: Description of Website 20% Expression of individual thought and opinion on website (i) layout 20% (ii) text 20% (iii) communication of purpose 10% (iv) impact and success at meeting goals 20% Evidence of relevant outside expert opinion 10%
DUE DATES:
REVIEW WEEK 1 2 2 5 3 9 4 11
4. Caribbean History Online Project- 50%
(a) Portfolio of Caribbean History Online Project 20% Assessment of Proposal and hardcopy design of the web project. Purpose: To assess student’s ability to correctly interpret the assignment; identify the objectives of the web page; translate his/her vision via important aspects of web page - purpose, design, text, etc.
Assessment Methods: Description of purpose and webpage 10% 18
Mock-up of design 5% Text of Page 5%
DUE DATE: Week 8
(b) Website Presentation 30% Purpose: For students to create a website surrounding any Caribbean historical subject to illustrate the skills, both academic and web based, which they have acquired over the course and their creativity in exploring this type of history.
Assessment Methods: Presentation (assessed by a panel of three lecturers) 10% Final Web page design 5% Text and Interactive aspect 5% Fulfillment of objectives 5% Peer evaluation 5%
DUE DATE: Final Two Weeks
NOTE: There is no final exam for this course.
COURSE RESOURCES
PROGRAMMES
- Word Press, blog and website creation software - Omeka, online exhibition creation software
MAIN COURSE WEBSITE
Digital History at UWI- uwidigitalhistory.wordpress.com
MAIN TEXTS Cohen, Daniel J. and Roy Rosenzweig. Digital History: A Guide To Gathering, Preserving, And Presenting The Past On The Web. Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2006. http://chnm.gmu.edu/digitalhistory/
Schreibman, Susan, Ray Siemens and John Unsworth eds. A Companion to Digital Humanities Oxford: Blackwell, 2004. http://www.digitalhumanities.org/companion/
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ATTENDANCE POLICY Students are required to attend lectures, participate in exercises and submit all assignments by the deadlines given, unless he or she has spoken to the lecturer prior to this and the assignment is accompanied by a medical certificate.
GRADING SYSTEM
The Grading Scheme used in the Faculty of Humanities and Education is as follows:
Mark Grade Quality Points 86-100 A+ 4.3 70-85 A 4.0 67-69 A- 3.7 63-66 B+ 3.3 60-62 B 3.0 57-59 B- 2.7 53-56 C+ 2.3 50-52 C 2.0 47-49 C- 1.7 43-46 D+ 1.3 40-42 D 1.0