History 9808A: Digital Public History

Contact Info tcompeau@uwo.ca Office: LH 1202 Office Hours: 11:30-12:00 Thursdays and by appointment at Huron A217.

Course Description This course introduces students to the theory and practice of digital techniques for public history. It explores methods of presenting, communicating, researching, and reconstructing history with digital technology in ways that deepen the public understanding of the past, and foster the inculcation of historical thinking skills. Digital history can preserve the past and make it more accessible, but its affordances can also challenge authoritative narratives and complicate our experiences with history in surprisingly subversive ways. Good companion class to Research Methods and Interactive Exhibit Design.

Digital Public History Digital Public History has been defined as “user-centered history” (Sharon Leon, 6floors.org) or as history produced “in the public sphere through interactive digital means“ (Serge Noiret). “…encountering…audiences through digital means, such as social media, blogs, exhibit sites, collections and archival sites, mobile applications, and digital simulations.”  ”…the best digital public history work requires a blend of applied technical skills, targeted engagement strategies, disciplinary ways of knowing, and deep content knowledge.” (Sharon Leon, 6floors.org)

Keys to Success Focus is on active learning Requires: Discover, discuss, learn, apply Requires: Engagement Self-directed learning Collaboration Pushing yourself into unfamiliar territory Time commitment Because students will begin the course with varied levels of experience, evaluation will be based on student willingness to engage with the technology and how much they learn, and not necessarily on technical proficiency and attainment.

Weekly Seminars Readings and other resource material will be linked from: www.timcompeau.com/history-9808-digital-public-history-fall-2016/ Readings and topics are not set in stone. We can adapt classes and topics based on what is going on with the Public History Group projects and to suit student interest. In class participation accounts for 20% of final mark.

Weekly Seminars Sept. 15: Engaging Audiences with Digital Media, Podcasting, and Video. Sept. 22: Digital Preservation, Sharing, and Crowdsourcing Sept. 29: Introduction to Processing (Guest Lecturer: Devon Elliot). Oct. 6: Place-Based Digital History (Podcast Due) Oct. 13: The Digital Museum Oct. 20: Introduction to GIS (Visit to the Map and Data Centre, D.B Weldon Library). Oct. 27: Fall Study Break. No class. Oct. 31 – Special Due Date – History Tour Nov. 3: Digital History Games and Simulations. Nov. 10: The Future of Digital Public History Nov. 17: Ethics and Digital Public History Nov. 24: Presentations/fine-tuning independent projects. Dec. 1: Independent Assignments and Papers Due

Blogging 25% of final grade. Discussion between the blogs – comment on your classmate’s blogs. Try and blog every week. At least 6 substantial blogs of 500+ words. Blog on class content, but can also be on digital, public, or other history. Tweet about the class (Optional) Send me URLs for your blogs as soon as you can. Assignment 1: Blog by Weds and comment on another blog. Find a list of possible blog hosting platforms linked from today’s page. Remember: Choose a site that has a comment feature (not tumblr) and remember that this is public.

The Point of the Blog Project Log. Can spark discussion for class. An online presence to show future employers. A way to get comfortable with having your writing in public. Main audience is each other, but could be adapted later.

Podcast 15% of mark. What sort of podcast do you want to do? Documentary style, discussion, interview? Single podcasts or a central class podcast? Each student is responsible for a minimum of 15 minutes of podcast material. Any historical topic. Make it entertaining and as professional as you can. Start planning (and listen to other podcasts) and we will work on these next week. Due Oct. 6

Place-Based History 15% Due for Testing Oct. 31. Create a walking tour based on local history. At least nine stops or points of interest. Topic: “Dark History of London” Interpretours Platform for Android

Assignment 3 Part of the assignment is designing it. What history to you want to present? What technology or digital methods do you want to experiment with? In-progress presentation of your assignment on Nov. 30. Final Product and reflection paper due last day of class. (15% and 10%) Reflection Paper, 1500-2500 words.

Parameters Must present an historical topic for a public audience. Must use digital technology. Should be challenging and employ technology and methods that are new to you. Proof of principle. Possible examples: Historical Website Augmented reality 3D modelling/scanning. Short Video using editing software and graphics GIS Mapping project Historical Visualizations Design a digital history game. Work through a set of lessons and complete a project using The Programming Historian.

Next Steps Start Blogging! Send me your blog (and Twitter) handles. Download audacity. Listen to podcasts – get planning/writing your own. Have a listen to previous attempts from 9808. In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg Directed discussion of a topic with a panel of experts. BBC History Extra Interviews, Lectures, and History News. Shakespeare’s Restless World Documentary Style A list of 10 History Podcasts