In late February 2020, I had the pleasure of joining two of my colleagues, Kate Topham and Megan Kudzia, in giving a talk and a series of workshops as part of the Digital Humanities Initiative at University of Illinois Chicago (further details available on the UIC website). Thanks to all the people who joined us for an exciting and intense day of learning!
We created a website to house all of the materials for the day, and it will continue to be maintained at dh.msu.domains/uic. All are welcome to use and reuse the materials available there (they have a CC-BY license).
[Updated on March 4, 2020 to reflect the fact that the workshop is now completed]
Digital Humanities in Practice: Project Development and Digital Pedagogy
Presentation by myself, Megan Kudzia, and Kate Topham. Find further resources and more at dh.msu.domains/uic/presentation.
How are digital humanities projects made? We will discuss the process of developing a digital humanities project – moving from research question and methodology to data collection to tool selection to analysis and sharing the work – by showcasing examples of digital humanities projects and how they were made. Throughout these examples, we will consider the way that digital humanities work raises new opportunities for student learning.
Workshop: Navigating the Mapping Landscape, led by Megan Kudzia
Find further resources and more at dh.msu.domains/uic/mapping
This workshop will start by giving a broad overview of map types and the considerations involved in beginning a DH mapping project, then will move into specific suggestions you will be able to implement in your own work. We will briefly cover some specific mapping tools, with attention to the strengths and drawbacks of each, and wrap up with a discussion of how to choose and evaluate mapping tools for your project.
Workshop: Exploring Data Visualization Options with Flourish, led by Kate Topham and I
Find further resources and more at dh.msu.domains/uic/visualization
Visualization is often the “way in” to our data, both for scholarly analysis and presentation to an audience. However, it is critical to understand the process of visualizing data: who is it for, and what questions does it answer? In this workshop, participants learn how to choose the right visualization for their data, how to prepare their data for visualization, and create their own visualizations using Flourish.
Workshop: Project management and collaboration, led by Megan Kudzia and Kate Topham
Find further resources and more at dh.msu.domains/uic/project-management
This workshop goes beyond “how did they make that” into “how can I do this?“, offering a practical guide to starting, growing, and sustaining your DH project. Undertaking a digital project can be overwhelming, but with the right strategies, these challenges can be met with confidence. Participants will get an introductory grounding in what project management is and how it applies in academia, and will get specific examples of tools and practices that can help any project progress more quickly and realize its potential.
Workshop: Simple Strategies for Adding DH into your Pedagogy, led by me
Find further resources and more at dh.msu.domains/uic/pedagogy
During this workshop, participants will learn practical tips for incorporating digital humanities methods and approaches into the classroom. The workshop will provide resources and ideas for in class activities, take home assignments, and final projects. Using Voyant for text analysis and Timeline JS for media-rich timelines, workshop participants will also gain hands on experience with a couple of simple DH tools that are especially suited to a pedagogical context.