This course allows students to develop and critically assess a range of digital humanities skills, research methods, and best practices. Students will have the opportunity to engage directly with cultural collections and institutions and develop projects designed to address the ongoing digitisation of our shared cultural record. Students will be supported to propose and build digital projects that could be used by cultural institutions large or small. These might include research tools, public outreach and engagement, educational, or, games and creative responses to cultural data sets. Projects can engage with museums, galleries, archives or libraries. Projects are developed over the entire semester from pitch to project plan, prototype for user testing and a final digital project accompanied by an exegesis. These projects are expected to be situated in the broader field and to engage with critical, ethical, theoretical issues. Students are given the opportunity to liaise directly with curators and other experts from institutions to pitch ideas and to develop skills in collaboration and project planning. No technical skills are required and students are supported to upskill from their own level of experience. Support is offered to work with a range of software and digital methods, and final projects can be published online using digital platforms. Students from a range of backgrounds are welcome and the course is designed to support students from computer science as well students studying in the humanities and social sciences.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- analyse and discuss the impact of digital technologies on research in the humanities;
- analyse and critically evaluate a variety of digital humanities research methods and practices;
- critically evaluate and prototype digital project methodologies and complete user testing;
- investigate and apply the use of new digital methods to address existing humanities research questions and/or public engagement with arts and culture; and
- effectively communicate digital humanities research and project methodologies and results to the wider scholarly and professional community.
Required Resources
None. Students on campus will have access to our DH Lab and the equipment in it, Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (unless otherwise booked). Requests to use equipment outside the lab must be made via email to the convener and will be subject to availability. Students may choose to download relevant software to their own computers for use off campus.
Staff Feedback
Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:
- written comments
- verbal comments
- feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc
Student Feedback
ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.
Class Schedule
| Week/Session | Summary of Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
| 3 |
|
|
| 4 |
|
Project Pitch |
| 5 |
|
Project Plan |
| 6 |
|
This Friday is a public holiday. The aim is to reschedule this seminar to another day that suits the majority of students. |
| 7 |
|
|
| 8 |
|
|
| 9 |
|
|
| 10 |
|
|
| 11 |
|
|
| 12 | Final Project Demonstration | Project Demonstration |
Assessment Summary
| Assessment task | Value | Due Date | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facilitate Exploration of a Digital Humanities Project | 10 % | * | 1,2,5 |
| Project Pitch and Plan | 30 % | 22/03/2024 | 1,3,4,5 |
| Project Demonstration | 10 % | 24/05/2024 | 1,3,4,5 |
| Project Build and Final Report | 50 % | 31/05/2024 | 1,2,3,4,5 |
* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details
Policies
ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:
- Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
- Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information
- Student Surveys and Evaluations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
- Code of practice for teaching and learning
Assessment Requirements
The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.
Moderation of Assessment
Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.
Participation
Due to student numbers, we have had to split the class time as follows:
- 1 hour: Lecture
- 1 hour: Seminar A
- 1 hour: Workshop
- 1 hour: Seminar B
Students must attend the lecture and either Seminar A or B every week (students will elect into either A or B at the start of the semester). The workshop time is optional.
Lectures - see the indicative lecture topics above. See below for more information re lecture time in the second half of the semester.
Seminars - weeks 1 and 2 of seminar time will be dedicated to helping you to get started on your project. From week 3, this time will be dedicated to student-led explorations of DH projects. Then, from week 7, these explorations will move to the lecture slot and we will use this time to do a project stand-up and collective problem-solving.
Workshops - these are a time/space to work on your projects and get 1-on-1 help from the course convenor (or your peers!)
Don't worry if this sounds confusing. We will touch base each week on what is coming up and a timetable for the semester will be made available on Wattle.
Assessment Task 1
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,5
Facilitate Exploration of a Digital Humanities Project
For this assignment, you’ll work in pairs to select an existing Digital Humanities project to explore in a facilitated session with your peers. The format of the exploration is open: you could facilitate a discussion of the project with reference to one or two supporting journal articles or book chapters, or you could give a tutorial on one of the digital methods employed in the project. These sessions will be about 50 minutes to one hour, and will take place during our weekly seminars starting in the third week of semester. This is an opportunity for you to explore the breadth of Digital Humanities work and to generate ideas for your own prototype project (including ideas about how to document and critically reflect on your own project). You will submit a brief blog post style summary of your facilitation for assessment.
Assessment Task 2
Learning Outcomes: 1,3,4,5
Project Pitch and Plan
Your final project will be assessed in relation to the plan you articulate in your pitch and plan. We will work on these together in seminar and workshop time. Your convenor will give you feedback on this and the project plan to help you devise a project that is appropriately challenging and achievable.
The pitch is a short (5-7 minute) presentation of your project idea that will be presented to the course convenor and a panel of other relevant experts. Feedback will be provided immediately following your presentation, which should help you refine your ideas and your plan, which is due a week after the pitch.
The plan is a succinct (~1000 words), realistic and achievable plan for completing your project by the deadline. This word count is a target, but the goal here is to make a plan that is going to help you succeed. It is likely that much of the content will be in bullet points or similar (see template provided below). The plan is the complement to your project pitch, and you can repeat content across both. Each student will receive detailed feedback from the course convenor in person.
Assessment Task 3
Learning Outcomes: 1,3,4,5
Project Demonstration
Students will prepare a 7-10 minute demonstration of their project to be shared with their peers, course convenors and invited guests. It is the complement to your project and project report, and you can repeat some content across these assessments.
Assessment Task 4
Learning Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5
Project Build and Final Report
The final project build should be as complete as possible. Students will have an additional week after the project demonstration to refine/fix or make small changes as suggested by feedback following the presentation.
The final project report is a 2500-word document that records and critically reflects on the process of building your prototype.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.
The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.
The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.
The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.
Online Submission
You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin. Project websites, files, recordings and other relevant media should be submitted via the file submission portal in Wattle unless otherwise discussed with convener.
Hardcopy Submission
For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.
Late Submission
Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.
Referencing Requirements
The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.
Returning Assignments
Grades and comments will be available 2 weeks from date of submission unless otherwise specified. Late work (without an approved extension) may receive a grade only and no feedback.
Extensions and Penalties
Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.
Privacy Notice
The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.
Distribution of grades policy
Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.
Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.
Support for students
The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).
- ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
- ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
- ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
- ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
- ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
- ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
- PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students
Convener
|
|
|||
Research Interestsdigital humanities, cybernetics, literary studies, theatre studies |
||||
Prof Katherine Bode
|
|
|
|||
Instructor
|
|
|
|||
Research Interests |
||||
Charlotte Bradley
|
|
|
||||||