Digitorium: Approaches in Digital Pedagogy

This panel (Thursday, 3:30-4:45) was really interesting to me because it got me thinking about ways I can bring DH into my EN 103 courses I’m teaching in the fall.  In “UA Genealogies: Historical Archives and Storytelling,” Dr. Lauren Cardon talked about a fascinating 103 project she taught, in which her students conducted genealogy research on one branch of their family, then composed 500-word narratives with digital images and uploaded them to Word Press.  Thirteen of the best projects also went on display in Hoole.  Lauren talked about how the project helped students make personal connections to the campus community through working with the ADHC and Hoole, as well as taught students skills in archival research and digital gallery-building.
Historical Archives and Storytelling on the ADHC site

Dr. April Morris presented “Beyond the Book Report: Digital Tools, Undergraduate Engagement, and Intellectual Experimentation,” in which she described her experiments in bringing DH tools into her art history classes.  As exigence, she explained that the range of digital materials and technologies for presenting art is “exploding” and that students like and respond well to digital materials.  April showed us a series of art history course websites she had designed, which became successively more integrated into the class and involved more student input.  One of the coolest student projects is a “mortuary temple to Brenden Fraser” a current student is building in Minecraft.  (!?)  April stressed that students need a sense of ownership over their digital projects, as well as the importance of letting students present their research in class to build community.

Both presentations gave me inspiration for my upcoming courses, which will focus on visual pedagogy of World War II propaganda (including barrage balloons, of course).  I had already planned on having my students keep Tumblr blogs, but now I’m considering having them work on a course website instead (or in addition), as well as adding a digital component to their researched position paper.  I also plan to use DH resources (including ArtStor and other things I’ve discovered in this class) to give my students access to more media than is available traditionally.