Syllabus - IDST 270 - Fall 2022
Introduction to Digital Humanities: Choose Your Own Adventure Edition
Course Information
Assignments
Schedule
Policies
Instructor - Dr. Deanna Stover
email: deanna.stover@cnu.edu
course website: https://deanna-stover.github.io/coursesCNU/2022/idst270fall2022
office hours: MWF 11:30 am - 12:30 pm and by appointment
office location: McMurran 229
Office hours are your time to come talk to me about anything related (or unrelated) to class. This time is yours, I am not (supposed to be) doing anything else; you will not be interrupting me. If you have questions about class or have other questions I might be able to answer, please schedule an appointment (see Scholar for more information on how to do this).
Course Description
Catalog Description: This course introduces students to the digital humanities by raising the question of what precisely constitutes this new and emerging field. Students explore how digital media and technology have transformed multiple disciplines in the humanities as well as humanities research. Theoretical questions regarding post-humanism, privacy, print culture, copyright, and more are discussed. Students produce digital artifacts related to a field of traditional humanities study.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize and discuss Digital Humanities and its importance to cultural heritage and storytelling
- Design and create digital artificats that incorporate critical thinking and research
- Improve ability to communicate effectively using digital media
- Develop and demonstrate comfort and adaptability with computers and technology
According to a study of US employers conducted by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, 93% of the employers surveyed agree that “a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than their undergraduate major.” Some of the most highly valued skills include: digital literacy, the ability to analyze and interpret data, creative thinking, and the ability to communicate through writing. This course addresses all of these topics, and will provide you with transferable skills to take into the workforce (or graduate school), no matter your major(s) or minor(s)–but do consider the DH minor if you haven’t already.
Assignments
| Assignment |
Due Date |
Percentage |
| Packback |
10 Weeks |
10% |
| Class Engagement |
2 Check-Ins |
20% (10% each Check-In) |
Character Sheet
* Ch. Sheet
* Final Ch. Sheet/Reflection |
8/29
Finals |
5%
15% |
Twine Project
* Twine Proposal/Path
* Finished Project |
9/18
10/17 |
5%
20% |
Digital Edition Project
* Dig. Ed. Path/Rationale
* Finished Project |
11/02
11/22 |
5%
20% |
The Packback Questions platform will be used for online discussion about class readings and topics. You will be responsible for three posts (one open-ended question and two responses) ten weeks out of the semester (as marked on the course schedule).
In addition to Packback, you will be responsible for engaging in the course proper. Your Class Engagement grade will take into account your attendance, your progress on projects as I see them during informal and formal check-ins on projects, and your more general participation (i.e. engaging in class discussion and/or taking class notes; readings with marginalia and/or other kinds of reading notes; digital copies of in-class activites; and notes from office hours–among other possibilities).
You will be creating a Character Sheet of yourself (think Tabletop Role-playing Game meets Class Introduction) and adding to it as the semester goes on. At the end of the semester, you will turn in an updated Character Sheet along with a Final Reflection.
You will develop a Twine Story about a social issue related to college students (see prompt for more info). We’ll learn some basic programming for this, but don’t worry! It will be fine!
We will be building on and updating a digital edition of “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Stetson (or Gilman, as she is more commonly known) that I have been working on with students at CNU since Fall 2020.
Grading Scale
A: 93 - 100;
A-: 90 - 92;
B+: 87 - 89;
B: 83 - 86;
B-: 80 - 82;
C+: 77 - 79;
C: 73 - 76;
C-: 70 - 72;
D+: 67 - 69;
D: 63 - 66;
D-: 60 - 62;
F: 0 - 59
Schedule
Readings should be done before class. This schedule is subject to change.
Week 1
Wed 08/24
- Turn in your Permission Slip for the Google Drive
- Jason Heppler, “What is Digital Humanities” - Refresh the page a few times (use the curled reload symbol at the top right of your browser)
Fri 08/26
- Julianne Nyhan and Andrew Flinn, excerpt from “Introduction,” Computation and the Humanities: Towards an Oral History of Digital Humanities, pp. 1-8 (available on Scholar)
Week 2
Mon 08/29
- Bring your (mostly) completed Character Sheet to class (digitally)
- Alan Liu, “The Meaning of the Digital Humanities” (available on Scholar)
- Character Sheet Due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Week 3
Mon 09/05
- N. Katherine Hayles, “Electronic Literature: What is it?”, Electronic Literature: New Horizons for the Literary, pp. 1-30 (available on Scholar)
Week 4
Wed 09/14
- No readings, but come to class prepared to talk about Monday’s readings.
Fri 09/16
- No readings.
- Packback 3 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
- Twine Proposal/Path due by 11:59 pm Sunday
Week 5
Wed 09/21
- Choose another chapter of Twining (besides Chapter 1). Note that some chapters are more conceptual and some are more code-based.
- No class. Meetings with me (Wednesday-Friday).
Fri 09/23
- Explore The Twine Cookbook
- No class. Meetings with me (Wednesday-Friday).
- Packback 4 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Week 6
Mon 09/26
- No readings. Work on your project.
Wed 09/28
- No readings. Work on your project.
Fri 09/30
- No readings. Work on your project.
- Sharing Day 1
Week 7
Mon 10/03
- No readings. Work on your project.
Wed 10/05
- No readings. Work on your project.
Fri 10/07
- No readings. Work on your project.
- Sharing Day 2
Week 8
Mon 10/10
No Class
Fall Recess
Wed 10/12
- No readings. Work on your project.
- Sharing Day 3
Fri 10/14
- No readings. Work on your project.
Week 9
Week 10
Fri 10/28
- No readings.
- Packback 6 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Week 11
Fri 11/04
- No class. No readings. (Conference)
- Packback 7 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Week 12
Mon 11/07
- James Cummings, “Opening the Book: Data Models and Distractions in Digital Scholarly Editing” (available on Scholar)
Wed 11/09
- No readings. Work on Project.
Fri 11/11
- No readings. Work on Project.
- Sharing Day 1
- Packback 8 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Week 13
Mon 11/14
- Shane A. McGarry, “Bridging the Gap: Exploring Interaction Metaphors to Facilitate Alternative Reading Modalities in Digital Scholarly Editions,” Digital Scholarly Editions as Interfaces, pp. 61-81 (available on Scholar)
Wed 11/16
- No readings. Work on Project.
- Sharing Day 2.
Fri 11/18
- No readings. Work on Project.
- Sharing Day 3.
- Packback 9 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Week 14
Mon 11/21
- No readings. Finish self-assessment.
- Digital Edition Project (including self-assessment) due by by 5:00 pm TOMORROW (Tuesday, November 22nd)*
Wed 11/23
No Class
Thanksgiving Recess
Fri 11/25
No Class
Thanksgiving Recess
Week 15
Mon 11/28
- No readings. Review Day. Come to class ready to talk about the class and fill out your evaluations!
Fri 12/02
- TBD
- Packback 10 due by 11:59 pm TONIGHT
Finals Week
- 14:00 - 14:50 class: Final Character Sheet and Reflection due Monday, December 5th between 5:00 and 7:30 pm
- 13:00 - 13:50 class: Final Character Sheet and Reflection due Friday, December 9th between 2:00 and 4:30 pm
Policies
My Policies
Attendance:
For this course, you are allowed two unexcused absences per Class Engagement period (8/22 - 9/30 and 10/03 - 12/02), after which I will be subtracting 10% from your Class Engagement grade for each day missed. Missing a meeting with me (or not scheduling a meeting) during our out-of-class meeting days counts as an unexcused absence.
Technology:
Because we will be working a lot with technology, you should expect to spend time out of class familiarizing yourself with new technologies and software. I also encourage the productive use of technology in class, but please don’t distract yourself or others. This can impact your Class Engagement score.
Late Work:
For each day an assignment is late, I will be subtracting five points. That said, if you need an extension, please do reach out to me at least 24 hours before the deadline! Life gets complicated sometimes, especially right now. I’m happy to work with you! Just make sure you’re talking to me before things are due.
A Note on Grading in this Course:
I am using a version of Specifications Grading/Labor-Based Contracts on the two main assignments in this course (each worth 20%): the Finished Twine Project and the Finished Digital Edition Project. Essentially, that means if you want a “C” on one of these assignments, you have to complete X amount of work. If you want a “B,” you must complete X amount of work as well as a few other “add-ons” at a higher difficulty level. For an “A,” you’ll do all this along with even more work. This gives you a chance to decide what grade you’d like on these assignments and, as long as you adequately complete all the required steps, what grade you’ll get. I’m hoping this grants you a feeling of more agency in the class and relieves some anxiety about grades so you can focus on learning, but it is also meant to be rigorous–getting an A on these assignments will require a substantial amount of work (although we will have some class time to work on assignments too!). All other assignments will be graded more traditionally.
Standard CNU Policies
University Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:
The Christopher Newport University community engages and respects different viewpoints, understands the cultural and structural context in which those viewpoints emerge, and questions the development of our own perspectives and values, as these are among the fundamental tenets of a liberal arts education.
Accordingly, we affirm our commitment to a campus culture that embraces the full spectrum of human attributes, perspectives, and disciplines, and offers every member of the University the opportunity to become their best self.
Understanding and respecting differences can best develop in a community where members learn, live, work, and serve among individuals with diverse worldviews, identities, and values. We are dedicated to upholding the dignity and worth of all members of this academic community such that all may engage effectively and compassionately in a pluralistic society.
If you have specific questions, suggestions or concerns regarding diversity on campus please contact Diversity.Inclusion@CNU.edu
Disabilities/Accessibility:
In order for a student to receive an accommodation due to a disability, that disability must be on record in the Office of Student Affairs, 3rd Floor, David Student Union (DSU). If you have a diagnosed disability, please contact Jacquelyn Barnes, Student Disability Support Specialist in Student Affairs (594-7160) to discuss your needs.
Students with documented disabilities are to notify the instructor at least seven days prior to the point at which they require an accommodation (the first day of class is recommended), in private, if accommodation is needed. The instructor will provide students with disabilities with the reasonable accommodations approved and directed by the Office of Student Affairs. Work completed before the student notifies the instructor of his/her disability may be counted toward the final grade at the sole discretion of the instructor.
Success:
I want you to succeed in this course and at Christopher Newport. I encourage you to contact me during office hours or to schedule an appointment to discuss course content or to answer questions you have. If I become concerned about your course performance, attendance, engagement, or well-being, I will contact you first. I also may submit a referral through our Captains Care Program. The referral will be received by the Center for Academic Success as well as other departments when appropriate (Counseling Services, Office of Student Engagement). If you are an athlete, the Manager of Athletic Academic Success Programs will be notified. Someone will contact you to help determine what will help you succeed. Please remember that this is a means for me to support you and help foster your success at Christopher Newport.
Public Health:
The university will provide guidance on public health issues and students will be expected to comply with university protocols.
Academic Support:
The Center for Academic Success offers free tutoring assistance for Christopher Newport students in several academic areas. Center staff offer individual assistance and/or workshops on various study strategies to help you perform your best in your courses. The center also houses the Alice F. Randall Writing Center. Writing consultants can help you at any stage of the writing process, from invention, to development of ideas, to polishing a final draft. The Center is not a proofreading service, but consultants can help you to recognize and find grammar and punctuation errors in your work as well as provide assistance with global tasks. Contact them as early in the writing process as you can!
You may contact the Center for Academic Success to request a tutor, confer with a writing consultant, obtain a schedule of workshops, or make an appointment to talk with a staff member about study skills and strategies. The Center is located in Christopher Newport Hall, first floor, room 123. You may email academicsuccess@cnu.edu or call (757) 594-7684.
Course Materials:
All content created and assembled by the faculty member and used in this course is to be considered intellectual property owned by the faculty member and Christopher Newport University. It is provided solely for the private use of the students currently enrolled in this course. To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not make available any of the original course content, including but not limited to lectures, discussions, videos, handouts, and/or activities, to anyone not currently enrolled in the course without the advance written permission of the instructor. This means that students may not record, download, screenshot, or in any way copy original course material for the purpose of distribution beyond this course. A violation may be considered theft. It is the student’s responsibility to protect course material when accessing it outside of the physical classroom space.
I owe thanks to Andrew Pilsch for some of the language in this syllabus and for the code that helped to create it.
