- Mar 2018
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ryancordell.org ryancordell.org
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DH qua DH
This means digital humanities as being digital humanities. qua: (conjunction) the capacity of; as being.
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I want to suggest that undergraduate students do not care about digital humanities
I find it interesting that the author chooses to make this claim. As a student at the University of Oregon, I disagree with this sentiment. Before enrolling in my first digital humanities class, I had never even heard of the term "digital humanities". I have found, through discussions with my peers, many students find the concept of digital humanities to be intriguing, new and even exciting.
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If you review the DH literature from just before the field’s “next big thing” apotheosis, you will find a deep undercurrent of anxiety: will our work ever be understood, valued, or recognized by our disciplinary colleagues?
This anxiety is exactly why we need to add digital humanities to the curriculum. There are scholars and professionals out there with information that will benefit students, especially considering the rapid development of technology in our digital age.
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Shockingly, the language of “disciplinary landscapes” and “infrastructure” and “free-floating signifiers” does not set the average undergraduate’s pulse a-twittering. Indeed, to assign such a piece to a class of undergraduates is to forget our audience entirely.
It may be wise for a DH scholar to write an article geared towards undergraduates. Similar to the way this article is written, perhaps the use of memes and "slang" could create a more accessible (and interesting) way for undergraduates to understand digital humanities.
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DH has built up a lot of brand visibility, especially at research universities. But in the context in which I work, it seems more inclusive to call it digital liberal arts (DLA)
Why does it matter what it is called? Does the name change impact the literal definition of what digital humanities is at its core? Practitioners ought to focus more on the meat of the topic rather than the name. Exclusion is only a feeling that stems from a lack of information. Once explored, one will find that digital humanities is applicable for everyone.
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To brag that our humanities (or our liberal arts) are digital is to proclaim that we’ve met a base requirement for modern communication. It would be like your bank crowing that you can check your account online. Of course you can. At this point, you would only notice if you couldn’t.
While this is true, I don't think it is unimpressive to introduce digital humanities. While most undergraduate students are immersed in the digital world, English and humanities classes in schools have always focused on analog practices. Bringing together the familiar digital world into the dry, (oftentimes boring) world of academia is a good way to bridge the gap for students.
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a majority believe they understand technology better than their teachers. For such a student, imagine how it must sound to hear her teacher talking up “computers” and “digital tools.”
It is frustrating when teachers talk about digital tools and computers when they are not able to use/teach them effectively. However, when a teacher does know what they are talking about it is powerful. Students assume they are know everything about digital tools and when a teacher effectively introduces something new, it lends validity to not only the teacher but also the topic of digital humanities. The point highlights the importance of training/educating teachers about the digital world, specifically tools involved with digital humanities.
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The idea that our students must have innate technological skills because they’ve grown up in a computer-saturated world is equal, to my mind, with assuming all drivers must be excellent mechanics or auto designers because they’ve spent so much time behind the wheel or, perhaps more germanely, to assuming all students must be innately gifted writers because they’ve grown up around books and paper.
A valid point, however I think students that have grown up with lots of interaction with digital platforms are more likely to easily integrate digital humanities into their lives. For me, taking notes on my laptop is much more efficient than handwriting notes. I attribute this to my high school's use of iPads for notetaking and textbook access. I became skilled in taking notes digitally and still being able to absorb the information. In contrast, my mother could never take digital notes and feel as though she was absorbing the information. This is because she has not had the practice and training to do so because she grew up handwriting notes.
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small beginnings help instructors focus on what DH they can teach effectively. To be frank, I was not prepared to teach all of the DH in that “Intro to Digital Humanities” course I proposed.
I appreciate the author's recognition of his limitations. I do not think teachers ought to assume they are able to "do it all". My teacher did a great job this term understanding her personal limitations by bringing in outside sources to assist her in teaching digital tools. It not only made class interesting by switching up the instructor, but it also provided us with another informed resource to reference.
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What’s more, the many options offered in “What is DH?” pieces rarely clarify the question
This is true. When I first heard about digital humanities my instincts led me to Google the term for more information and an explicit definition. What I found was many articles talking about everything BUT the definition of the term.
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What better way to outline the field we would study in this new class, I reasoned, than with such definitional pieces?
I agree, this would be a good way to start off a class, especially considering how new the topic of digital humanities is. Considering I did not know what digital humanities was before the start of winter term, I would find articles defining digital humanities to be beneficial.
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that resistance is futile
I think this is an important point when thinking about digital humanities. There is no benefit in denying the prominence of technology in our society. Digital literacy is quickly becoming a critical life-skill.
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