Category Archives: Definitions

Definitions, Public History

Personas and Technology

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Research related to personas and technology have made me reconsider the needs of my target audience and my engagement strategies. The focus of my Public Digital History Project is the infamous American General and turncoat Benedict Arnold. I was hoping to create a website dedicated to offering content and interpretation on the historical figure such as wartime correspondence, periodicals, biographies and narrative histories. By learning about personas, I have carefully considered in what ways I will cater to a potential audience. Technological changes with social media have also allowed me to consider the impact technology will have on my project’s audience engagement. 

According to Interactive Designer and User Researcher, Shlomo “Mo” Goltz, “a persona is a way to model, summarize and communicate research about people who have been observed or researched in some way.” More specifically, a persona is a character who is created to represent “a specific portion of people in the real world and enables the designer to focus on a manageable and memorable cast of characters” (Goltz). The purpose of personas are to enable designers to create projects that will be of interest to a certain demographic. In my case, I can create personas who are based off of my target audience of secondary educators and students. The needs of these personas will surround issues related to teaching strategies, classroom learning, scaffolding, curriculum standards, student media literacy and students’ social studies proficiency skills. 

Internet and technology research will also change my approach to my final project. The Pew Research Center has presented research findings related to American social media and internet use amongst teens. One research article determined that YouTube is the most “Widely used online platform” while TikTok has grown its user base to 33% in recent years. This information is significant as young adults lean more towards the use of social media like TikTok and “95% of all teens report having access to a smartphone.” Secondary students are more likely to engage with technology that is social, especially since a majority of teens use “TikTok (63%), Snapchat (60%) and Instagram (59%).” By considering this information, it may be a good idea to include some type of socialization on my prototype website to allow users to engage with one another. 

In short, mobile connectivity and social media have drastically changed in recent years. This impact will only grow as time goes on and will change the way public history curators engage with a potential audience. As a result, personas will be used more widely to determine the wants and needs of a certain demographic. 

Definitions

(Re) Defining Digital Humanities

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Thoughts on my Original Definition:

My original definition of digital humanities encompassed the idea that it was a field of study that blended digital tools with humanities materials for the purpose of preservation and accessibility. Since my initial development of this definition, my understanding of the digital humanities has changed. I now understand that my original definition should have included information on how digital tools (computational methods and techniques) are useful in creating new methods for the analysis and interpretation of data. 

What would I keep from the original definition? 

I continue to maintain that the digital humanities combines digital tools with humanities materials for the purpose of sustainability and increased access. I also mention how the Digital Humanities promotes interdisciplinary collaboration amongst scholars, librarians, archivists, curators and the public. My own personal experience with crowdsourcing, podcasts and open source web publishing deepen this understanding. Crowdsourcing enables volunteers from the general public to engage in cultural research projects through digital platforms such as Wikipedia or transcription services. Members of the public can then work with academics in preserving cultural heritage.  In doing so, cultural artifacts are maintained for future generations.  Similarly, podcasts make scholarly research more engaging for the general public by utilizing sound design, audio editing, voice acting and narration. These elements combined transform academic works into compelling stories for the average listener that can be retold with time. 

In the case of open source web publishing, sites like Omeka enable the creation of digital collections. These digital collections can then be used to preserve the historical memory of various artifacts while also increasing their general accessibility. For example, I created an Omeka site to digitize my father’s collection of retro lunchboxes. I was able to interpret the information presented in the lunchbox collection and note my findings. The website itself creates a record of the lunchboxes in my father’s collection while also enabling me to share the collection with others in online exhibits. 

What would I now include in my definition? 

The digital humanities is not only important for preserving and increasing access to humanities materials but also for the analysis and interpretation of information.  An array of digital tools and computational methods can be used for this purpose. These tools include and are not limited to: AI (ChatGPT), Wikipedia, podcasts, Omeka, text mining, mapping and network analysis software. These digital tools can create visual re-representations of data that then make it easier to distinguish the relationships and patterns prevalent in the research. 

How do these tools allow analysis and interpretation? 

  • AI uses a conversational format to re-represent data to then initiate deeper inquiries into various subject matters.
  • Wikipedia uses crowdsourced knowledge to create articles on infinite subjects that then include hyperlinks to other sources of information. Wikipedia contributors can contribute to each article and utilize the talk features to collaborate with one another on making changes to an article. This then demonstrates the continuities and changes in the subject overtime. 
  • Podcasts utilize theatrical elements and dialogue to re-represent academic knowledge. Podcast hosts and experts can then assist in the interpretation and analysis of primary source information.
  • Omeka allows for the creation of digital exhibits and collections that can be interpreted and analyzed by the curator and site visitors. 
  • Text Mining software tools allow users to upload links of textual information into data sets to then be processed into a digital corpus. Then, depending on the software, the information can then be adapted into a visual interactive tool that makes patterns in the data more apparent. Voyant is an example of a text mining tool that can be used to transform text into a visual interactive. 
  • Digital mapping software tools can be used to visually enhance uploaded mapping data. In mapping software like kepler.gl, features like points, clusters and heat maps enhance uploaded data for interpretation.
  • Network analysis software can be used to transform datasets into visual interactives. Tools like Palladio enable users to modify the dimensions, layers, sources, targets, facets, nodes and links of uploaded data for analysis and interpretation. 

Final Thoughts:

My initial definition of the digital humanities was quite simple. My experience with digital humanities projects and tools have enlightened me in that now I realize the significance of digital tools in the interpretation and analysis of knowledge. Ultimately, the digital humanities has the potential to use digital tools to transform the way in which knowledge is preserved and accessed over time as well as the way in which it is interpreted and analyzed. That said, as time goes on, I am sure my definition will continue to evolve and improve with experience. 

Definitions, Tools

What Can Digital Humanities Do With Crowdsourcing?

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Within the digital humanities, crowdsourcing is the methodology of recruiting volunteers from the general public to engage in cultural research via digital platforms. The purpose of it is to encourage volunteers to work with researchers, archivists and academics to gather information that serves the greater cultural heritage community by gaining and spreading knowledge. Crowdsourcing is best suited for digital projects that involve transcription. Crowdsourcing transcription can be a successful endeavor as long as its digital interface is easy to understand and accessible. 

The Library of Congress’ By the People initiative is a perfect example of a crowdsourcing project that is easy to understand and accessible. Users do not have to create an account to begin their transcription services. The project is up front about which transcription projects are in progress and/or completed. The project also provides easy to understand parameters for transcription. Instructions are provided for how users can get started, transcribe, review and tag. A History Hub discussion forum is also provided for users in case they come across additional issues with the transcription process. Additionally, it is helpful that the project staffs a room of professionals who can monitor the platform. 

The digital humanities can benefit from crowdsourcing in that it can transform the way cultural heritage artifacts are taught and learned about. For the most part, crowdsourcing allows more people to access artifacts and institutions. Plus, first hand experience with transcription enables volunteers to pursue further knowledge or engagement with a specific subject matter.

Definitions, Tools

Network Analysis with Palladio

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What is a network graph?

A network graph is a digital diagraming tool that can be used to visually represent the relationships that exist within research data by expanding on current digital tools like OCR, text-mining and mapping. A network graph relies on digitized data, nodes and links to create visual interactives and representations of the given information.  From these visualizations, researchers can interpret the patterns that exist in the information. Notably, researchers can use their research data in software like Palladio to create a deeper understanding for their subject matter as well as to determine the relevant connections and inquiries that exist within and from the data. 

Wait? What is Palladio?

This is the map tool that can be used on Palladio. Palladio allows its users to use nodes and links to highlight the relationships between locations in the data.

Palladio is a software tool that enables researchers to upload relevant research data from a .csv or spreadsheet that can be networked within the software. From there, Palladio can create  visual interactives using nodes and links based on the dimensions, layers, sources, targets and facets set by the user.  In my test run of the software, I uploaded data from the WPA slave narratives project. I was able to filter my network graphs based on my selected dimensions such as M/F (Male/Female), Type of Work, Interviewer, Topics, Age, When interviewed and so on. As a result, I was able to see the connections and patterns that existed within the data. For instance, I used the network graph to see that there was a large node associated with ages that were unknown to the interviewers. This led me to the conclusion that many of the former enslaved had no idea what their age was based on a lack of record keeping that occurred on plantations for the enslaved. 

This network graph demonstrates the relationship between the age of those interviewed (in the dark gray nodes) and the topics that are discussed (in light gray).
This network graph shows the relationship between the interviwers (in dark gray) and the topics that were discussed in the narratives (in light gray).

How have network graphs been used?

Network graphs have also allowed scholars to explore the connections and inquiries associated with the reprinting of texts in the nineteenth century (the Viral Texts Project), the correspondence of Enlightenment thinkers (Mapping the Republic of Letters) and the personal relationships of Jazz musicians (Linked Jazz). The Viral Texts Project demonstrates the culture of reprinting in the nineteenth century as well as the popularity of certain texts and themes in that period of time. Comparatively, the Mapping the Republic of Letters project allows scholars to see the transference of ideas that emerged with the correspondence and relationships of certain historical figures. Similarily, the Linked Jazz project diagrams the relationships of various Jazz musicians by linking documents and data from archives, libraries and museums. Understandably, network graphs enable scholars to learn new insights on the research they currently have. 

Definitions

A Definition of Digital Humanities

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The Digital Humanities is a field of study that blends digital tools with humanities materials for the purpose of preservation and accessibility.

Digital Humanity scholars can agree that the Digital Humanities involves the combining of computational methods with the study of history, philosophy, religion, languages and literature. Computational methods are in reference to the techniques computer systems utilize to adapt humanities materials such as primary sources into a digital format. According to scholar, Johanna Drucker, these computational methods include “text analysis, data mining, databases, metadata, geospatial encoding, virtual world building, network analysis, information visualization, interface design, and imaging.” These computational methods transform and adapt humanities materials for the modern day.

Remarkably, scholars in the field are able to sustain the original integrity of humanities materials while adapting them for digital preservation. The Digital Humanities promotes interdisciplinary collaboration amongst scholars, librarians, archivists, curators and the public. Interdisciplinary collaboration is valuable as it enables intellectual discussion over the maintenance and protection of artifacts. Additionally, intersectionality amongst academic disciplines has enabled a renewed interest in re-representing artifacts. As stated by Susan Schreibman, Ray Siemens and John Unsworth, “many disciplines have gone beyond simply wishing to preserve these artifacts, what we might now call early forms of data management, to re-represent and manipulate them to reveal properties and traits not evident when the artifact was in its native form.”

The Digital Humanities increases the general public’s accessibility to artifacts by utilizing communication technologies to share knowledge and information. For example, the Journal of American History argued “new communication technologies of the computer, the Internet network, and software systems” enable digital history to be experienced, read and followed by interested parties. Rudy McDaniel agrees with this idea of accessibility by acknowledging that the Digital Humanities provides “insight into the human condition through digital technologies” for “those audiences who do not have the means or ability to access a physical copy.” For this reason, the Digital Humanities are invaluable for sustaining human memory with the utilization of digital tools.

Burdick, Anne, Johanna Drucker, Peter Lunenfeld, Todd Presner, and Jeffrey Schnapp. “A Short Guide to the Digital Humanities.” In Digital Humanities, 122-27. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2012. http://jeffreyschnapp.com/wpcontent/uploads/2013/01/D_H_ShortGuide.pdf

Rudy McDaniel, “How do you define Humanities Computing / Digital Humanities?”Links to an external site. University of Central Florida, Day of DH, Taporwiki, 2009.

Susan Schreibman, Ray Siemens, and John Unsworth, “The Digital Humanities and Humanities Computing: An Introduction, Links to an external site. ” in A Companion to Digital Humanities, ed. Susan Schreibman, Ray Siemens, and John Unsworth (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2004).

“Interchange: The Promise of Digital History,Links to an external site.“ Journal of American History 95, no. 2 (Sept. 2008).