<h2 id="histdigh-3814-crafting-digital-history"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#histdigh-3814-crafting-digital-history"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>HIST/DIGH 3814 Crafting Digital History</h2>
<p><img src="https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/resource.mixa.site/cdh2025/Crafting%20Digital%20History/3.%20Tutorials/02%20assets/Misc/DigitalByz.jpg" priority="1" width=""></p>
<p>Photo: Scott Coleman, AI-generated using  Night Cafe. Prompt: Group of Greek Romans working on Computers in a field at sunset. </p>
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<div class="callout-title note" style="background-color: undefined1a;"><span style="color:undefined" class="callout-icon"></span><strong><p>READ THE SYLLABUS</p></strong></div>
<div class="callout-content" style=""><p>Please read the entirety of the syllabus. I know what it is like to be an undergraduate student, and there have been times when I lazily glossed over a syllabus to my detriment. I implore you not to do that with this course. Each week brings a new set of variables that builds off the previous and sets you up for the next. This course is intensive and has activities due each week. But do not fear, if you read the syllabus, ask questions, and try, then you will do great in this course.</p></div>
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<h2 id="overview"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#overview"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>Overview</h2>
<p>In this course, we will experiment with various digital tools and discuss their impact on how we analyze historical documentation and material culture of the ancient and medieval world. In particular, we will focus on and experiment with Obsidian.md, a fully customizable personal knowledge management program, to create a personal Memex for your academic research and craft a public-facing, open-access notebook on a topic of your choice.  A Choose Your Own Adventure project.<br>
We will discuss the impact of the so-called 'Digital Age' on the processes in historical and archaeological knowledge production, including how we analyze historical documentation and material culture from the ancient and medieval world. Through experiential learning exercises and case studies, students will actively explore and critically investigate a topic at the intersection of ancient and medieval history, archaeology, and digital humanities within the context of public history. The course emphasizes the ‘digital process’ to provide students with the digital skills, tools, and knowledge to confidently navigate, investigate, and critically evaluate historical or archaeological narratives, and pursue their interests in their final digital projects. </p>
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<div class="callout-title danger" style="background-color: undefined1a;"><span style="color:undefined" class="callout-icon"></span><strong><p>Sidenote</p></strong></div>
<div class="callout-content" style=""><p>My training is in Late Antique/Medieval archaeology, where I specialize in East Roman Coins from the 10th to 13th centuries and their digital presentation and reception in the public sphere. What does this mean to you for an asynchronous Digital History course? We will find out. But, in essence, my work is distinctly multidisciplinary, and the digital and its impacts on research <em>processes</em> have been the primary focus of my research for the past five years. I would like to share this knowledge with you by using the history I am familiar with, that of the East Roman Empire (330-1453 CE). <strong>This does NOT mean you need to focus solely on the Romans for your research,</strong> although I highly recommend it, as it is a fascinating history. You can explore any historical/archaeological topic from the ancient and medieval world that you wish.</p></div>
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<h3 id="course-material-texttech"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#course-material-texttech"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>Course Material: Text/Tech</h3>
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The textbook is Available online through MacOdrum Library. <strong>You do not need to purchase it</strong></p><ul>
<li>Noiret, Serge, Mark Tebeau, and Gerben Zaagsma, eds. The Handbook of Digital Public History. De Gruyter, 2022. (e-ISBN PDF: 978311043029, e-ISBN EPUB: 9783110430370).</li>
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<p>Note: All listed materials without a link can be found on the HIST/DIGH 3814 course page in ARES through Carleton’s Library services. Some readings are available as PDFs, and are also on reserve. <strong>Please Note that all selected readings are subject to revision and change, depending on course direction/needs.</strong></p>
<p>To the best of my ability, all materials will either be open-access materials on the web or materials made available to us through MacOdrum Library or the University. You will not be required to purchase any set text or software. However, having a reasonably up-to-date computer will make life easier for you; if you use a chromebook or a low-powered laptop (eg, less than 8 gb of RAM), this may require us to think creatively about some of the work, but should not present an insurmountable obstacle. A good internet connection will make life easier, but I realize that not everyone is well-served by our tech oligopolies. <strong>Please let me know if these situations apply to you</strong> so that we can work out a suitable plan of action.</p>
<h3 id="you-are-not-alone"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#you-are-not-alone"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>You are not alone!</h3>
<p>This class will be delivered online, asynchronously. A Discord server will be used to provide a social context for our work, to offer or ask for help, and facilitate collaboration. Learning materials will be curated on this open course website and might include a variety of modalities. <strong>There will be no required synchronous chats or lectures. But students are required to contribute to Discord Discussions.</strong> Students will maintain course research open-access notebooks via Obsidian.md and the Mixa Plugin on the web (which may be anonymous or pseudonymous).</p>
<p>You will also notice that I often use <em>"WE"</em>. Why? First, [H]istory is not performed in a vacuum. This is especially true for Digital History, as <em>we</em> will learn in this course. [H]istory is collaborative knowledge production and storytelling that needs to be engaging and socially relatable. Otherwise, why bother? However, I don't want to inundate you with technical jargon and scare you away (that would be counter-productive). Instead, I want to challenge you to think about how <em>WE</em> as historians, archaeologists, public historians, digital humanists, and the public, can reframe, narrate and craft digital history together, generously, and with integrity.</p>
<p>Secondly, are you still reading this?? If so, email me your favourite meme, with subject <code>Meme Hist3814</code>, to receive a bonus mark! I love memes and will share them a lot in Discord. Thirdly,  the <em>"We"</em> is precisely what it means. You and I will explore, discuss, and collaborate throughout the course. Western academia/universities are embedded with colonialist structures that have created hierarchical systems that produce dynamic and intimidating power structures. The professor-student relationship is one of those structures that, in some cases, can oppress or discourage the student's ability to be creative and produce new and insightful historical narratives. I aim to foster and promote a constructive learning environment that emphasizes rigorous, generous and creative historical narrative construction. <a href="https://www.mygothicdissertation.com">My Gothic Dissertation</a>  , by Dr. Anna Williams, provides excellent examples of exploited power imbalances in academia between professors and students, in addition to the thesis's exploration of the Gothic literary genre.</p>
<h3 id="you-do-not-need-to-be-techy"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#you-do-not-need-to-be-techy"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>You do not need to be Techy.</h3>
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<div class="callout-title warning" style="background-color: undefined1a;"><span style="color:undefined" class="callout-icon"></span><strong><p>Info</p></strong></div>
<div class="callout-content" style=""><p><strong>You do not need to be 'techy' to be successful in this course! You just need to be diligent, honest, and open.</strong> Nevertheless, you will be exposed to several platforms, techs, and approaches that you may not have experienced before. <strong>The key is to be open</strong> and willing to talk about when things don't go as expected. No one knows everything about tech. The digital is a constantly evolving ethos, and is even more so with the proliferation of Large Language Models or AI. My goal here is to teach you to use specific digital technologies; to unpack and critically examine those technologies you learn to use; and to equip you to utilize these tools in a reflective manner.</p></div>
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<p>You will read, watch, listen to, and discuss the class materials via various online tools, including our [Discord] server (I will email you an invite link to your Carleton email), <a href="http://hypothes.is">Hypothes.is</a> and <a href="https://obsidian.md/">Obsidian.md</a> We work on the open web instead.  What is challenging for one student may not necessarily be challenging for another, and I expect you to push yourself and encourage others as you progress. Thus, open and honest reporting of what works and what hasn’t worked is a meaningful aspect of this course. <strong>Again: You don’t need to be techy to succeed, but you do need to be willing to embrace when things go ‘wrong’.</strong> It's going to be uncomfortable. The workload will be heavy. There will be things we try here that will not work. That's why the assessment for this course is built around the <em>process</em>, not the final <em>product</em>.</p>
<h3 id="class-format"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#class-format"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>Class format</h3>
<p>This class will be delivered asynchronously with the expectation that students complete modules by the assigned due dates. <strong>Do Not Speed Run This Course</strong>. Don't leave everything until the night before it's due. This course is not designed to accommodate this type of approach and will likely negatively impact your grade. <strong>Collaboration is an essential component of this class, enabling the production of effective and engaging Digital History and Archaeology.</strong> USE THE DISCORD SERVER. The Discord server will be used to provide a social context for our work, offer help, and facilitate collaboration. Learning materials will be curated on the course website and might include a variety of modalities. Students will maintain various materials on the class Obsidian Vault via Dropbox, which I will add you to with your Carleton email account.</p>
<h3 id="your-success"><a aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" href="#your-success"><span class="icon icon-link"></span></a>Your Success</h3>
<p>Your success in this class is dependent on three principles:</p>
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<li>
<p><strong>Be Prepared</strong>. Do the readings, be prepared to discuss and collaborate with me and your peers. Each module is designed to explore and discuss the assigned readings and podcasts and how they can inform our research objectives and goals. I will not provide pre-recorded lectures. I will provide continuous feedback via Discord, Hyptohes.is and email when appropriate.</p>
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<p><strong>Be Fearless</strong>. Yoda said to Luke: "Do – or do not. There is no try." (Starwars, Episode V), which is the worst advice, I believe. I want you to <strong>TRY</strong> new tools and venture into the swampy digital unknown. Be fearless and swing for the fences. Don’t worry if something doesn't go as planned. The digital is a process – a journey – which we will navigate together, despite what Yoda thinks. I've failed and broken things more times than I can count.</p>
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<p><strong>Fail Gloriously</strong>. Words I live by now (Thank you, Dr. Shawn Graham). So, when we try new methods, theories, and digital tools, we are bound to make mistakes. Digital things will break or not work: that is expected. If you can say, 'I wonder <em>why</em> this broke? Can you help me?' You will be successful here.</p>
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<div class="callout-title danger" style="background-color: undefined1a;"><span style="color:undefined" class="callout-icon"></span><strong><p>Communication</p></strong></div>
<div class="callout-content" style=""><p>For this course to work well, I require you to be on the same page as me. <strong>COMMUNICATION IS KEY!</strong> Do not be afraid to ask a question. Please see me during virtual office hours or schedule an appointment if you need help or are feeling discouraged. This course offers a lot of flexibility, but it also requires you to push yourself out of your comfort zone. The key thing is always to tie what you're doing with what you're reading and what you're thinking. That 'second layer of difficulty' will come with practice. But how it intersects with everything else: that's where the learning happens.</p></div>
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<p>...and that is why this course is the way it is. No doubt, things will break, and some will work better or be more effective than others. We will roll with it.</p>

Welcome

1. Course Description

2. Learning Outcomes

3. Course Schedule

4. Evaluation

5. Course Communications

6. Common Regulations

6. Contact the Professor

how the course tech is built; how the course came to be

7. Colophon

8. Reuse

Orientation and Digital Setup

Week 1

Personal Knowledge Management and Linked Thinking

Week 2

Thinking about the “Craft” of Digital History

Week 3

Crusading into the Digital Age of LLMs

Week 4

Consolidation & Check-In Week

Week 5

Digital Excavation

Week 6

Defining Data, 'Dark' Data, & Identifiers

Week 7

Fall Break

Week 8

Seeing the Past?

Week 9

Week 10

Authority and Positionality in Your Digital Research

Week 11

Publicly Crafting a Historical Argument

Week 12

Open-Access Notebook Workshop

Week 13

Exit Ticket

Week 14

1 Setting up your vault

2 Create your first note

3 Templater Plugiin

4 What Goes into a Note?

5 Properties

Hypothesis

The Simplest Online Memex Worfklow

How To Read An Academic Article

FAQ for Common Tech Issues

Where to Find help

Text Formatting

Introduction to your vault

index note

Atomic Note

Literature Note

Process Note

Weekly Journal

Topic Proposal

Weekly Work & Tasks

Consolidation Reflection

Open Access Notebook/Memex

Benchmarking Your Memex

Exit Ticket/Final Project

1 Welcome to Crafting Digital History Transcript

2 Obsidian User Interface (UI) Guide

3 Templater and Hotkeys Setup

4 How to use PDF++

5 Canvas Core Plugin Introductory Tutorial

6 Hypothes.is and Annotating the Web

7 Omnisearch Plugin for Obsidian

8 How to Use Process Notes for Digital Research Projects in Obsidian

9 Properties, Identifiers and Data Management with Obsidian Core Plugin Bases

1 Welcome to Crafting Digital History

2 Some Logistical Updates

3 Welcome to Week Two

4 What is Digital History?

5 Crusading into the Digital Age of LLMs

6 Week Four Exercise Example

7 Using Obsidian for Digital History Research and Note-Making

8 Reflection Feedback Update and Hypothes.is

9 Week Five Update

10 Consolidation Reflection Submission

11 Module Two Wrangling and Critiquing

12 Week 7 Update

13 Week 9 Welcome Back

1. Course Overview

Module 1 Contextualizing

Module 2 Wrangling & Critiquing

Module 3 Arguing & Communicating

2. Schedule

01  memex help

8. Course Files

3. Tutorials

4. Assessment

5. VideoTutorials

Crafting Digital History

News