Author: gfon7

In this week’s class, we’re diving into project that’s got me pretty intrigued. We’ve been working together to gather metadata, basically sorting through information about our items. Now, we’re taking all that data and turning it into something bigger—a map. This map will show where the items are from, giving us a visual representation of our collective work. What’s neat about this is how it’s blending with my computer science major. At first, we were just entering data, which felt pretty routine. But now, seeing how that data can be used to create something tangible is really interesting. It’s like watching a puzzle come together, except instead of pieces, we’re using data points. I’m finding myself more engaged in the class because of this hands-on approach as if we’re actual digital humanists. It’s not just about learning theories, it’s about actually applying them. Plus, seeing how our efforts are going to come together to form a map is pretty satisfying. It’s making me appreciate the connection between computer science and digital humanities even more. Overall, I’m looking forward to seeing the end result and learning more about how these two fields intersect.

In this week’s class, the primary focus was on practical, hands-on engagement with the tasks typically undertaken by digital humanists. The assignment involved photographing scrapbook items from individuals who had attended West Chester many years ago, followed by uploading these images into Omeka’s database and filling in various metadata fields for each item. Through this exercise, we were not only exposed to the technical aspects of managing digital collections but also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of meticulous cataloging and metadata creation. One of the key insights from this week’s activities was the significance of writing metadata with a forward-thinking perspective. Instead of simply labeling items with generic terms like “pledge card,” the emphasis was on providing specific and descriptive titles and descriptions. This approach ensures that the metadata remains useful for researchers and scholars who may access the collection in the distant future. By doing this, we learned to consider the longevity and accessibility of the information they input into digital databases. A particularly surprising thing for me was the significance of the “date” field in metadata. Rather than stating the date the scrapbook item was created or collected, we were instructed to record the date we uploaded the item into the database. This realization made me feel like a real historian because I didn’t know that for a random student like me that it would matter. This week really focused on the importance of filling out metadata correctly because there’s a specific method to all of it. A lot of the information given this week gave me a totally different perspective on the digital humanities and what it really is. Right now, to me it means taking data from the past and creating organizable collections of metadata that ensure the ability to be understood for generations to come.

This week was our first look at actually dealing with metadata – basically, data about data. We had to create a post and add stuff like sources, descriptions, dates, and publishers. It wasn’t just a theoretical thing; we actually had to make our own metadata, and it made me realize how much it matters in the digital world. So, in our post, each bit of info we added, like the title, description, and sources, wasn’t just for show. It was like putting labels on things in a digital museum – making sure people know where stuff comes from, what it’s about, and when it was put out there. It’s like giving context to a piece of content. Now, as a computer science major, this got me thinking. Creating metadata is a bit like organizing data, which is a big deal in my field. It’s like setting up databases so you can find things easily. Learning how to deal with metadata is like getting hands-on experience in managing information efficiently. This assignment also showed me how important standards are. Just like we follow coding standards in computer science to keep things in order, metadata has its own rules. Having a set way to do things helps different systems understand and use the metadata properly. Making metadata also touches on the security and ethics side of things. We always talk about secure coding and ethical considerations in computer science. Turns out, creating metadata is no different – you’ve got to be careful about sensitive info and respect the rights of whoever made the content. In a nutshell, this week’s dive into metadata wasn’t just about adding labels to a post. It was like a crash course in how to make data make sense. And as a computer science major, it’s like getting a sneak peek into how the organizing and managing of information can be a pretty big deal in our world.

In my digital humanities class this week, I learned that defining digital humanities isn’t straightforward because it can’t be easily put into a box. Instead, it’s better understood by looking at what digital humanists actually do. They’re essentially creators who take information from the past and make it digital, turning old stuff into something new and accessible.

For instance, digital humanists might convert outdated maps into digitized versions or create digital autobiographies. This blend of traditional humanities with digital tools is what defines digital humanities for me. It’s like taking history and giving it a tech upgrade.

What stood out to me is how this relates to interactive displays in museums. I’ve seen this in action during visits to places like the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. There, an interactive screen presented personal information about the lives of the victims. It wasn’t just a static display; it brought history to life in a more engaging and relatable way.

So, digital humanities, in my understanding, is about taking the old and making it new through digital means. It’s not just about definitions but about the practical stuff digital humanists do – turning history into something interactive and accessible. This resonates with what I’ve seen in museums, where technology is used to make historical information more dynamic and interesting. This week’s class has broadened my view on digital humanities, showing me how it’s a blend of the familiar past with the ever-evolving world of technology.