DGN3107 - Digital humanities in action - 2018

Digital Humanities in action provides a distinctive, transdisciplinary opportunity for students to synthesise critical discourse with practice-based application in ways that are characteristic to the field of Digital Humanities (DH). Through active learning, students will be challenged to advance their practical, technical and conceptual skills developed in preceding DH (and other disciplinary) studies towards a complex multi-faceted design research project. The design studio will provide the framework for students to apply their critical understanding and creative skills to problem-based scenarios. The practice-based opportunities provided by the studio will be supplemented by complementary theoretical and design thinking content and methods. Students will be required to undertake a project that demonstrates suitable application of knowledge and techniques drawn from their identified stream of specialisation (in digital media, information and society, digital cultural heritage). Students will be expected to respond in a critical, ethical and reflective manner, while exercising creative, entrepreneurial and independent research skills. Critical discourse will be agile and responsive to contemporary issues arising at the socio-cultural interface of DH scholarship. The resulting project work will demonstrate both conceptual and technical application relevant to their knowledge domain (Arts, Information Technology, or Art Design and Architecture) to a high level of competence and literacy. The nature of the studio environment provides a unique opportunity for encouraging interdisciplinary approaches to practice and research. On occasion, these studies may be undertaken as part of an immersive research studio conducted as part of special projects and study abroad experiences.

Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:

1. Engage with practice-based processes to coordinate project outcomes from initial research and concept development to final resolution and evaluation;
2. Apply an appropriate range of discipline knowledge and interdisciplinary processes to generate prototype solutions to complex problems;
3. Exercise judgment involving a combination of creative, design led, critically informed and self-reflective considerations as part of an iterative process of producing new or novel understandings, interpretations and applications;
4. Apply design processes and methods with an open attitude to inquiry and experimentation;
5. Apply strategic and cognitive knowledge, problem-solving and communication skills that demonstrate capacity to generate, plan, produce, and critique a self-directed project;
6. Plan and produce a project to a high standard with a degree of independence, originality, accountability and (if relevant) collaboration with other parties and stakeholders;
7. Communicate in a manner that is effective for the stated purpose, intended audience and designated context of the project;
8. Understand and apply the occupational health and safety requirements appropriate to the discipline practice.

Project concept and development (20%)

Project work and practice (60%)

Project communication and analysis (20%)

8 contact hours plus 16 hours of independent study. NB. On occasion, the unit may be delivered in intensive, block mode.

See also Unit timetable information

Digital humanities