HIST245

This course exposes students to digital history, the interpretation of primary sources, and the use of digital technology. At the most basic level, digital history involves using computer technology to study and present the past, it has far greater potential to change the way we study, the questions we ask, and the ways that we present our results to the public. This course offers hands-on experience using digital technology tools to actually contribute research to a live public-facing digital history site. Students will learn how the Web changes the relationship between historians and their audience and also learn about topics such as digital access, copyright, intellectual property, metadata, and information abundance through course readings and discussions. Further, students will build research skills, perform critical reading of primary sources, and interpret historical writings in this course, which includes a weekly hands-on lab experience and homework that will require the use of computers with access to the internet.