Revised 01/2025

HIS 218 - Introduction to Digital History (3 CR.)

Course Description

Introduces the methods, theories and practices of digital history. Lecture 3 hours. Total 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

This course will explore the development of the field of digital history and examine the impact of digital media on the research, writing, teaching and presentation of history. It also introduces students to issues in digital history such as copyright, intellectual property, information abundance, and how the Internet has changed the relationship between historians and their audience. Students will also learn how digital tools and resources are enabling new methods of historical analysis and presentation.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

It is preferable but not mandatory that the student successfully complete a history survey course, such as HIS 101, HIS 102, HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 121, HIS 122, or HIS 135 before enrolling. The course counts as an elective in the Public History & Historic Preservation certificate program.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

  • Explain the evolution, key concepts and practices of digital history
  • Evaluate and use digital tools, resources and social media to support emerging and traditional methods in the practice of history
  • Demonstrate knowledge of copyright and intellectual property issues and be able to properly apply intellectual property requirements to the creation and use of digital historical materials
  • Create a digital historical project using primary source materials, applying research skills appropriate and necessary in the digital age
  • Show computer competency in discipline-specific skills necessary for successful transfer or employment
  • Manipulate and interpret digital historical materials such as maps, databases and statistics

Major Topics to Be Included

  • The historical development of digital history as a field of study
  • The crafting of historical materials for the Internet
  • Copyright and intellectual property
  • Data visualization techniques
  • Interactive, online digital applications (such as digital timelines)
  • Digitizing and sourcing historical images and text
  • Understanding and utilizing digital online archives
  • Crowd-sourcing and user participation projects
  • Information abundance and Big Data
  • How the Web has changed the relationship between historians and their audience
  • The uses of a blog and other social media in the history discipline