This is the website of work and activities from Reality Bytes: Introduction to Digital Humanities, a Discovery Core III course taught at the University of Washington Bothell during Spring 2013. DC III classes are all about students reflecting on their first-year experiences. So combining a reflection-heavy class with an investigation into the Digital Humanities seemed like a natural fit.

The class was taught by Ruth Gregory, a part-time lecturer in CUSP (the Center for University Studies and Programs) at the University of Washington Bothell (seen here engaging the class in her wacky Dada Lecture complete with a cardboard outfit).

The class, Reality Bytes: Introduction to Digital Humanities, was set-up as a communal learning experience where students and the instructor jointly contributed material to the discussion and quarter-long defining and redefining of the Digital Humanities. Our goal was to try and find the edge of where Digital Humanities ends since it is large and nebulous field that is newer to academia.

Another goal of the class was to help acclimate students who are more comfortable with technology to Humanities style research. One way in which this happened was in weekly write-ups where they were asked whether or not something could be considered a part of the Digital Humanities. The students also worked in groups to submit things they thought may or may not be a part of the Digital Humanities. Each group was also charged with leading the class discussion and activities for an hour at one point during the quarter. You can check out excerpts from the write-ups and discussion on the Is That Digital Humanities? pages.

A final goal of the class was to encourage students to use technology in interesting ways to express their research and findings. Over the course of the quarter students “remixed” a reading or assignment from their first year using the basic and free programming software Scratch. They also created manifestos and montages that built off our quarter-long discussion of “What is the Digital Humanities?” using the free graphics manipulation software GIMP. You can check out examples of their Scratch Remixes and Digital Humanities Montages by following the links.

We hope you enjoy the site.

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