In Spring 2019 we planned for more intentional use of the Library's Digital Humanities Center as a way to foster collaboration and experimentation. We started by hosting HIST 503 in the DH Center for an initial conversation about spatial argumentation. We utilized the unique aspects of the DH Center -- flexible furniture, lots of monitors -- to place students in their groups and get them thinking spatially in a different space than their normal classroom. Check out the interactive, 360, time-lapse video we created of the class.
We also encouraged students to use the DH Center for their group work. And Professor Pollard and Dr. Lach held office hours in the DH Center at various points in the semester.
A group of HIST 503 students working on their collaborative mapping project, using the DH Center's mobile monitors.
Drs. Pollard and Lach held joint office hours in the DH Center in advance of the collaborative mapping project deadline (21 March 2019). Seven of the eleven groups participated, with about 20 students total working in together the space.
We also added a two-day project showcase in the Digital Humanities Center, scheduled at the end of the semester (April 30 and May 2) but before the final solo projects were due (May 9). The goals of this showcase were to:
Students were assigned (by lots!) to one of two showcase sessions. Each student had thirty minutes to present their projects in a poster-style session. The rest of the class rotated through the space, using the project rubric to provide feedback.
And here's a 360 interactive time-lapse of the second showcase (May 2):