Week 4 – Narrative and Storytelling

Blog Post – Due Monday, June 20

Think about the various content management systems we have reviewed so far (WordPress, Omeka, Scalar). Find an example of a digital project that uses one of these platforms and discuss how effective it is. Use the Criteria for Digital Scholarship Project Evaluation to guide your post.

Monday, June 13

8:30am-9am: Check-In (Library 014)

9am-Noon: Introduction to Scalar (Library 014, Public Session)

Scalar is a free, open source authoring and publishing platform that’s designed to make it easy for authors to write long-form, born-digital scholarship online. Today’s workshop and lab will introduce Scalar, examine various uses for the platform, and get us started on installing and creating a Scalar site.

  • Facilitators
    • Janelle Wertzberger
  • Homework
    1. Watch the “trailer” for Scalar (4:31)
    2. Spend 15-20 minutes (total) exploring these Scalar projects, noticing features that might benefit your project:
    3. We will be working in Scalar today. In order to do this, you should have your Gettysburg Sites account set up (visitors, we were trained on this in Week 1, so please catch up if you need to). Use the Installatron to install Scalar into your Sites area.
    4. Make sure you have access to a small collection of digital objects (related to your project) that you can use today. Gather 1-3 of each format: text, image, audio, video. For now, these objects can be private (ex: on your hard drive) or public (ex: published YouTube video).
  • Program Learning Goal Supported
    • Identify a range of possible digital scholarship tools to integrate into a public-facing digital scholarship project
  • Learning goals for today’s workshop and lab:
    • Students will explore existing Scalar works in order to get ideas for their own projects
    • Students will be able to describe and distinguish among the six basic elements of Scalar (page, object/media, path, tag, annotation, comment)
    • Students will develop a better understanding of (and appreciation for) how rich media content can be organized in various ways using Scalar 2
    • Students will create a small Scalar project sample that incorporates text, image, audio, and video related to their digital projects

Noon-1pm: Lunch (on your own)

1pm-4pm: Scalar Lab (Library 014, Public Session)

We will continue the morning’s Scalar workshop.

  • Facilitators
    • Janelle Wertzberger
  • Homework
    • Participate in the morning workshop!
  • Program Learning Goal Supported
    • Identify a range of possible digital scholarship tools to integrate into a public-facing digital scholarship project
  • Activities:  Create a Scalar test book. Add objects/media, make tags, make a page, make a path, and annotate media. Break it, fix it, tinker, explore!

4pm-5pm: Individual Consulting Time

Tuesday, June 14

8:30am-5pm: Research/Project Work (on your own)

Wednesday, June 15

8:30am-9am: Check-In (Library 014)

9am-Noon: Introduction to Omeka (Library 014, Public Session)

Omeka is a free, flexible, and open source web-publishing platform for the display of library, museum, archives, and scholarly collections and exhibitions. Its “five-minute setup” makes launching an online exhibition as easy as launching a blog. Today’s workshop and lab will introduce Omeka, examine ways to use it, and provide hands-on experience by creating an Omeka site and working with Exhibits, Collections, and Items.

  • Facilitators
    • R.C. Miessler
  • Readings and Assignments
  • Program Learning Goals Supported
    • Identify a range of possible digital scholarship tools to integrate into a public-facing digital scholarship project
  • Activities
    • Review of Omeka projects
    • Discussion of the various components that make up an Omeka site

Noon-1pm: DSSF Lunch (Specialty Dining)

1pm-4pm: Omeka Lab (Library 014, Public Session)

  • Facilitators
    • R.C. Miessler
  • Readings and Assignments
    • Same as the morning
  • Program Learning Goals Supported
    • Identify a range of possible digital scholarship tools to integrate into a public-facing digital scholarship project
  • Activities
    • Create an Omeka site
    • Create items, a collection, and an exhibit
    • Add metadata

4pm-5pm: Individual Consulting Time

Thursday, June 16

8:30am-5pm: Research/Project Work (on your own)

Friday, June 17

8:30am-9am: Check-In

9am-Noon: Story Arc (Library 014, Public Session)

Story Arc is a conceptual project designed by Chuck Kann; it combines events, times and places, and allows users to create arcs through the story. For example, a historical figure could have an arc that follows them through various events on a timeline and map, and their arc would intersect with others.

  • Facilitators
    • Chuck Kann
  • Readings and Assignments
    • TBD
  • Program Learning Goals Supported
    • Identify a range of possible digital scholarship tools to integrate into a public-facing digital scholarship project
  • Activities
    • TBD

Noon-1pm: Lunch (on your own)

1pm-5pm: Research/Project Work (on your own)