Looking back on learning: what are the most important things you’ve learned this semester? What advice would you give your past self about becoming a Vivero Fellow and learning how to do this work?
The most important thing I’ve learned this semester is the wider definition of the word “data.” Data used to take on a more strict definition for me that leaned more mathematical. Exposure to a variety of digital humanities projects has taught me the diversity of data. I would advise my past self to feel more confident with doing new things. Though I was learning as I went, a lot of this work is also a lot of experimentation and finding what works best. This takes time, but this is all a part of the process.
Reflection on the training model: what worked and what didn’t work for you? What stuck with you? Are there things you found confusing or not helpful?
The training models gave me a glimpse of all the different digital tools I could use to convey and analyze some sort of data. There are many tools I was not super interested in, like Omeka and the video-making one. I did find the reflections helpful, on the other hand. It was good to summarize my experience and put it into words. Ultimately, my reflections left me with a strong sense of wanting to explore more. The text analysis tools interested me the most.
What are your next steps for project work next semester? What documentation have you created, and what documentation do you still need to create?
My project lead and I have our first prototype of the three maps and a StoryMap done. That has involved a great deal of reimagining how to organize data in our spreadsheets and how to present the data. Next semester, my project lead and I are aiming to hone the datasets and maps. I have completed documentation for this first “official” attempt. We considered our previous attempts to be more of us discovering where to take the project.
What digital scholarship topics, methods, or tools might you be interested in exploring next semester, or in the future?
Next semester, I would be interested in the presentation and design of information. I think there’s a great opportunity to be creative, even working with mass distributed digital tools. This semester, I had focused more on learning the tools and utility. Seeing finalized digital humanities projects really inspires me to have an eye for aesthetics alongside utility. The combination of original art and presenting information is something I’m curious about.