Project Description and Objective:

 

This project uses digital humanities’ tools to transform original essays and short stories into interactive programs for use in elementary and secondary classrooms.  The main objective is to re-imagine college writing for the digital environment in ways that enhance the teaching and learning of historical perspective and interpretation, as well as critical thinking skills such as argument development and analysis of evidence. Each of the programs focus on a core history/social studies or English/reading topic; K-12 teachers can assign the programs to be viewed independently or use them in class as instructional aids.  References and resources are provided for each program (see button below)

 

The original stories and essays, as well as the digital programs, were designed, created and written by undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.  Student contributers were enrolled in sections of an interdisciplinary honors colloquium, "History in Fiction, Fiction in History."

 

 

Methods and Pedagogy:

 

Four short stories and four essays were researched, edited and then transformed into inquiry-driven digital programs using Adobe Muse and other web creation software.

 

The short stories were enhanced by using  historical "pop-ups" and multimedia timelines to juxtapose the eye-witness immediacy of the story with the broader historical context.  The result is a hybrid form of "creative nonfiction" in which the digital environment enables fictional narratives to complement and enhance historical interpretation.

 

The essays were deconstructed and transformed into inquiry-driven digital programs. The viewer is presented with an essential question about a topic, followed by evidence that supports both sides of the issue. Viewers evaluate the evidence and construct their own arguments in the form of thesis statements. The programs model the research process by rendering  interpretation of evidence and argument creation transparent and interactive.

 

 

Special thanks to content creators Christine Behling, Matthew Bergs, Megan Boland, Makena Easker, Cassandra Hampshire, Megan Henning, Ben Hohl, Bryce Mohr, Elizabeth Schmidt, and Laura Wilson.

 

This project was made possible by funding from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Office of Research, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire History Department, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Honors Department, and by the collective efforts of students in Honors 104: “History in Fiction, Fiction in History “(Spring 2013; Fall 2016).

 

Additional thanks to Bradford Patton and Tyler Schroeder of the UWEC Learning and Technology Services for their technical guidance.