Humanities teachers gather to explore digital methods in education

During the CDH Inspiration Session on April 19, teachers and education coordinators from the UU Faculty of Humanities came together to generate ideas and engage in discussions on how to effectively integrate data-driven and computational methods into their curriculum.

The Digital Humanities (DH) in Education Inspiration Session, held at the Winkel van Sinkel in Utrecht, aimed to create an interactive environment, inspiring teachers about the potential of digital methods in education while also gathering input on how DH experts can best support teachers. Discussions centered around identifying needs, integrating efficient methods, and recognizing potential obstacles.

Participants engaged in discussions on topics such as generative AI, student programming, assessing digital skills, and teacher training during two roundtable sessions. During the plenary session, several teachers who already work with digital humanities methods delivered brief pitches into their practices, having received CDH Small Grants to integrate such methods into their curriculum. Keynote speaker Susan Aasman shared insights into the establishment of the Digital Humanities Master program at the University of Groningen.

Around the bar and hallway, an informal information marketplace with nine booths staffed by DH experts provided advice on diverse topics, including research software, quantitative methods, and open science. Additionally, the Educate-it team from the Centre for Academic Teaching and Learning (CAT) demonstrated XR glasses and the Blend-it game as potential elements of future learning spaces.

Background – Why digital humanities in education?

The increasing prominence of data-driven and computational methods in the humanities underscores the importance of students to develop a critical mindset in this domain. Moreover, these methods offer interesting new possibilities, with applications ranging from working with large datasets to utilizing software tools for manuscripts and audio recognition and generative AI. Currently, the UU Faculty of Humanities is in the process of integrating a digital literacy curriculum into its Bachelor’s programs.

The CDH can support and inspire teachers in effectively integrating these methodologies into their fields. Teachers are encouraged to visit the Digital Humanities Methods for Teachers page, explore our Small Grants opportunities, participate in staff training program, or attend our weekly DH Walk-in Hours.