Over the course of the semester the students of Professor Thomas Fleischman’s Earth, Wind, Water, Fire: An Environmental History of Everywhere class have challenged the “traditional” homework assignment. Rather than churn out a 15-20 page research paper, Fleischman has encouraged his students to think about engaging audiences in new ways. The outcome—Hear UR—a podcast series produced by the Department of History at the University of Rochester trains students to think about historical writing through different mediums. Students in the course develop a history podcast series that combines historical research, blog-style posts, and digital storytelling techniques meant to bring historical research into the twenty-first century.
As the Andrew W. Mellon Fellow in the Digital Humanities for Hear UR I was tasked to identify and train students in digital recording, editing, and content management systems such as WordPress. In addition to the training, however, students are encouraged to think critically about new technology. The incorporation of new tools brought about discussions about historical writing and storytelling. How does a humanist communicate in the 21st century? How can digital tools amplify the historian’s voice? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of new digital tools? Conversations surrounding the technology prepares students to be both aware and critical of the biases, assumptions, and hurdles of digital technology in modern American culture and society.
You can also listen to each episode below. Corresponding student blog are posted on the Hear UR homepage.