Thinking Digitally and Culturally

Why should I take this Trinity Elective?

We use technology every day. But our thrill at seeing science fiction ideas – like 24-7 information access and self-driving cars - become reality is offset by concerns about phenomena like filter bubbles, privacy breaches, and fake news.

The relationships and tensions between the cultural elements of our lives, like our languages, values and creative practices, and the technological innovations that are now both driving and disrupting them are hard to untangle. To do so requires you not only to be able to understand both technology and culture, but to be able to think both like a humanist and like an engineer.

In this Trinity Elective you will learn how to apply an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the world, one based in an approach known as the digital humanities, which spans the gap between fields focussed on culture and those on technology.

What will I learn?

On completion of this Trinity Elective, you will be able to:

Understand the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to knowledge creation, as well as;
expanding your own ways of learning and knowing

You will also be able to

Demonstrate an ability to think and act in an informed way with regards to technology and culture.

In addition, you will

Produce a group project to analyse how different, potentially contradictory, standpoints exist on concepts, such as data, truth, fact and narrative and
evaluate outcomes of multidisciplinary work in an informed way.

What will I do?

Watch a series of masterclass lectures online and attend 2 panel sessions
Enhance your understanding of current issues through course readings
Participate in small group discussions of the issues presented in the lectures and readings
Contribute to a student-led group project
Carry out a peer assessment exercise online

How will this be delivered?

Video podcast-based online or live delivery of 11 one-hour expert masterclass lectures and/or panel discussions(approx. 11 hours)
Online discussion sessions moderated by experts drawing out issues raised in the video podcasts (approx. 30 hours)
Multi-disciplinary group analysis of a complex cultural issue (approx. 25 hours)
Peer evaluation exercise (approx. 10 hours)
Course readings (approx. 25 hours)