History on the web: it's happening, I'm catching up.
I have long been an advocate that history need not be restricted to the printed pages and badly circulated lecture halls that traditionally define the academic discipline. Whether in the form of a well-researched historical drama or an impressively detailed comic book (see Chester Brown's brilliant biography of Louis Riel) there are plenty of unexpected ways in which the public can digest history. That being said, up until my first Digital History class this past Wednesday I had been, rather conspicuously, ignoring the potential of the digital world. I've never considered myself a tech-wise individual... perhaps even lapsing into the realm of technophobic at times, but that is, hopefully, about to change. By taking this class I hope to find out how the internet and digital technologies are changing the way the members of the public think about and consume history, and how I can be a part of that new world of communication. While I may still relish the thought of telling my grandchildren about the ancient days of dial-up internet ("Back when I was a kid you had to kick everyone off the phonelines and even then it took ten minutes to load a page!") I am looking forward to the rewards and challenges of working in a new medium.
Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted.
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