Author: admin

From both personal experience creating and being an outside viewer of geospatial visualizations, I fully believe this way of displaying information leads to unique discussion and perspectives within historical dialogues. Personally, I think that analyzing data in different forms is conducive towards learning and prolonged memory retention. Similarly, I believe that analyzing information in different mediums typically sparks different outlooks and insights into what the data may indicate. Therefore, I fully support that formatting historical questions and data within visualizations, including geospatial, broadens public and personal analyzation and understandings.

As Mr. During illustrates within his 2015 article, when even the same historical data is put within different spatial visualizations, analyzation will typically be geared in different directions (During, 2015). However this is not to imply (as Mr. During similarly showcased) that data, even historical, can be effectively and ethically showcased in all visualization types. For instance, a standard bar chart would not be an effective visualization for voting population per county for one election; this could also be an example of unethical visualization techniques. Instead, a geospatial, national heat-map of county voting would both be ethical and very effective. Since the topic of my project is especially sensitive and may be new to some viewers, I will work very hard to make my visualizations not only easy to understand, but also unbiased in any way.

For my final project, I will be employing both spatial and conceptual data that will be able to be visualized. I have already created a timeline that includes both types, as well maps for specific spatial data. I personally like the idea of having certain visualizations include both conceptual and location-specific data. However, I may also create further visualizations including a geospatial global heat-map of currently known Alzheimer’s Disease diagnoses. I believe this is important because Alzheimer’s affects every culture and country. However, I also believe that I must be incredibly mindful in making it clear that heat-map concentrations do not indicate the country’s national risk, and instead is based on general population size and concentrations. I also plan on creating spatial visualizations surrounding Alzheimer’s Disease pathology within the brain and its typical progression. I think that this sort of visualization would make the data, supported both historically and in modern medicine, around the makeup of Alzheimer’s Disease much more understandable. Since my project is not geared specifically towards a medical audience, I will not be including any imaging that showcases recognizable human-tissue sampling. This however, may make the conceptualization of the biological progression of Alzheimer’s Disease difficult to understand without added, computer-generated visualizations.

If I have further time within building my site, I also intend to create a geospatial visualization of historical versus modern day Alzheimer’s Disease care locations. I think that this will be a great way to showcase data I already have speaking on care disparities faced both historically and within modern day. This visualization would most likely only be of the United States, simply because care logistics are registered in different aspects in most countries. Though it’s very important to point out the vast improvements in AD care, it is more important to discuss the medical deserts surrounding care involving cognitive decline.

Citation: Düring, Marten. “From Hermeneutics to Data to Networks: Data Extraction and Network Visualization of Historical Sources.” Programming Historian, 18 Feb. 2015, programminghistorian.org/en/lessons/creating-network-diagrams-from-historical-sources. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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Overall, I wouldn’t say that there were too many challenges that I faced creating both maps and the timeline for skill assignments/my project. I also believe that all three of these will be able to be used in my final project, as I created them with that in mind. The only reason I wouldn’t include any of these resources, would be if I created a newer, better version of one.

I ran into the least issues while creating both the Google map and the Story map. I don’t believe I ran into a single issue while creating my Google map, and the process was very straightforward in my opinion. I like this map because it’s very easy to navigate and users can also easily look at other aspects of the world map if they wish. I believe the StoryMap was a bit more difficult to create, but just because it felt more in-depth. I didn’t run into a problem creating the actual map or importing it into my website, however I did run into a few technical errors. Firstly, there was an issue with my device’s OneDrive connecting to the software’s servers, but I was able to resolve the issue pretty fast. I ran into a more difficult issue while trying to upload and connect .mp4 files; however, after trying different ways of trying to upload the files themselves as well as the avenues of uploading, I was able to figure out the issue. I like the layout and idea behind this mapping tool because it fits my topic and how I will design my overall project very well.

During the making of the timeline, I ran into two issues that I was able to resolve myself, but these definitely took the longest to figure out. When trying to download the actual Excel timeline file, my computer refused to do so for an unknown reason. Both of the provided links/files were either not able to be opened at all by my computer or they wouldn’t download with an error that couldn’t be manually overridden. I also was not able to open the file directly from the hosting site. A classmate was able to download and convert a file for me, which my computer was then able to read perfectly; I believe this issue must be in regards to my specific technology, and there weren’t any problems on/with the hosting sites. The secondary issue I faced was an error message stating that specific items had “era” issues and therefore the timeline could not be created. Honestly, I am still not sure how I fixed this issue, as it always seemed each item was entered the same way (didn’t seem connected to the “era” option), but only select items had this error, and only sometimes. Again, I believe this must be an issue specific to the technology I was specifically using, and not having to do with the host site/program. I really like the idea behind how this timeline was able to be created and the ways it could be personalized.

As I am building my digital history exhibit within Omeka, I feel as if I am learning more about the tools available to me as I go. Similarly, I think that I am getting a better finalized idea of how I want the project to look. So far, I have the wireframe of my exhibit completely fleshed out except for some of the nested pages. I am also trying to decide if I want the “Community Services and Care” aspect as a “normal” page or a simple page. Currently, I think it makes the most sense as a simple page, but this may change as I come closer to completing the project.

The only real challenge I have faced so far within Omeka is trying to figure out how to personalize the home/hub page. I wish to insert an image and either a video or audio clip, but for some reason I can only figure out how to enter text. I believe I could bypass this issue with directly entering html and css code, or by another means. I would also like to change some of the coloring and font sizes on the hub page as well as within the “normal” pages. I think I can do this through the overall appearance tab on Omeka, but I have not looked too far into that either. I also want to figure out if Omeka has plugins for text-to-speech and color-blind color options, as this would make my exhibit more user friendly.

The page I have done the most work on so far is the “Discovering Alzheimer’s Disease” page. From my initial plan, I believe I am over halfway done with its presentation; I only plan on adding one and a half more blocks, and will most likely have a nested page as well. I am also looking for one more archived source for this page, however it has been incredibly hard to find. There is a very important journal that is well documented and known, however it was lost for almost 100 years. The journal’s original archive has proven to be incredibly hard to track down, or an image of it, though the contents have been well documented in text format. Similarly, it may be harder for me to try and find it because it was written in German and is most likely held within a German-language archive.

https://aemfindley.com/final_project_omeka/exhibits/show/historyofad

I am using OMEKA while creating my DH project. This is the link for the items I will be using: https://aemfindley.com/final_project_omeka/admin/items

After exploring the different aspects of digital history exhibits both in “real life” as well as virtually, I have a much better idea of how I would like to organize my own. The primary goals surrounding my History of Alzheimer’s Disease project has not changed, as well as who I intent will want to view it. What has changed in my project plan, is how I want to present each aspect of data and how they may interweave into my overall message.

The primary goal behind presenting classical depictions of probable Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline, is to bring attention to the theory that this is most likely not a new disease; in other words, Alzheimer’s is being diagnosed at a faster rate within all populations nowadays compared to when it was first discovered, simply because average life expectancy has increased. My project will couple this idea with the goal of reducing stigma around cognitive decline and spread awareness that a significant decline -cognitive or physical- is considered abnormal in all age groups.

Currently, I am planning for my project to have a very wide age-range regarding its primary audience, young adults through late-middle aged adults. Since my topic can be very sensitive to all age groups, along with some of the excerpts I may share, I do not think I will try to make my project too accessible to children. Though I think age-related decline is a very important topic to discuss with all ages, I believe it’s something that must be done with extreme care when children are involved, since it’s such a complex and possibly scary idea. With that being said, I will not go too in-depth into abuses, quotations, or certain imagery individuals were faced with throughout history, so I believe it’s appropriate for young adults to view. My hope is that this primary audience will be able to learn more about how Alzheimer’s can present differently between individuals, how no one is alone in this, access to local communities/help, and also learn how to combat the current stigma.

The secondary audience that I plan for, are individuals 65+, and/or individuals currently diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairments. Even though many organizations and outlets have been created around the world specifically for those with cognitive decline, there is still a huge lack of community and help. Many elderly individuals feel as if they have no outlets or interactive ways to learn about potential, or speak about their current, cognitive declines. Though my project mainly centers around education and stigma-reduction, I do want there to be a communal aspect in the background. I know I will link to multiple global, national, state-wide, and local chapters of Alzheimer’s outreach; though I would also like to try and create a small outlet for individuals to be able to anonymously post/speak/create to share their personal experiences or messages.

I think that I will mainly divide my project into different sections of creative expressions of cognitive decline. For instance, I believe I will separate visual works of art from plays, which will be separated from novels, further separated from philosophy quotes, etc. This way, I will be able to showcase multiple time periods within each section of the product so no matter where someone starts, they can trace stigma and beliefs throughout time periods. I will however, intend for the “first” section of the project to be a general overview of what Alzheimer’s is and how it can affect individuals. I also intend on adding audio transcripts and descriptions for those with impaired vision or reading deficits. Similarly, if I include audio files, I intend to include written transcripts for those with auditory or language-processing impairments.

Individuals, loved ones, and money-making entities have long since started the debate of who owns, or more precisely who they think should own, the rights to anything that can be pointed to or recalled from the past. There are numerous arguments of what a person can “own” from the past and to what extent that may be. I personally believe that no topic, idea, or creation of the past can, or even should, ever be fully be “owned” by an entity.

Saying that an event, idea, or creation is fully “owned” is like saying observers are not entitled to their experience or that the object of ownership exists inside a vacuum. Yes, copyrights can exist and singular profit markets can be created for something, yet the public will always have a hand in “ownership” as well. From the DH exhibits showcased in this class alone, the lack of ownership on the past is exemplified. Whether fair use, transformative content, parody, or educational aspects are utilized, this would take away “full ownership” of something. For instance, this class has seen how even heavily trademarked and copyrighted creations have multiple ways that they can still be utilized.

Throughout this class, we have been shown multiple works showcasing multiple forms of copyright and licensing ownership. For instance, Alison Martin created a fantastic DH project surrounding the sonics of gentrification within a DC neighborhood. This project is published under a creative commons and copyright of nonderivetives and attribution. We have also seen multiple archival-type websites that are more out of date, where their copyrights have expired and were under public domain. Even though these works have differing copyrights and may be under creative commons or public domain, they all have one thing in common; they can never be completely and fully owned. For instance, I may make an entire novel speaking on the effects and changes Martin’s project had on the NOVA and DC community. She/the copyright holders will still own the literal work that she accomplished, however the idea she created is now for the public’s use.

I have made my DH site open access, as I plan to use it for purely educational aspects; I believe that education should not be behind a paywall or harder to access and use for certain individuals. Similarly, I plan for my final project to be within the public domain. Since my project revolves around the history of Alzheimer’s Disease, and one of my main goals is further public awareness with less stigma, I want it to be as easily sharable as possible. I also have no personal issue with aspects of my work being utilized by someone else to help create their own, even if theirs will be for profit. Further, I wouldn’t feel comfortable personally profiting off of a mental health awareness project.

I don’t have any current concerns regarding copyright issues while creating my DH project. Though I am utilizing multiple sources, all under various forms of copyright, I know how I can and cannot use them. The largest concern was in linking art work of a past artist, however I was taught how to do so safely. As for overall limitations, I think my biggest struggle will be within my overall skill.s This is my first DH project and I am very new to a lot of the skills we’ve used so far; I am however, familiar with research and the topic I chose, so the majority of sources I find don’t pose any issues there. I know I want to make a timeline and/or map which will most likely be the biggest limitation in completing this project.

When coding is brought up, computer and mathematic-based sciences are typically at the forefront of conversation. However, each subdivision of “hard”, “soft”, and “non”-sciences of study all utilize coding in some capacity. Whether coding is used to understand data sets, present data visually, or to create an experience/tool for a user, the code itself has equal importance. I believe that every humanities student should learn the basics of a coding software because it can create better overall understanding and expertise in their work.

As Kirschenbaum wrote, “humanities miss the extent to which programming is a creative and generative activity.” I fully agree with this premise, and take it even farther as believing that every division of study, other than computer science subfields, generally miss this. As someone studying to be a cognitive/behavioral researcher, I too mistook the overall importance of computer programming until recent years. Every single career needs a form of programming in order to showcase, improve, or work on what has been accomplished. Whether it be websites, figures, graphs, videos, interactive fields, audio, outreach, or additive tools, coding is essential to the process.

Over the past year, I have been slowly teaching myself the basics of “R”, a psychology geared coding software. This has helped me better understand more frequently used humanities coding, like HTML and CSS. The overall structure of how you code in HTML made perfect sense to me, however it took a lot longer to understand certain specifiers until I fooled around with them. I was also able to appreciate how different codes can later work together when an entire project is established. Even if a humanities student doesn’t end up working with code themselves, the knowledge will allow much easier communication with those who are. In turn, collaboration between departments can become even easier and accomplish grander tasks if everyone is on the same page. If a student has questions or concerns regarding learning code, I would strongly suggest looking into what code is typically used in the subfield of interest. Not only will this make learning more fun, it will most likely be easier to understand and its importance can be more easily found!

Work Cited: Kirschenbaum, M. G. (2010, May 26). Hello worlds (why humanities students should learn to program). Matthew G. Kirschenbaum. https://mkirschenbaum.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/hello-worlds/

While preparing my own Digital History project, I have carefully analyzed different digital aspects individuals have utilized in their own projects. I have viewed many notable sites, however the Smithsonian’s “Talking About Race” project stands out the most*. I view this source to be an inspiration for my own project, not only from a personal standpoint, but also by the OAH’s standard guidelines for how digital history should be reviewed/done properly**.

Though there are many different ways this work can be utilized and interacted with, at its core, “Talking About Race” is a teaching resource for the general public. I specifically enjoyed how information was further categorized depending on your role in society, i.e. caregiver or educator. This helps to drive home the fact that everyone is involved in this talk! I wish to utilize something similar in the design of my project, because it is also a more sensitive one. Overall, these sensitive, complex topics are presented in an easy-to-understand format, and communicated directly.

Even though there are many different sections to this project, the overall site design makes it easy to navigate. I believe it is even easier to use and absorb its information because of the multiple layers, since each subtopic has its own, obvious “home.” I hope to be able to emulate a similar way of navigation in my memory project, since there is overlap in subtopics. Though their site is easier to use on a computer, the mobile version still functions very well! On a similar note, I found it refreshing that it was very easy to find who specifically helped create this project and provided funding. This felt especially important since the project exists on such a large overall platform: the Smithsonian museums.

Overall, I feel as if the extent of this project could only be achieved if it is done in a digital format such as this. “Taking About Race” is so successful not just because of the information it presents, but how it makes the individual interact with their surroundings. In this project an individual can: watch videos, read primary literature, learn how to become connected in a/their community, reach out to members, complete thought exercises, connect with events, support business(s), and even more. After viewing this project, I got the idea to include different support links in my project for caregivers of, and individuals with, Alzheimer’s disease. This also gave me a few ideas of how I could integrate some of the pictures I intend it.

*Talking about race. National Museum of African American History and Culture. (2021, November 20). https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race

**OAH | Journal of american history. (n.d.). https://www.oah.org/publications/jah/