Workshop Guidelines#

These guidelines have been prepared to help you develop effective and engaging workshops for the DHRIFT platform. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your workshop aligns with best pedagogical practices.

While you are free to develop workshops on any topic related to digital humanities research and teaching, if you would like to propose a workshop for inclusion in the DHRIFT core curriculum, please review these guidelines first to ensure that your workshop meets our standards for quality, accessibility, and engagement.

Getting Started#

As you flesh out your workshop idea, consider the following questions to create an effective and engaging learning experience:

What skill level is your workshop aimed at? (beginner, intermediate, advanced)? How does the workshop align with other workshops (if applicable) in the curriculum? Is there a clear progression of skills and knowledge across workshops?
What are the learning objectives and outcomes you hope to achieve with your workshop? How will participants benefit from attending your workshop?
What teaching methods and activities will you use to engage participants and facilitate learning? How will you assess participant learning and understanding?
What resources and materials will you need to develop your workshop? Are there any special requirements or considerations to keep in mind?

Style and Approach#

DHRIFT workshops are not typically lecture-based but are designed to be interactive and hands-on. Reviewing the interactive features available in the DHRIFT platform can help prepare you for how you might structure your content and assess participant learning.

In general, DHRIFT workshops work best when: - Your tone is formal but accessible, engaging, and inclusive. DHRIFT workshops should reflect the values of bias-free language and inclusive pedagogy. You can read more about writing with inclusive language in the APA Style Guide. - They are created with a variety of teaching modalities in mind. DHRIFT workshops should be accessible to a wide range of learners, from in-person to online. Consider how you might adapt your content for different learning environments. - Your content is clear, concise, and engaging. DHRIFT workshops should be easy to follow and understand, with clear instructions and explanations. Use examples, case studies, and activities to illustrate key concepts and engage participants. Keep in mind that technical jargon should be thoroughly explained and reinforced throughout the workshop. - Your lessons are well-organized and structured. DHRIFT workshops should follow a logical sequence of topics and activities, with clear transitions between sections. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up text and make it easier to read. Keep in mind this is a participatory workshop, not a lecture or an academic paper.

Open-Source and Open-Access#

DHRIFT workshops are open-source and open-access, meaning that they are freely available to the public and can be reused, remixed, and redistributed under a Creative Commons license.TODO: what kind? By contributing to the DHRIFT platform, you agree to share your work with the wider community of digital humanities researchers and educators.

Write for a Diverse Audience#

When developing your workshop, keep in mind that your content will be shared with a diverse audience of learners, from students and scholars to professionals and enthusiasts. Make sure that your content is accessible, inclusive, and engaging to a wide range of participants. Follow these global-facing guidelines to ensure that your workshop is welcoming and respectful to all learners:

- Use inclusive language that is free from bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
- Cultural references should be given context or explained. Assume that your audience is not familiar with specific cultural references.
- Avoid using regional humor or sarcasm that may be misinterpreted or offensive.
- Use images, examples, and case studies that reflect the diversity of the global community.
- When referencing geographic locations, be specific: use the full name of the location (e.g., United States instead of US) to avoid confusion.
- Be mindful when using racial or ethnic language. Historic terms no longer in use should be used only in their historical context and only when necessary. 
- Avoid using gendered language when possible.

Write for the Future#

DHRIFT workshops should ideally be relevant and useful to participants for years to come. When developing your workshop, consider how you can future-proof your content by:

- Note what version of software or tools you are using. If possible, use the most recent version and provide instructions for updating or adapting to future versions.
- Reduce reliance on screenshots or images that may change over time (e.g., user interfaces, websites).
- Pointing to external resources or documentation for tools or technologies that may change frequently.
- Use open data sources or datasets that are freely available and accessible to all participants. Include them in your workshop materials or provide links to where they can be accessed.

If you are submitting a workshop to our core curriculum, it is likely we will ask you to update your workshop (if needed) to ensure that it remains relevant and up-to-date. See our submission guidelines for more information.

Specific Writing Guidelines#

This section contains specific guidelines for writing content for DHRIFT workshops. Please review these guidelines before and after you write your workshop content.

When using coding terms or syntax in written paragraphs, use backticks (`foo`) to indicate they are code.
- When using code blocks, use triple backticks (```) to enclose the code block. For example: python def hello_world(): print("Hello, World!")
Use headings and subheadings to organize your content. Level 1 headings (#) should be used for main sections, level 2 headings (##) for subsections that you want to to be visible in the table of contents, and level 3 headings (###) for subsections that you want to use for readability but be hidden in the table of contents.
Use quotes to highlight key points, definitions, or examples. Quotes should be formatted as follows: markdown > This is a quote.
- Use lists (bulleted or numbered) to break up text and make it easier to read. Lists should be formatted as follows: ```markdown
  - This is a bulleted list item.
  - This is another bulleted list item. markdown
  - This is a numbered list item.
  - This is another numbered list item. ```