The idea for a minor in Digital Studies within the School of Liberal Arts grew out of the recognition that the dramatic change brought about by the digital revolution in areas such as communication, culture, art, commerce, and education necessitated a more formal lens of investigation of the contemporary world. Foundational to this conversation is the very question itself of the role of the liberal arts in the 21st century, including the signature hallmarks of a liberal education - critical thinking, collaborative inquiry, and the ability to effectively communicate.
With funding from the W.M. Keck Foundation, the minor in Digital Studies was designed specifically for students in the liberal arts. Since its inception, the overarching goal of the program was the integration of the humanities and the sciences (in this case, computer science) into a curriculum that provides students with the requisite tools for critical analysis of how "the digital" frames human discourse. Simultaneously, students develop a technical understanding of how digital media content is created, produced, and delivered, preparing them for careers in the technology sector. The result of these efforts is this proposed minor in Digital Studies within the department of Communication.
Ability to analyze the digital environment toward the end of becoming a digital citizen
Ability to analyze the digital environment (technically and culturally) through shared inquiry and collaborative learning
Ability to understand and utilize digital media production tools (video, audio, images, graphics, interactivity)
Ability to understand and utilize principles of digital programming (HTML5, CSS5, and Python)
Ability to understand and utilize project management tools and skills toward the creation of digital artifacts
Ability to understand and utilize critical thinking for the analysis of digital information and its application in the contemporary age
Ability to produce and conceptualize through assignments and activities digital bases art within a critical-theoretical framework
Ability to investigate through assignments and activities digital concepts within historical cultural and societal contexts
Ability to investigate through assignments and activities the dialogic relationships between digital culture and technology
Ability to investigate and analyze through assignments and activities the attributes and the effects of "big data" on culture and society, and develop skills and strategies for effective data management.
Prof. Benin emerged from New York's independent film scene into academic scholarship and media production. He has produced many experimental film and video works, written interactive fiction, and published in media studies and affect. He teaches courses in digital video production and visual culture, with a focus on experimental documentary practices. His research addresses the intersection of affect and technologies of visual representation.
David often teaches the following courses for the minor: COMM 125, COMM 133, COMM 143
Prof. Leopard’s creative and scholarly work grows out of his interests in screen and print media, documentary and avant-garde art, critical pedagogy, and comics and graphic novels. He has worked as a cartoonist, video artist, and filmmaker. His book Teaching with the Screen: Pedagogy, Agency, and Media Culture focuses on the uses of media and technology in education. He is currently working on a series of cartoon essays that look at the relationship between dreams, algorithms, and visual media across the 20th century.
Dan often teaches the following courses for the minor: COMM 109, COMM 125
Jason Jakaitis is a creator of mixed-media and poetic documentaries, his work explores themes of illness and disability. Jason’s documentary Mothersbane won the Jury Prize at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival. He previously served as Director of Independent Media at the Bay Area Video Coalition, where he supervised community storytelling programs, including San Francisco’s Public Access Television Station and the National Media Maker Fellowship.
Jason often teaches the following courses for the minor: COMM 104, COMM 125, COMM 133, COMM 143
Prof. Sachowitz’s work focuses on the intersection of media and culture with a particular emphasis on the politics of power and representation. He has published on a range of topics, including children in queer families; food discourses; and hip-hop as it intersects with feminism, heterosexual desire, pornography, and technology. He is currently examining mediated discourses in the Latin American food industry, focusing on communication about food and justice in Nicaragua.
Aaron often teaches the following courses for the minor: COMM 104, COMM 125, COMM 190