HS1IDC: Introduction to Digital Communication and Creation

Module code: HS1IDC

Module provider: History; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Mara Oliva, email: m.oliva@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 25 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Introduction to Digital Communication and Creation explores how digital tools and platforms are used to communicate cultural content in innovative and engaging ways. The module introduces key digital humanities methodologies that enable the interpretation, presentation, and dissemination of cultural, historical and contemporary narratives through digital means. Students will learn to critically assess the role of digital communication in contemporary culture and acquire practical skills in using digital platforms such as digital exhibitions, interactive mapping (e.g., ArcGIS StoryMaps), and multimedia storytelling, such as DaVinci Resolve. The module emphasizes the intersection between culture, technology, and audience engagement.

Aims and Purpose

The purpose of this module is to provide students with a foundational understanding of how digital technologies can be used to capture, curate, and communicate cultural and historical knowledge. It aims to:

1. Introduce the theoretical frameworks underpinning digital communication in the humanities.
2. Equip students with practical and research enquiry skills in using digital platforms to create and curate digital outputs.
3. Encourage experimentation with multimodal forms of storytelling and audience interaction.
4. Foster critical thinking about representation, accessibility, and ethics in digital communication.
5. Prepare students for advanced work in digital media production, digital heritage, and public humanities.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Explain key concepts and debates in digital communication within cultural contexts.
2. Create and curate an engaging digital output using relevant digital tools and enquiry based skills.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of digital communication strategies.
4. Reflect on the ethical and practical considerations involved in representing and curating cultural materials digitally.

Module content

The module covers a range of topics that provide both conceptual foundations and practical skills in digital communication within contemporary cultural and media contexts. Students will be introduced to key theories of digital media, audience engagement, and cultural representation in the digital age. Practical components include an introduction to digital exhibition design, interactive storytelling, and the use of platforms such as ArcGIS StoryMaps, Adobe, DaVinci Resolve, and other tools commonly used in the digital humanities. The module also explores ethical issues related to digital representation, accessibility, and the preservation of cultural heritage. Case studies from museums, archives, and community projects will be examined to understand how digital communication shapes cultural narratives and public understanding. Throughout the module, students will work towards creating a small-scale digital project that applies these tools and concepts to a cultural theme of their choice.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module is delivered through a combination of interactive seminars, hands-on workshops, and guided independent learning. It is structured around a two-hour seminar each week over a 12-week teaching period. Each session integrates theoretical discussion with practical engagement, ensuring students not only understand the conceptual underpinnings of digital communication but also gain first-hand experience in applying digital tools to cultural content.

Seminars are designed to be participatory, encouraging group discussion, peer feedback, and critical reflection on the use of digital media in various cultural contexts. Workshops focus on skill development in digital platforms such as ArcGIS StoryMaps, Adobe, DaVinci Resolve and other relevant tools for digital storytelling, mapping, and exhibition. Students will engage in collaborative tasks and small-scale projects, building towards a final assessed digital project.

To provide diverse learning opportunities, the module makes use of multimedia resources, online tutorials, and case studies of successful digital humanities projects. Academic readings are complemented by hands-on exploration, allowing students to reflect critically on the design, impact, and accessibility of digital cultural communication. Formative feedback is provided throughout, with opportunities to share work-in-progress and receive input from both peers and tutors.

Independent study is an essential component of the module, with students expected to explore digital tools, experiment with content creation, and critically evaluate examples of digital cultural work outside of seminar hours.

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Throughout the module, students will receive formative support through in-class workshops, peer feedback sessions, and tutor guidance. A dedicated project development session in Week 9 will allow students to present draft versions of their work-in-progress and receive constructive feedback before final submission.

Reassessment

Additional costs