Transcribathons as Practice-Based Learning for Historians and Computer Scientists

Abstract

This paper discusses the collaboration of higher education computer scientists, data scientists and historians to design and adapt a set of resources and digital assets that can be used by students and local communities to transcribe historical data. We show that an agile software design and development approach to co-creating such tools has great pedagogical merit both for the end users and the creators of the tools themselves. We note that effective interdisciplinary collaboration requires pooling resources and mutual respect for domain expertise. As part of the project took place during the SARs-Cov-2 pandemic, we also pivoted to a completely online environment. This means that we have a proven model for classroom, online and blended formats alike that we intend to use in the future also for citizen scientist events. In this way, the Open Education Resources can be used in a more accessible and inclusive way.