The ability to engage in the digital world plays an increasingly important role in intellectual life. Every discipline has been affected by the digital revolution in its own way. Students will master the critical digital resources and techniques relevant to the scholarly or creative endeavors of their discipline.
Each department and interdepartmental program will define the meaning of digital literacy within the context of their major. For example, these goals might include one or more of the following abilities:
- The ability to evaluate the validity of digital sources
- The ability to create original work in a digital medium or a work of scholarship that engages digital media
- The ability to discover, create, analyze, present, and reason about large sets of disciplinary relevant data
- The ability to negotiate intellectual property, for example copyright and appropriation of works of art
- The ability to solve disciplinary problems using scripting languages
- The ability to discover and utilize appropriate digital tools (including software and databases)
Digital approaches and tools will be specific to field and change over time.
How to Fulfill the Requirement
For students entering Brandeis beginning fall 2019, the digital literacy requirement will be fulfilled for through coursework taken in the completion of their major, or through other options described in the requirements for the major. As such, department and interdisciplinary programs will determine which digital literacy goals are relevant to their own discipline. Satisfaction of the requirement could be achieved through completion of one of the following:
- A four-credit course
- A course or series of courses incorporating digital literacy resources into the pedagogy of courses
- An e-portfolio demonstrating key aspects of digital literacy skills relevant to the learning goals established in the major
- On-line modules, coupled with online exams demonstrating competencies
- A two-credit practicum offered in coordination with a course or courses in the major
- Cross-listed courses from different departments to fulfill the requirement
Courses of Instruction
Departments and programs will outline the options available to declared majors in their individual sections of the Bulletin.