Key facts
UNE unit code: ARPA316
*You are viewing the 2027 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.
- Trimester 1 - On Campus
- Trimester 1 - Online
- Armidale Campus
- Yes
- No
- Yes
- 6
Unit information
Digital tools and methodologies increasingly shape how cultural heritage is researched, created, shared and preserved across both Australian and international cultural heritage sectors. This unit provides a comprehensive introduction to digital cultural heritage, encompassing the research, creation and stewardship of heritage using digital technologies and workflows. This unit is designed for prospective and existing practitioners across archaeology, history, cultural heritage, and the GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums), equipping you with the technical proficiencies and ethical integrity this dynamic field now demands.
Throughout the unit, you develop foundational skills in finding and managing digital sources and collections, alongside a critical approach to Generative AI. You also engage with ethical and policy frameworks, such as the UNESCO Charter on the Preservation of Digital Heritage, FAIR and CARE guidelines, and the notion of Indigenous data sovereignty.
You engage with specialised approaches across textual and historical research, data creation, digitisation, photography, photogrammetry, geospatial mapping (GIS), and recording heritage places, choosing a subset of these topics to focus on in your practical work. Finally, you explore creating sustainable digital data and heritage assets, including digital heritage archival practices, to better support high-level conservation and management projects in Australian and global contexts.
Offerings
For further information about UNE's teaching periods, please go to Principal Dates.
| Teaching period | Mode/location |
|---|---|
| Trimester 1 | On Campus, Armidale Campus |
| Trimester 1 | Online |
*Offering is subject to availability
Intensive schools
There are no intensive schools required for this unit.
Enrolment rules
Notes
Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.
Unit coordinator(s)
Unit coordinators information is not currently available.
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- describe key themes in the history and contemporary application of digital technologies in the cultural heritage sector;
- identify and explain a range of important ethical, statutory and legal frameworks and guidelines relevant to the development of sustainable digital heritage outputs;
- apply a selection of discrete digital methods to address a cultural heritage research or management task and report on the results of this;
- define and critically evaluate the concept of digital cultural heritage sustainability and its relevance to a range of common cultural heritage research and management tasks, drawing on practical examples; and
- critically analyse the intersection of traditional scholarship and emergent digital tools in cultural heritage research, conservation, and interpretation, and implications for your own developing professional practice.
Assessment information
Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
| Title | Must Complete | Weight | Offerings | Assessment Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 | Yes | 20% | All offerings | Essay No. Words: 1000 |
| Assessment 2 - Assurance Task 1 | Yes | 50% | All offerings | Supervised Group Project: Digital Archive and Data Management Plan Students must obtain at least 50% in both Assurance Task 1 and 2 (and at least 50% overall) to receive a pass or better in the unit. No. Words: 2500 |
| Assessment 3 - Assurance Task 2 | Yes | 30% | All offerings | Supervised Examination This online exam will be supervised via webcam and screen sharing technology. Coordinated by UNE Exams Unit. Students must obtain at least 50% in both the Assurance Task 1 and 2 (and at least 50% overall) to receive a pass or better in the unit. No. Words: 2000 (equivalent)
|
Learning resources
Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Textbook information will be displayed approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the teaching period. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
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