Digital Humanities
This blog covers an LAB activity assigned by Dilp P. Barad to explore ethics in AI and digital pedagogy. It includes my experience with the Moral Machine and a session on the shift from text to hypertext in literature education.(Click Here - Task Details)
Video
The International FDP on “A Pedagogical Shift from Text to Hypertext” explored how digital tools transform teaching and learning. Drawing on Silvio Gaggi, it highlighted that in digital media, the subject—core content, teachers, and learners—becomes unstable and decentered, reshaping teachership and learner engagement.
Key Insights
Digital Pedagogy is a Necessity, Not an Option
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online teaching, exposing gaps in digital readiness among educators. Despite widespread use of platforms like Google Classroom and YouTube, many teachers lack personal blogs or websites, highlighting the need to build individual digital identities. Such personal digital presence allows teachers to control content delivery and responsiveness beyond institutional delays, empowering full engagement in hypertext pedagogy.
From Text to Hypertext – A Paradigm Shift
Traditional printed texts are static and “dead,” whereas hypertext is dynamic, interconnected, and multimedia-rich. This shift compels teachers to rethink pedagogical approaches. Hypertext enables learners to explore content non-linearly through links, videos, images, and sound, accommodating diverse learning styles and fostering deeper engagement. This transition aligns with the habits and expectations of digital natives accustomed to interactive, screen-based experiences.
Blended, Flipped, and Mixed Mode Teaching Models
Professor Bharat emphasizes the significance of hybrid models combining synchronous and asynchronous teaching. Blended learning integrates digital resources with in-person instruction; flipped classrooms invert traditional lecture-homework roles to stimulate curiosity and questioning; mixed-mode teaching addresses real-world constraints by simultaneously engaging in-person and remote learners. These models require careful content management and communication strategies to maintain engagement and ensure learning outcomes.
Innovative Technology to Mimic Face-to-Face Interaction
The glass board innovation enables teachers to maintain eye contact while writing or drawing on the board, effectively simulating classroom board work in online settings. This addresses a key challenge of remote teaching—the loss of non-verbal communication cues such as facial expressions and body language, which are crucial for motivation and interaction. Such innovations humanize digital classrooms and sustain learner engagement.
Addressing Language Learning Challenges with Technology
Assessing linguistic components such as pronunciation and stress online is difficult due to network issues. Tools like live captions, auto-transcripts, and voice typing help mitigate these challenges by providing textual support and allowing asynchronous review. Collaborative platforms such as Google Docs foster active learner participation and peer interaction, essential for language acquisition and error correction.
Hypertext Enriches Literature Teaching by Providing Context
Teaching English literature online faces challenges due to cultural and historical distances. Hypertext tools help bridge these gaps by linking texts to images, videos, artworks (e.g., Google Arts & Culture), and mythological references, enhancing comprehension and appreciation. This multimodal approach aligns with contemporary literary theories emphasizing decentring and fragmented subjectivity, making literature more accessible and interactive.
Emerging Role of AI in Literature and Pedagogy
Generative literature, where AI algorithms produce poems and texts indistinguishable from human creations, raises questions about authorship, creativity, and assessment. Educators must rethink literary studies, incorporating new critical frameworks and engaging students with AI-generated content as both a tool and subject of inquiry. This also challenges academic integrity and originality in student work.
Digital Portfolios as Authentic Assessment Tools
Instead of relying solely on traditional exams, digital portfolios allow students to showcase curated work from blogs, videos, presentations, and assignments, reflecting continuous learning and digital literacy. This approach encourages student ownership, helps develop a professional digital presence, and provides educators with richer, multifaceted evaluation of progress. It embodies hypertext pedagogy by integrating diverse digital artifacts into assessment.
Simplicity and Accessibility of Tools are Crucial
Given varying digital proficiency among teachers and students, selecting user-friendly, free, and ad-free platforms like Google Suite tools (Drive, Classroom, Docs, Sheets, YouTube) is essential. Overloading users with multiple complex apps can reduce effectiveness. The focus should remain on tools that save time while maximizing engagement and learning outcomes. This pragmatic approach ensures broader adoption and sustainability of digital pedagogy practices.
Here is result of morale machine activity
Experience
It was a little interesting — everyone in the lab was hurrying and there was a real sense of urgency. The test presented two scenarios in which an automatic car might have to choose between killing a pedestrian, an animal, or its own passenger. In each case I found myself thinking “watch the signal,” wishing there were a clear, safe option — yet the test forced me to choose whom to sacrifice to save others. That experience felt unsettling and thought‑provoking.
Learning Outcome
The activity made me realize how unavoidable and emotionally difficult moral trade‑offs can be for AI designers. It highlighted the need for careful discussion about values, transparency, and responsibility when building “moral” systems.
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