Author: mamelvi
Digital humanities is the intersection of technology and the humanities. It involves using digital tools, such as mapping, text analysis, and data visualization, to study and present human culture, history, and literature in new ways. Instead of solely reading texts or studying events, digital humanities enable interaction with information, identification of patterns, and digital research presentation. The skills learned in this class can be applied to make projects in other courses more engaging and interactive. Professionally, digital humanities tools facilitate clear communication of complex ideas that are valuable in fields such as education, media, museums, and others.
Micheal Parker ” St. Louis Corridor
Michael Parker’s The St. Louis Corridor: A Case Study of Dialect Islands is a comprehensive linguistic study investigating how speech patterns in the St. Louis region have developed into distinct dialect islands. Conducted by Parker, who possesses experience in emergency response and public service, the research employs ArcGIS Story Maps to present findings interactively and engagingly. The primary objective was to analyze and document the unique characteristics of St. Louis’s speech compared to surrounding areas, particularly the Midland and Inland North dialect regions. The intended audience includes linguists, educators, historians, and residents interested in the cultural and linguistic evolution of the area. One of the significant conclusions from the study is that St. Louis speech previously exhibited features of the Inland North dialect—such as the Northern Cities Vowel Shift—and retained distinctions like the cot–caught vowel merger. However, younger generations are increasingly reverting to Midland speech patterns, indicating continuous linguistic evolution. The project used historical audio samples, geographic data, maps, and linguistic analysis to trace these changes, leveraging modern GIS technology to visualize dialect transformations over time. Although the exact duration of the project is not specified, the research’s depth and detail imply that it spanned several years. A notable strength of the project is its ability to render complex linguistic data accessible through a user-friendly digital platform. Nevertheless, this reliance on digital tools may marginalize individuals without reliable internet access. For those familiar with the St. Louis region, the project provides insightful context into local speech patterns, enriching understanding with information that may be previously unrecognized. It aligns with local knowledge while adding depth and nuance to regional identity, highlighting how language is influenced by history, migration, and community over time.
The Illinois land cover dataset from the early 1800s, credited to the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS), uses historical land survey records like the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) to recreate the pre-settlement environment of Illinois. This data aids ecological restoration, historical comparison, and understanding landscape changes due to agriculture and urbanization. It is used by scientists, land managers, and educators for conservation and environmental planning. Formatted as GIS-compatible shapefiles or raster datasets, it maps and analyzes spatial patterns of historical land cover. The dataset includes geographic units such as township-range sections, dominant vegetation types, estimated extent, and surveyor notes. Although useful for spatial analysis, it may oversimplify local variations in land cover. Data cleaning involved resolving inconsistent terminology and correcting biases, but assumptions made during vegetation classification and boundary definitions introduced uncertainty. The creators’ focus on native vegetation enhances ecological accuracy while potentially excluding other perspectives. This dataset is valuable for environmental research but requires careful application to avoid misleading conclusions.
St. Louis has been an important center for public health innovation, especially in nursing. During research into the city’s medical history, the role of nursing in civil war healthcare and the 20th century became evident. Notably, there were Native American army hospitals, early public health campaigns, and the formation of nursing schools during segregation. These institutions illustrate the evolution of medical care and the cultural, racial, and technological dynamics that influenced the nursing profession in the region. The core question arising from this observation is: How has the development of nursing in St. Louis reflected broader cultural, racial, and social transformations in the region from the 19th century onward? This inquiry aims to understand how nurses—particularly women and people of color—managed professionalization, community care, and institutional power in a changing urban environment. This topic is approached from a historical-cultural perspective, considering both marginalized voices and institutional narratives. The viewpoint is guided by an interest in how local histories can challenge national ideas about healthcare progress and how nursing, as a gendered and racialized profession, has influenced and been influenced by the city’s development.
Primary Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1943 article: “Negro Nurses Graduate from Homer G. Phillips Hospital,” which documents one of the few institutions that trained Black nurses during segregation.
Secondary Source: D’Antonio, Patricia. American Nursing: A History of Knowledge, Authority, and the Meaning of Work (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010). This book situates nursing within broader social and institutional structures, helping frame St. Louis within a national narrative.
StoryMapJS, an interactive storytelling tool, is proposed to visualize the evolution of nursing in St. Louis. The map will include key locations and institutions, such as Native American army hospitals, early Black nursing schools, and postwar medical centers, with archival photos, news clippings, and short narratives to explore how nursing evolved alongside regional social change. This format allows engagement with the historical development both spatially and narratively, showing how place, race, and care intersected in St. Louis’s past.
The AR tour offers a unique way to explore the ancient city of Cahokia by using augmented reality to recreate its historical landscape. Users can scan visual markers throughout the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site to view detailed 3D models of ancient dwellings, artifacts, and landscape features, effectively bringing the past to life. This application enhances accessibility for visitors, especially those who might find it challenging to imagine the site’s original grandeur based on the existing mounds and archaeological remains. By providing immersive visualizations, the app caters to a diverse audience, including students, history enthusiasts, and tourists, enhancing their understanding of the Mississippian culture that once thrived in this region. However, there are some limitations. Currently, the app is available exclusively for Apple devices and requires users to download it for a fee. Additionally, it is designed solely for onsite use at the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site and will not function as intended elsewhere. These limitations may exclude individuals without access to Apple devices, as well as those who cannot visit the site in person, such as international visitors or individuals with mobility challenges. To improve inclusivity, the developers could consider expanding the app’s compatibility to include Android devices and offering a virtual tour option for remote users.
Hello, my name is MaKenzie Melvin. I am majoring in nursing and minoring in biology. My favorite things to do are traveling, going on dates, shopping, and talking on the phone.
I primarily use Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok as my main social media platforms. I communicate daily with my family and partner, and our interactions mostly involve reacting to each other’s posts or engaging with content we’ve shared. On these platforms, I usually post selfies and random pictures I take whenever I feel inspired. Although I’m not a big fan of social media, I enjoy it occasionally for its entertainment value. I would like the class to know some fun facts about me and the reasons I chose nursing as my major.