We are thrilled to share resources from the #ACH2026 pre-conference workshops. Our instructors developed exciting workshops on a range of topics, and the materials below offer just a taste of what participants learned about pedagogy, preservation, and institutional community-building. Please feel free to share and re-use; they are all released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.
Have an idea for a future workshop? Let us know! Pam Lach: plach AT sdsu DOT edu Brandon Walsh: bmw9t AT virginia DOT edu
Workshop 1: "DH Pedagogy Studio: Creative & Critical Assignment Design" with Danica Savonick and Chelcie Juliet Rowell
Suggested Citation: Savonick, Danica, and Chelcie Juliet Rowell. “DH Pedagogy Studio: Creative & Critical Assignment Design.” Knowledge Commons, June 22, 2026. https://doi.org/10.17613/gsjh1-wr964.
Description: In this interactive pre-conference workshop for ACH 2026, you will design or revise a digital humanities assignment that fosters creativity, transferable skills, and critical engagement with digital platforms. Aimed at both new and experienced instructors in digital humanities pedagogy, the session combines short "lecture snacks" (40%) with hands-on activities (60%). During our time together you will: (1) appreciatively examine sample assignments (2) evaluate digital tools using a structured power analysis—e.g., who benefits, who is harmed, who makes decisions, and who is excluded (3) iteratively design your own assignment. We will conclude with a "pedagogy jam session," where you will share works-in-progress and offer feedback. Throughout, we will emphasize minimalist approaches so you can design assignments that are manageable for both students and instructors. Bring an assignment idea or draft! You will leave with a plan for revision, including ideas for scaffolding and assessment.
Workshop 2: “Get Started Preserving your Web Content and Data” with Anna Kijas and Allison Fischback
Suggested Citation: Kijas, Anna, and Allison Fischback. “Get Started Preserving your Web Content and Data.” Knowledge Commons, July 31, 2026. https://doi.org/10.17613/ar6h2-gk458.
Description: In this workshop, participants will be introduced to concepts and best practices in web archiving and digital preservation. Aimed at participants who are brand new to or recently started working in web archiving and digital preservation, attendees will develop an understanding of the digital scholarship lifecycle, popular web archiving tools and approaches, and digital preservation practices. Brief instruction will be combined with hands-on activities and discussion to build an understanding of archiving and preservation concepts, provide time to practice approaches, and reflect on the application of various tools in their current roles.
Workshop 3: "Envisioning DH at your Teaching- Focused Institution Workbook" with Lisa Boutin-Vitela and Mackenzie Brooks
Suggested Citation: Boutin-Vitela, Lisa and Mackenzie Brooks. "Envisioning DH at your Teaching- Focused Institution Workbook." Knowledge Commons, August 7, 2026. https://doi.org/10.17613/7wy6f-hc741
Description: Printable workbook created for the Association for Computers and the Humanities Pre-conference Workshop, "Envisioning DH at your Teaching-Focused Institution." In this workshop, attendees will develop a vision for Digital Humanities at their teaching-focused institution. The workshop will involve identifying and setting goals, conducting an environmental scan, and sharing best practices. Instructors will provide perspectives from their community college and small liberal arts college settings. Discussion topics will include space, funding (including grants), managing projects, partnerships, tools for teaching, and working with faculty, students, and staff. Attendees will leave the workshop with an articulated set of goals and strategies for moving forward. This workshop is intended for DH practitioners of all levels (DH could be in your job title or just one of a long list of job responsibilities).