Collaborative Encoding of Text Genesis: A Pedagogical Approach for Teaching Genetic Encoding with the TEI

Abstract

The paper discusses the question of how genetic encoding can be taught in order to introduce encoding strategies of text genesis to less technologically adept scholars. The TEI Guidelines have oered ways to encode manuscript genetics for almost a decade (chapter 11.7). However, this topic is considered to be relatively advanced, and is rarely covered in introductory courses or teaching materials. The paper is based on two encoding workshops at the University of Vienna in dierent settings. Participants produced a dossier génétique (genetic dossier) in a collaborative writing process. They had at their disposal several writing tools (pens, typewriters) and dierent kinds of paper, in order to produce a text with several layers, while the whole process was recorded on video. The products were then digitized, and each group got digital copies of a dierent one. Participants analyzed the specic phenomena of the primary sources, such as additions,

Teaching the Text Encoding Initiative: Context, Community and Collaboration

“…Apostolo, Börner and Hechtl ( 2019) write persuasively about the challenges of teaching using real materials rather than practice examples and the need for specialist knowledge and the sometimes daunting and complex nature of archival materials. However, in our experience, the use of real material in the context of a live project, working in a collaborative environment and with access to subject specialists, is the fastest route to arriving at their concept of the aim of a genetic edition, which is '… understand [ing] what might have happened in the author's mind while he or she was writing' (Apostolo, Börner, & Hechtl, 2019). It was this feeling of close engagement with the author and the writing process which provided the main inspiration for fast and effective learning of the TEI.…”