The Role Technology has on Public History

Technology plays a significant role in public history by expanding access to the public and interactive engagement and allowing historians to reach global audiences beyond their borders.

One of the most engaging uses of technology in public history is 3D reconstruction and social media. 3D reconstruction helps historians recreate historic buildings, artifacts, or lost sites, allowing people to experience them virtually. Andrew Hurley, in his chapter “Chasing the Frontiers of Digital Technology,” discusses how 3D technology has transformed communities’ impact on their environment by making it “more meaningful and compelling.”¹ As a result, 3D technology has influenced social media platforms and significantly impacted projects. This leads to the DICE project discussed by Rebeca Wingo, Jason A. Heppler, and Paul Schadewald in the chapter “Introduction to Digital Community Engagement.” The DICE project promotes community engagement through digital humanities and public humanities. The chapter connects both chapters, showing how they utilized technology and projects to engage with their surrounding communities. The quote states, “Community-engaged practice is closely aligned with the goals and methods of civic engagement and civic tech, or the creation of tools ‘to improve public life.’”² This technology is vital in expanding community engagement by making history more accessible, interactive, and immersive. Through projects like 3D reconstruction and digital humanities initiatives such as the DICE project, technology fosters more profound connections between communities and their histories, ensuring a more meaningful and participatory approach to public history.