CANCELLED: The Digital Shift: How Computing Remade Media (Lecture)




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The music we stream, the photos we swipe through, the real time news we consume, the books we read or listen to – all have been radically reshaped by digital technology. This course will explore how media is created, stored, and experienced in a digitized world. We will unpack fundamentals like text files, encoding and decoding, pixels, and algorithms in clear, easy-to-understand ways – no prior computer knowledge needed. Each session will focus on a different medium, comparing its analog origins with its contemporary digital version. We will also consider the impact of Generative AI and speculate on future trends. Topics will include text (books, e-books, news portals), images (photography and movies), music, video games, social media, and media ownership (physical media, streaming, and copyrights).

Your instructor: Rafael Davis Portela
Rafael Davis Portela is a PhD candidate in Latin American History at the Graduate Center, CUNY. His research examines the history of computing and technology, especially how they shaped and were shaped by economy. His dissertation traces Microsoft’s expansion in Brazil, the rise of the Brazilian computing industry, and resulting tensions between the US and Brazilian governments. Beyond history, Portela is passionate about programming and digital tools and has taught university researchers how to use computing in their own work.

Class Dates and Time: Mondays, July 20 through August 24
8am Pacific | 9am Mountain | 10am Central | 11am Eastern
Each session is 90 minutes. 
 
 Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Mondays via ZOOM 
  • 7/20/2026
  • 7/27/2026
  • 8/3/2026
  • 8/10/2026
  • 8/17/2026
  • 8/24/2026


June 30, 2026, 1pm Central is the Osher Online Member Orientation.
 

Class Details

6 Session(s)
Weekly - Mon

Location
Virtual - Any Location

Instructor
Osher Online 

Tuition: 

$70.00

Email olli@northwestern.edu for more information. Send to Friend »

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
7/20/2026 - 8/24/2026 Weekly - Mon 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM N/A, Virtual - Any Location  Map Osher Online 

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