Dialogica is a compact, openly licensed set of teaching materials that help students learn with Voyant Tools while thinking critically about what text analysis shows—and what it can’t.
Dialogica (voyanttools.github.io) is organised like a slim textbook with short chapters and downloadable walkthroughs you can adapt for your course.
What you’ll find on the Dialogica site
Short, focused pages and editable walkthroughs that:
- introduce a simple teaching rhythm (start with a question, show a tool, let students explore, then discuss);
- guide a first session (“E-Texts & Analysis” / Walkthrough 1);
- extend into “Studying a Text,” “Sharing Results,” and moving from single texts to small corpora;
- link out to the Voyant Help pages for quick tool references.
How this supports your pedagogy
Dialogica is built around a simple cycle—ask → show → play → discuss—that keeps attention on interpretation rather than button-clicking. Begin with a motivating question, let students explore a panel or two, then reconvene to compare claims with evidence and limits.
A minimal plan for teaching Voyant with Dialogica
- Kickoff (5–10 min): Pose a guiding question tied to your text(s). Show one Voyant panel (e.g., Cirrus or Trends) and invite quick observations.
- Hands-on (25–40 min): Point students to Walkthrough 1 and have them follow the steps with your chosen text(s). Ask for one insight and one uncertainty.
- Debrief (10–15 min): Share short “claim + evidence + caution” reports. If ready, assign Studying a Text next.
Quick links to include in your LMS or syllabus
- Dialogica home & contents (walkthrough downloads)
- Introduction (teaching approach and pacing)
- Walkthrough 1: E-Texts & Analysis (first session)
- Voyant Help (tool reference)
Why Dialogica works for humanities teaching
- Pedagogical scaffolding: Each lesson alternates between doing and questioning, encouraging critical reading of both texts and tools.
- Editable materials: Walkthroughs ship as Word docs—copy, adapt, translate, or annotate for your cohort.
- Low barrier: Everything runs in the browser; no setup. When specifics are needed, the Voyant Help site fills in the details.