As we begin wrapping up this course, it makes me consider what I learned. This course shifted the way I think about historical work entirely. What started as something unfamiliar quickly became an opportunity to explore new ways of sharing history through accessible, creative, and engaging public platforms. Designing and building a digital prototype showed me that history is not just found in books or archives. When paired with thoughtful design, people can interact with it directly, inviting participation rather than just observation.

Building the prototype required me to think beyond my usual role as a historian. I had to consider the responsibilities of a curator and communicator as well. Every decision, from structure to audience to visual layout, had to be made with clarity and accuracy. That balance was not easy to strike, but it forced me to develop a new set of skills that I now see as essential for historians working in the present day. Turning complex historical material into something open and engaging for the public was more complicated than I expected, but ultimately more rewarding. Making history accessible does not mean simplifying it. It means meeting people where they are.

What also stood out to me this semester was how much digital public history is shaped by collaboration and ethical decision-making. The course pushed me to think carefully about which narratives are told, whose voices are included, and what responsibilities come with sharing history in public spaces. I will continue to ask these questions in future work. More than anything, this course expanded how I define historical practice. Public engagement is not an afterthought or a side project. It is a key part of the historian’s work. I leave this class with a finished project and a more profound sense of purpose in making history matter beyond academic spaces.