Social Annotation as Formative Assessment
Jeff Clapp, Literature and Cultural Studies, EdUHK 19 June 2020
A project
• Colleagues in LCS at EdUHK took part in a teaching development grant project in 2018-19.
• The results are already published:
Clapp, J., DeCoursey, M., Lee, S. W. S., & Li, K. (2020). “Something fruitful for all of us”: Social annotation as a signature pedagogy for literature education. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1474022220915128
Social Annotation
• An era of “social annotation” has begun in which it is increasingly possible to “annotate everything.”
• We decided to investigate the power of the new social annotation for literature education.
• We decided to do this because we felt that that literary study already centrally involves annotation.
• This allows a formative assessment strategy that is naturally integrated with existing practices and values.
Example: Hypothes.is
• Hypothes.is has emerged as the dominant web annotation project. It allows the annotation of any webpage.
• Vannevar Bush, “As We Might Think,” Atlantic Monthly (1945)
• https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1945/07/as- we-may-think/303881/
• https://web.hypothes.is
TYPES OF ANNOTATIONS
Basics, Interpreting, Applying
Annotation types: Basics
• Identifying literary features
• Defining words
• Clarifying allusions
• Summarizing plot points
Annotation types: Interpreting
• Analyzing narrative point of view
• Understanding the development of theme
• Connecting specific details to general properties
Annotation types: Applying
• Expressing personal responses
• Exploring cross-cultural issues
• Making comparisons to contemporary society
Example: Hansberry
In this example from my 20c literature course, students discuss why Lorraine Hansberry mocked critics who described the
ending of A Raisin in the Sun (1959) as a “happy ending.”
• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pcX1SuS1zHWi6YmZzj 3_ipOc7AJSLaDEgSG81yTw4fU/edit?usp=sharing
Implementation Options
When, How, Who, How Much
WHEN?
Synchronous versus Asynchronous
Synchronous (in-class) Annotation
• Students examine a document and annotate it together at the same time
• Often making use of the projector
• Advantage: many reports of strong student engagement
• Advantage: easy to offer instant feedback
Asynchronous (out-of-class) Annotation
• Students examine a document and annotate on their own time, before or after class.
• Advantage: can increase students’ individual engagement with a text
• Advantage: instructor can gauge students’ understanding or focus and pitch face-to-face interactions as appropriate
HOW?
Prompted versus Unprompted
Prompted Annotation
• Students annotate a text with some particular topic, question, or purpose in mind, as set by the instructor
• Advantage: stronger students model answers for weaker ones
• Advantage: students may be requested both to annotate and respond to other’s annotations
Unprompted Annotation
• Students are requested to annotate a text in ways that seem meaningful or valuable to them.
• Advantage: instructor gains a strong sense of what students find interesting or puzzling
• Advantage: models a practice of critical reading in keeping with the original idea of annotation
WHO?
Anonymous versus Authored
Anonymous Annotation
• Students annotate a text without the annotation tool recording their identity
• Advantage: open and frank responses
• Disadvantage: no possibility of marking
Authored Annotation
• Students annotate a text using an annotation tool that identifies their authorship
• Advantage: student annotations may be assessed
• Disadvantage: students may model responses on their perception of instructor’s expectations
HOW MUCH?
Marked versus Unmarked
Marked Annotation
• Student receive class credit and assessment for participating in annotation
• Marks may be on the basis of quality or sheer participation
• Advantage: strongly motivating to students
• Disadvantage: somewhat to very time-consuming
Unmarked Annotation
• Students are given the opportunity to voluntarily add annotations to a text
• Advantage: annotation is dominated by strong and voluble students, just like class discussion or other voluntary activities
• Disadvantage: some or even many students will not participate substantially
Example: VideoAnt
• Annotating The Great Gatsby (2013) dir Baz Luhrmann
• https://ant.umn.edu/meejpuhqne/annotate
Example: Google Docs
Annotating The Great Gatsby (1925) by Scott Fitzgerald
• [n.b. will be out of copyright at the end of 2020!]
• https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HeFHrQUMeWq_Lhc4 LfnMR6s-Oc7eaNUQAbV2f3v4wwM/edit?usp=sharing