Not your father’s annotation: The future of annotation in online learning is social

tech.hindustantimes.com:

Remember when back in college, you'd scribble notes on a book borrowed from the college library so that things were easier the next time? More than that, how helpful was it when you borrowed a book with notes already scribbled in it? This often saved you from buying an annotated textbook.

In J.K. Rowling's book, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,” when Harry Potter found the Half Blood Prince's books full of spells and amendments written in the margins, he used them to excel at Potions.

Now that education has entered the virtual world, social annotation is becoming one innovative tool of sharing bits of knowledge, binding students and even teachers into a social discussion of the topic at hand. This interactive approach to digital content engagement is proving to be a game-changer for both students and teachers, fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and active learning in the virtual classroom.

Studies have recommended this system for K-12 students as well since social annotation can also promote reading comprehension and language capabilities, especially in first and second language learning classrooms where reading is a means to achieve language learning objectives.

“With social annotation, students aren't just passive receivers of digital content. Instead, they actively engage, critique, question, and most importantly, collaborate on digital reading materials. It's akin to lighting up a shared digital campfire where students gather around, each offering their own unique insights, leading to a holistic understanding of the material,” says Dan Whaley, the Founder and CEO of Hypothesis, a social annotation platform with over 50 million annotations so far.

Also read: Top 5 online learning and education Apps in India