Reading and Connecting: Using Social Annotation in Online Classes

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many instructors to rapidly shift to online/distance teaching. With a narrow preparation window, many instructors are at a loss of strategies that are both effective in responding to the crisis and compatible with their professional practices. This article presents a systematic literature review of the use of web annotation to support reading and discussion activities in formal education. As a genre of information systems, web annotation allows users to socially engage with web resources and is used in education to support social reading, argumentation, group inquiry, and community building. From this review we identified five types of social annotation activity design: processing domain-specific knowledge; supporting argumentation and inquiry; improving literacy skills; supporting instructor or peer assessment, and connecting online learning spaces. Practical recommendations for incorporating social annotation in online/distance classes are provided.

Investigating COVID-19 Crisis Influence on Universities’ Websites Content in Egypt

“…Using information technologies and new media becomes mandatory. Zhu et al, (2020) reported the uses of video conferencing as a method to connect learners from distance during the COVID-19.…”

“…Thus, adopting distance learning became not an optional issue. Although distance learning makes students and staff members feel alienated and disconnected which affected student's achievement, commitment, besides attrition as stated by (Kennedy & Ferdig , 2018), video conferencing provides one way to connect learners from distance during the COVID-19 crisis (Zhu et al, 2020).…”

Assessing the Experience of Universities' Online Admission in Egypt: An Experiment Conducted during the COVID-19

“…Accordingly, more attention should be paid to benefit from information technology capabilities, enhance and upgrade their websites, and keep a regular modification for their websites to be informative, clear, and recent as well. An adoption rise during the COVID-19 in the technology-based tool -solutions that enabled connections between learners was stated by (Zhu et al, 2020). The technological support that may offer an alternative such as distance learning as a mandatory option even with its social side associated issue (Kennedy & Ferdig, 2018 ).…”

“…Consequently, an enlargement in the usage of technological applications and tools that support learner contacts/ connections i.e. video conferencing has been observed by (Zhu et al, 2020) Additionally, offering some services in a digital form is one of the COVID-19 identified influences, between the digital applicable services digital library services in a university (Mehta & Wang, 2020). In the same context, Kuwait University investigated by (Hendal, 2020) in regards to digital resource usage.…”

Challenges for the educational system during lockdowns: A possible new framework for teaching and learning for the near future

“…Because of that, in K-12 students, social annotation would assist in improving language capabilities (Zhu et al, 2020) or in undergraduate classes, annotation discussion can improve reading comprehension skills.…”