Sessions /
Social annotation in the writing classroom #113

Annotation, whether in the margins of a book or online text through the use of an online tool, is a social process mitigated by social structures. Learning happens within a specific context, and with the right tools, the text itself can be that context. This presentation will introduce social annotation as a learning tool for the writing classroom by describing a project implemented across two university writing courses. The project asked students to annotate online texts prior to using the texts as sources for summary/response essays. This session will be practice-oriented, but the presenter will mention this research project as an example of how social annotation might be used in the writing classroom. The presenter will discuss how social annotation on online texts has the potential to facilitate collaborative learning, community building, and enhanced reading comprehension. Attendees of this session will leave with a better understanding of what social annotation is, and they also have the chance to explore a social annotation tool and consider the affordances it may bring to their own teaching and learning contexts.