Alice Fleerackers

Our lab is growing! In our *Three Questions* series, we're profiling
each of our members and the amazing work they're doing.

Today, we're highlighting Esteban Morales, a [PhD
student](https://www.grad.ubc.ca/campus-community/meet-our-students/morales-esteban){rel="noreferrer noopener"
target="_blank"} in UBC's Language and Literacy Education Program and a
[research
assistant](http://scholcommlab.ca/people/esteban-morales){rel="noreferrer noopener"
data-type="URL" data-id="scholcommlab.ca/people/esteban-morales"
target="_blank"} in the ScholCommLab whose skills have earned him the
nickname "qualitative guru."

In this post, he tells us more about his research on social media
literacies, his work in public scholarship, and the wisdom he's gained
from comic strips.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large">
<img
src="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/esteban-at-ubc-1024x681.jpg"
class="wp-image-3151" loading="lazy" decoding="async"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/esteban-at-ubc-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/esteban-at-ubc-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/esteban-at-ubc-768x511.jpg 768w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/esteban-at-ubc-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/esteban-at-ubc-2048x1363.jpg 2048w"
sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" width="1024" height="681"
alt="PhD student Esteban Morales poses in front of some vibrant green trees." />
</figure>

### Q#1 What are you working on at the lab?  {#q1-what-are-you-working-on-at-the-lab .wp-block-heading}

I am currently working on a paper that explores how open and social
annotation can foster different cognitive activities to learn with
others. Social annotation is a genre of educational technology that
allows users to annotate---meaning, write comments in the
margins---different interfaces and media using text, links, and
media---either publicly or privately---and to do so while engaging in
dialogue with others. This paper comes from a [research
project](http://scholcommlab.ca/research/open-education){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"} we (meaning, Juan Pablo Alperin and Alice
Fleerackers from the
[ScholCommLab](http://scholcommlab.ca/people){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"}, and [Remi
Kalir](http://remikalir.com/){target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"}
from the University of Colorado Denver) conducted in 2019, exploring how
social annotation was used in different undergraduate courses at Simon
Fraser University. This is very exciting work, and we hope to submit it
soon.

### Q#2 Tell us about a recent paper, presentation, or project you're proud of.  {#q2-tell-us-about-a-recent-paper-presentation-or-project-youre-proud-of. .wp-block-heading}

Well, alongside my work in the ScholCommLab, I am most interested in the
intersection of literacies, technology, and society. And, within this
intersection there is a lot of space to be on projects that I am very
proud of! For example, right now I am working on my comprehensive exams
for my doctoral candidacy, where I am (among other things) exploring
social media literacies from a conceptual and methodological
standpoint... which is very exciting for me. 

I am also proud to have a presentation accepted to the American
Educational Research Association (AERA)
[conference](https://www.aera.net/Events-Meetings/Annual-Meeting){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"} in 2021, where I will be talking about data
literacies in the context of Colombia's peace education efforts.
Finally, I am proud of being selected to be part of the [Public Scholars
Initiative](https://www.grad.ubc.ca/psi){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"} at the University of British Columbia, a
network of students who promote engaged scholarship with communities.

### Q#3 What's the best (or worst) piece of advice you've ever received?  {#q3-whats-the-best-or-worst-piece-of-advice-youve-ever-received .wp-block-heading}

Oh, there are so many! One of the best ones I can think of is from
[Grant Snider](https://www.grantsnider.com/){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"}, an artist who drew this comic called
"Disclaimer," where he argues: "you can be anything you want to be...
but can you be everything you want to be?" It reminds me of the
importance of making personal and professional choices with care and a
long-term view.  

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large">
<img
src="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/disclaimer-blog-1-590x1024.jpg"
class="wp-image-3152" loading="lazy" decoding="async"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/disclaimer-blog-1-590x1024.jpg 590w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/disclaimer-blog-1-173x300.jpg 173w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/disclaimer-blog-1.jpg 600w"
sizes="(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px" width="590" height="1024"
alt="A comic by grant snider that reads you can be anything you want to be! with some natural ability in the right economy after years of diligent study given ideal opportunities by neglecting other responsibilities you can be anything you want to be... but can you be everything you want to be? " />
<figcaption><em>“</em><a
href="http://www.incidentalcomics.com/2013/03/disclaimer.html"><em>Disclaimer</em></a><em>”
by Grant Snider is licensed under a</em> <a
href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/"><em>Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
License</em></a><em>.</em></figcaption>
</figure>

***Find Esteban on Twitter at
@[estebanmoralesv](http://twitter.com/estebanmoralesv){rel="noreferrer noopener"
data-type="URL" data-id="twitter.com/estebanmoralesv"
target="_blank"}.***


Our lab is growing! In our
<em>
 Three Questions
</em>
series, we’re profiling each of our members and the amazing work they’re doing.

Three questions with…Esteban!

Want to make online readings a little more engaging? Social annotation
(SA) may offer one solution.

**SA tools allow students to highlight and comment on online course
materials,** sharing questions and ideas with each other as they read.
When used effectively, [they can
help](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S109675161100056X){rel="noreferrer noopener"
target="_blank"} boost student motivation, reading comprehension, and
more. And students seem to like them: [our
lab's](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?redir_token=QUFFLUhqa1ZVcko4c0ZaWGlOTXk4TXhOQkhYcTJqZFNHZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttbWlfVFNPckQ2YVZoUU9mNGR1OXhXYW02STBiVHNFamlFRnptb2E1bGtBbGNRRlFRWVJtWHBPeWdFWHpmQnlDbXNVU3JqMWZsc3pFWDF6b2ZnRm92dmw2cXBickNLLXZ3dmxzTXpxUEhRTVdxOWJ0MA%3D%3D&q=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1108%2FILS-12-2019-0128&v=U1-whmLNajQ&event=video_description){rel="noreferrer noopener"
target="_blank"}
[research](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/2019/08/27/social-annotation/){rel="noreferrer noopener"
target="_blank"} suggests they see these tools as useful for learning
and for building community in the classroom.

If you're curious to try social annotation but unsure how to start,
check out these two introductory videos. The first is a **basic
introduction to social annotation**: what it is, how it works, and how
to use it to enhance learning. The second offers simple **instructions
for how to use [Hypothesis](http://hypothes.is){target="_blank"
rel="noreferrer noopener"}**---a popular SA tool---for online reading.

## Introducing Social Online Annotation {#introducing-social-online-annotation .wp-block-heading}

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<figure
class="wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio">
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="iframe">
<div id="player">

</div>
<div class="player-unavailable">
<h1 id="ein-fehler-ist-aufgetreten." class="message">Ein Fehler ist
aufgetreten.</h1>
<div class="submessage">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1-whmLNajQ"
target="_blank">Sieh dir dieses Video auf www.youtube.com an</a> oder
aktiviere JavaScript, falls es in deinem Browser deaktiviert sein
sollte.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</figure>

*A basic overview of what social annotation is and how it works. To skip
ahead to what you should do with SA, jump ahead to min 10:45*.

# How to use Hypothes.is for Social Online Annotations {#how-to-use-hypothes.is-for-social-online-annotations .wp-block-heading}

------------------------------------------------------------------------

<figure
class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio">
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="iframe">
<div id="player">

</div>
<div class="player-unavailable">
<h1 id="ein-fehler-ist-aufgetreten." class="message">Ein Fehler ist
aufgetreten.</h1>
<div class="submessage">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHElIa9asnw"
target="_blank">Sieh dir dieses Video auf www.youtube.com an</a> oder
aktiviere JavaScript, falls es in deinem Browser deaktiviert sein
sollte.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</figure>

*An overview of how to use one popular SA tool: Hypothesis. Watch the
whole video or skip ahead to a specific section:*

- *Creating an account -- 0:40*
- *Add Hypothes.is to your browser -- 1:20*
- *Add Hypothes.is to Google Chrome -- 2:17*
- *Joining a Group -- 3:35*
- *Making an annotation -- 4:00*
- *Formatting annotations -- 5:24*
- *Adding a hyperlink -- 6:30*
- *Adding an image -- 8:08*
- *Adding a video -- 9:28*
- *Replying to an annotation -- 9:57*
- *Annotating PDFs -- 11:07*
- *Annotating PDFs that are on your computer -- 12:30*

**Find out more about social annotation on [our
blog](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/2019/08/27/social-annotation/) or
check out the [research study
here](https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ILS-12-2019-0128/full/html){rel="noreferrer noopener"
target="_blank"}.**


Want to make online readings a little more engaging? Social annotation (SA) may offer one solution.
<strong>
 SA tools allow students to highlight and comment on online course materials,
</strong>
sharing questions and ideas with each other as they read. When used effectively, they can help boost student motivation, reading comprehension, and more.

How to use social annotation in the classroom

How do social annotation tools help students learn? We conducted research in three unique university classrooms to find out.

![](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939.png){.alignnone
.wp-image-2118 .size-full loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1439"
height="572"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939.png 1439w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939-300x119.png 300w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939-768x305.png 768w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.02.28-PM-e1563923390939-1024x407.png 1024w"
sizes="(max-width: 1439px) 100vw, 1439px"}

***By Alice Fleerackers, Juan Pablo Alperin, Esteban Morales, and Remi
Kalir***

Picture the last time you sat down to read an article for class. If your
university experience was anything like most students', chances are, you
were alone.

While solitary reading has benefits and is a common aspect of learning
in higher education, it may not be the most effective way to read.
[Research
suggests](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S109675161100056X){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"} that social annotation (SA) tools---which
allow students to highlight and comment on digital course materials as
they read---have impressive educational benefits. SA tools can help with
students' reading comprehension, peer review, motivation, attitudes
toward technology, and much more.

But *how* does SA help students learn? To find out, we introduced the SA
tool [Hypothesis](http://hypothes.is){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"} into three different undergraduate courses at
Simon Fraser University: one in Gerontology, one in Publishing, and one
in Women, Sexuality & Gender Studies. Together, students created more
than 2,000 annotations atop more than 250 course readings over the
course of a semester---all of which we collected and coded for evidence
of learning. We also asked students about their experiences with the
tool in an online survey at the end of the semester; 33 students across
the courses completed our survey.

The outcomes of our research were thought-provoking and inspiring---and
we're eager to publish the full results soon. But for now, we're sharing
a sneak peek of the preliminary findings, right here on the ScholCommLab
blog:

# **Social annotation helps (most) students learn ** {#social-annotation-helps-most-students-learn}

Overall, students in all three courses agreed that Hypothesis was a
useful tool for learning. More than 70% reported that it helped them
learn. Over 70% said it helped them understand other points of view, and
more than 65% said it encouraged them to think about the course content
outside of the classroom.

### ***"I think annotations should be incorporated into every class with weekly course readings! It ensures that students are thoroughly reading course material and coming to class with a decent understanding of the week's material."*** *** *** {#i-think-annotations-should-be-incorporated-into-every-class-with-weekly-course-readings-it-ensures-that-students-are-thoroughly-reading-course-material-and-coming-to-class-with-a-decent-understanding-of-the-weeks-material.}

![students reported that annotating with hypothesis helped them learn
(bar
chart)](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.12-PM-1.png){.aligncenter
.wp-image-2133 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="625" height="380"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.12-PM-1.png 690w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.12-PM-1-300x182.png 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px"}

We also saw evidence of learning in the annotations themselves. When we
analyzed each comment and question left by the students for [different
forms of learning](https://repository.isls.org/handle/1/221), we found
that students in all three courses relied on the tool for
*interpretation*, using Hypothesis to draw hypotheses or conclusions,
summarize information, or suggest problem solutions. *Elaboration*
activities, like defining difficult terms or connecting ideas with
examples, were also common, followed by *questioning* and *clarifying*
activities.

![Bar chart highlighting the most common types of
annotations](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM.png){.size-full
.wp-image-2120 .aligncenter loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="926"
height="648"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM.png 926w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM-300x210.png 300w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.20-PM-768x537.png 768w"
sizes="(max-width: 926px) 100vw, 926px"}

# **Social annotation helps students feel connected**

Using Hypothesis also made it easier for students to build community
within their courses. More than 60% said annotating helped them feel
connected to their peers, and almost 70% said it increased the amount of
interaction they had with others in the class.

![bar chart illustrating responses to the statement \"annotating helped
me share my knowledge and experience with my peers.\" High agreement
across all three classes.
](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.31-PM.png){.aligncenter
.wp-image-2119 loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="625" height="366"
srcset="https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.31-PM.png 627w, https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Screen-Shot-2019-07-23-at-4.08.31-PM-300x176.png 300w"
sizes="(max-width: 625px) 100vw, 625px"}

These social benefits may have been especially important for shy
students, as well as those for whom English was a learned language:

### ***"I am quite introverted and shy so speaking out in class is very intimidating. Engaging with classmates online and through annotations allowed me to contribute to class discussions."** * {#i-am-quite-introverted-and-shy-so-speaking-out-in-class-is-very-intimidating.-engaging-with-classmates-online-and-through-annotations-allowed-me-to-contribute-to-class-discussions.}

# **Formal incentives inspire students to annotate**

Overall, students in all three courses were positive about their
experience with Hypothesis, but when asked *why* they annotated,
students offered up a diverse array of responses. For example, some said
they annotated for personal learning, using Hypothesis as a way to
prepare for essays or exams. Others said they were motivated by social
reasons---using annotations as a way to connect with their peers:

### ***"I like the idea of talking with my classmates and working through ideas together. Reading multiple interpretations of different ideas also adds diversity."*** {#i-like-the-idea-of-talking-with-my-classmates-and-working-through-ideas-together.-reading-multiple-interpretations-of-different-ideas-also-adds-diversity.}

But although many students listed many different reasons for annotating,
motivations like "Participation marks" or "It was required for my class"
were by far the most common. No matter how much students enjoyed using
Hypothesis, our results revealed that the importance of formal
incentives cannot be underestimated.

The instructors who took part in this study seemed to acknowledge this,
too. All three chose to incentivize annotations in some way, either by
offering bonus marks for completing weekly annotations, or by using a
[detailed grading
rubric](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hypothes.is-participation-rubric.pdf){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"}.

# **How can educators use SA tools to support student learning?**

So where does this leave us? Together, our results reveal that SA tools
and practices can play an important role in many university courses. By
creating a space for discussion within the course readings themselves,
SA tools like Hypothesis can help students learn, share ideas,
understand new perspectives, and feel connected with one another.

But our findings also suggest that these benefits are only possible when
annotations are formally incentivized. Although students themselves
acknowledge the benefits of annotating, grades and participation marks
remain their top motivation for doing so. To help spark interest in
annotation, instructors need to provide clear guidelines that reward
high quality contributions.

**For an example of how to grade social annotations, check out this**
[**marking rubric by Dr. Sharon
Koehn**](https://www.scholcommlab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Hypothes.is-participation-rubric.pdf){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"}**. To find out more about this [ISTLD Dewey
Fellowship](https://www.sfu.ca/istld.html){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"}-funded research, sign up for the**
[**ScholCommLab's
newsletter**](http://www.scholcommlab.ca/stay-up-to-date/){target="_blank"
rel="noopener noreferrer"} **or watch Juan Alperin's \#ianno19
presentation:**


<em>
 <strong>
  By Alice Fleerackers, Juan Pablo Alperin, Esteban Morales, and Remi Kalir
 </strong>
</em>
Picture the last time you sat down to read an article for class. If your university experience was anything like most students’, chances are, you were alone. While solitary reading has benefits and is a common aspect of learning in higher education, it may not be the most effective way to read.

Messaggi di Rogue Scholar

Three questions with…Esteban!

How to use social annotation in the classroom

Comment, reply, repeat: Engaging students with social annotation