Hypothesis

Social annotation, also known as collaborative annotation, is a digital practice where individuals or groups collectively mark up digital content, such as webpage's, documents, or images, by adding comments, highlights, or notes. This practice finds applications in education for active reading and critical thinking, as well as in research for collaborative analysis of scholarly materials, and it enhances engagement with digital content by fostering collaboration and reflection in a digital space.

Ultimately, social annotation brings the age-old process of marking up physical texts to the digital learning space and makes assigned readings a collaborative exercise. A recent study found that over 65 percent of students in the study stated social annotation helped them understand different perspectives and inspired them to think about course content outside the classroom.

Hypothesis sits on top of readings already assigned in your Canvas course, so it’s an easy add to your teaching toolkit. It also supports using course groups, and includes SpeedGrader support to send grades directly to the Gradebook.

• Active Reading and Engagement: Social annotation tools encourage students to actively engage with course materials, such as readings, articles, or websites. They can highlight important passages, add comments, and ask questions directly within the text. This promotes deeper understanding and critical thinking.
• Collaborative Learning: Social annotation tools enable collaborative learning experiences. Students can see and respond to each other's annotations, fostering discussions and the sharing of diverse perspectives. This can lead to a more interactive and dynamic learning environment.
• Discussion and Reflection: Annotations provide a platform for students to discuss course materials in a structured way. Instructors can use annotations as discussion prompts or reflection exercises, allowing students to articulate their thoughts and engage in peer-to-peer learning.
• Formative Assessment: Instructors can use annotations to gauge students' comprehension of course materials. By reviewing their annotations, instructors can identify areas where students might be struggling and provide targeted support or clarification.
• Increased Accountability: With social annotation tools, students know that their annotations are visible to their peers and instructors. This can encourage them to take the readings more seriously, stay on track with the course schedule, and contribute thoughtfully to discussions.
• Accessibility: Social annotation tools often provide features for adding alt text to images and improving the accessibility of course materials. This ensures that all students, including those with disabilities, can engage with the content effectively.
• Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning: These tools can be used in both synchronous and asynchronous learning environments. In synchronous settings, students can annotate together in real-time during a class session. In asynchronous settings, they can annotate at their own pace, allowing for flexibility in learning.
• Digital Literacy: Using annotation tools helps students develop digital literacy skills, which are essential in today's information-rich world. They learn how to navigate online content, evaluate sources, and communicate effectively in digital spaces.
• Enhanced Critical Thinking: Analyzing and discussing course materials through annotations can sharpen students' critical thinking skills. They learn to evaluate information, identify key points, and formulate reasoned arguments.
• Ease of Assessment: Instructors can assess student participation and engagement through their annotations. This can be a more nuance and insightful way to evaluate student performance compared to traditional quizzes or assignments.
• Customization: Social annotation tools often allow instructors to customize the reading experience by adding their own annotations, guiding questions, or supplementary materials, tailoring the content to their specific teaching objectives.

Using Hypothesis, students can engage with each other in deeper, more meaningful ways through the power of social annotation. By leveraging this pedagogical approach, UIW instructors will find new ways to foster student success by building community, critical thinking skills, and a deeper understanding of readings.

Consider reading this White Paper published by the Hypothesis team, discussing the value of social annotation for teaching and learning, which explains why annotation is so effective in engaging students with course content (PDF).

Yes, there is a free Chrome extension for Hypothesis.

However, the version endorsed and used by UIW is the Canvas integration, which offers conveniences such as the ability to create assignments from annotations, SpeedGrader support, Gradebook integration, module placement, and more. The Chrome extension is not compatible with Canvas.

Hypothesis can be found as an external tool within Canvas. It's turned on for all UIW instructors and courses. Consider checking out the 'Getting Started with Hypothsis' section on this page for step-by-step guides to get started. Contact your site's Instructional Designer or a Software Specialist to express interest in using Hypothesis and to find direction on implementing the program. 

UIW hosted an introductory "Welcome to Hypothesis" introduction session with the Hypothesis team where the tool was introduced and demonstrated as it went live in Canvas. The recording (45 minutes), and accompanying slides, have been made available and can be found with specific chapter markers below. This serves as an excellent onramp to understanding and seeing the tool in action to decide whether or not you'd want to use it in your course.