Introduction
The Hypothesis annotation tool is now available in all Dartmouth Canvas sites. Hypothesis brings discussion directly to course content by enabling students and teachers to add comments and start conversations in the margins of instructional texts and other resources. Collaborative annotation creates an opportunity for students to engage more deeply in course readings and gives teachers a view of how students are reading.
Hypothesis also connects directly to your Canvas site and allows students to annotate documents you provide through Canvas Files.
Course Activity Ideas
Are you looking for ideas about how to use collaborative annotation in your course activities? The following are activities that could pair well with this approach:
- Peer feedback and editing - similar to the Peer Review tool in Canvas, you can create peer review activities and group annotations.
- Qualitative coding - for methods courses, consider bringing in example data for qualitative coding where students can practice and get feedback on developing skills.
- Close reading and primary source analysis - Consider having students practice close reading and analysis skills with source material in a collaborative context.
- “Debugging” activities - Collaborative annotation can allow students to help peers to “debug” code and other development projects.
- Case study analysis - Courses working with case studies could use collaborative annotation as a way to surface key information from case materials. It also allows the instructor to see into the student preparation process for class.
- Interpreting information, data, visuals, or artifacts - Numerous courses incorporate practicing critical reading and interpretation with a variety of materials. Collaborative annotation offers an opportunity to surface details around those practices.
Getting Started and Using Hypothesis in Canvas
Hypothesis, is accessed through Canvas Assignments [as an External] tool for both graded or ungraded activities. To get started and learn more see the following guides:
Getting started with Hypothesis:
- Annotation tips and etiquette for students
- An Illustrated Guide to Annotation Types
- Using images, links, and videos in annotations
Using Hypothesis in Canvas:
- How to set up Hypothesis readings through Canvas Modules
- How to set up Hypothesis readings through Canvas Assignments
- How to grade Hypothesis annotations in Canvas
- A student guide to Hypothesis in Canvas
Resources
Dartmouth Hypothesis Workshop (March 2020) slides
Support
For questions or support using Hypothesis faculty can contact, support@hypothes.is or for questions about connection to your Canvas site or assignment design contact, learning.design.tech@dartmouth.edu