Perusall:
Collaborative Annotation
Kebra Ward
TechFest 2016
MCLA
Sample Practice Question
You throw a ball straight up into the air with some
initial speed. What is the speed of the ball at its
highest point?
1.
Same as the initial speed.
2.
Greater than the initial speed.
3.
Less than the initial speed (but not zero).
4.
Zero (the ball has no speed).
HERE!
A Question That Requires
Knowledge from the Reading
Two marbles, one twice as heavy as the other,
are dropped to the ground from the roof of a
building. Just before hitting the ground, the
heavier marble has
1.
the same kinetic energy as the lighter one.
2.
twice as much kinetic energy as the lighter
one.
3.
half as much kinetic energy as the lighter one.
4.
four times as much kinetic energy as the
lighter one.
From Reading
What IS Perusall?
A brief overview.
From the Developers:
From the Developers:
Can be BS.
Can be BS.
What is
?
Why Use
?
For The Student
For The Faculty

Collaborative vs Solitary.


Easier to engage with peers.

Non-competitive and nonjudgmental space.




As long as you establish it as
such.
Get notifications when a
question is answered.
Get “nudges” reminding them to
do reading.
Use computer, tablet, or phone.
Incentivize students to do the
reading.



Textbooks
Articles
Class Documents

Track reading comprehension.

Design class around comments.

Comments automatically
scored.

CAN save you time.

Did not save me time 
Some Statistics
Traditional Reading
Using Perusall

<50% of students buy the book.


20-30% of students do the
assigned reading.
My stats
My stats

I wrote 24 reading quizzes.



45min - 1hr to write each.
121 total missed.
180 allowed missed.

~0% missed readings.

90% of students do the reading.
31 reading assignments.

~2 hours to respond to
comments.


134 total missed.
90 allowed missed.

~ 9% missed readings.
Student View: Your Usage
If you have a computer, phone, or tablet:
• Log on to canvas.
• Click the assignment on the right-hand-side.
Why I Use Perusall
Student driven conversations.
Why I Use
Students start conversations and can get explanations
from peers in understandable words:
Why I Use
Students think about the material in a context that is
relevant for them:
Why I Use
Students make connections to topics already discussed
in class:
Why I Use
Students discuss real life events in
terms they haven’t learned yet, but
soon will:
Why I Use
Students make really good physical observations that
they wouldn’t have necessarily made in class:
Nuts & Bolts
How to use Perusall.
Setting Up Your Course
Through Canvas

Create account on Perusall.com.

Create individual course(s) on Perusall.com.

In Canvas Settings, add as an external app using LTI information
(from Perusall settings):
 Launch URL
 Consumer Key
 Shared Secret
Through Perusall Website

Create account on Perusall.com.

Create individual course(s) on Perusall.com.

Give students the course code (from Perusall setttings).

They sign in with Facebook, Twitter, or by setting up an account
in Perusall.
Creating Your Assignments
In Perusall

Upload, drag and drop, or assign a text.

Indicate page range, number of comments,
due date, and assignment name.
If Linking to Canvas

Copy assignment name from Perusall.

Create an assignment in Canvas with EXACT
SAME NAME.

Set Submission Type as an External Tool.
How Scoring Works

Number of comments.

Distribution of comments.

Timeliness of comments.


Quality of comments.






Can build in grace periods.
0-2 scale for each comment.
0-3 scale for assignment average.
Over 15 students: automatic scoring.
Under 15 students: manual scoring.
Can change any score (comment &
assignment) manually.
Export scores to Canvas (if using).
Manual Override
Final Thoughts?
Would I use this again?
Not All Daises & Sunshine

Might focus on less significant points.

Only get access to eBook.

Only automatically grades with 15 students
or more.

Takes A LOT of time to respond if you
choose to do that.

Doesn’t work if you don’t have student
buy in.

Not shy about expressing dislike for the
assignments, but they DID them.

Incentivizes the reading.

Students get to ask specific questions.

I get an idea of what they understand and
don’t.

Class time is an extension of the
conversations they started.

Improved student communication skills.

Great technical support
Yes, I plan to use
regularly.