Graded PDF Annotations

  • Updated

Overview

 

Graded PDF Annotations provide instructors and students with the ability to markup and critique PDFs within Harmonize.

  • Highlight text and drop pins anywhere in a PDF
  • Add your own comments and reply to others’ annotations
  • Easily jump to new annotations and unread replies
  • Tag other users in comments and replies

 

Setting Up PDF Annotations for Your Students

 

Canvas

Within your course, navigate to Assignments and click the + Assignment button. This will open the Create New Assignment Page in Canvas.

 

Canvas Assignments: Add New Assignment Button

 

Give the assignment a name and set the appropriate number of points.

Canvas Assignment Settings: Main Settings Page

 

Scroll down the page until you see Submission Type. In this section, select External Tool from the drop down menu.  Under "Enter or find an External Tool URL", click Find.

Canvas Assignment Settings: Submission Type External Tool Option

 

In the Configure External Tool dialogue that appears, click Harmonize Assignment.

Canvas Assignment Settings: Configure External Tool Dialog Harmonize Assignment Option

 

In the Link Resource from External Tool dialogue that appears, click PDF Annotation

Resource Selector: Canvas View PDF Annotation Option

 

In the next window, click +Add File to upload a single PDF for annotation. Once completed, click Create PDF Annotation.

Resource Selector: Create Graded PDF Annotation in Canvas

 

The dialogue window will close automatically and return you to the Configure External Tool dialogue.  An automatically generated URL will appear in the URL field of this window. Please do not alter this URL in any way.  Click the Select button.

Canvas Assignment Settings: Configure External Tool Dialog

 

This dialogue window will close automatically.  Scroll down to the Assign section. Set DueAvailable From, and Until dates.  Scroll to the bottom of the Create New Assignment page. Click either the Save or Save & Publish button located in the bottom right corner.

Canvas Assignment Settings: Assignment Date Options

 

Your graded PDF Annotation is now created and the Edit PDF Annotation page will open in a new browser tab.  In the Instructions tab, use the Harmonize Editor to create text instructions and add images or other media.  Click Publish.

PDF Annotations: Edit Instructions and Settings

 

Your Graded PDF Annotation is now ready for student participation.

PDF Annotations: Main Window View

 

Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle

Follow the steps for creating graded Harmonize content in your LMS. Come back to this guide once you've reached the Harmonize Component Selector.  Select PDF Annotations from the Harmonize Component Selector.  Click Create New to create a new PDF Annotation component.

Resource Selector: PDF Annotation Option

 

Enter a title for your PDF Annotation component.  Use the provided Add File dialogue to upload a single PDF for Annotation.  Select the Graded option.  Assign the number of possible points for your Graded PDF Annotation.  Click the Create PDF Annotation button.

Resource Selector: Create Graded PDF Annotation

 

Your graded PDF Annotation is now created and the Edit PDF Annotation page will open in a new browser tab.  In the Instructions tab, use the Harmonize Editor to create text instructions and add images or other media.  Click Publish.

PDF Annotations: Edit Instructions and Settings

 

Creating Annotations

Once the PDF Annotation is created, instructors and student can add new annotations as well as respond to the annotations of others.

PDF Annotation: PDF View and Controls

 

 

Section 1: Navigation and Filtering Options

 

PDF Annotation: View Annotations Toggle Button Show / Hide Annotations
PDF Annotation: PDF Page Controls Previous / Next Annotation
PDF Annotation: PDF Zoom Tools Zoom In, Zoom Out, Select Magnification

 

 

Section 2: Annotation Tools

 

PDF Annotation: Text Annotation Tool Button Create a Highlight
PDF Annotation: Pin Annotation Tool Button Drop a Pin
PDF Annotation: PDF Pan Tool Button Move / Pan

 

 

Section 3: Annotation Menu

 

PDF Annotation: Annotation Drawer View Toggle Button Open / Close Annotations Panel

 

 

 

The Annotations Panel

Here is an example of how top-level student annotations and replies appear in the Annotations Panel:

 

PDF Annotation: Annotation Drawer

 

 

PDF Annotation: Annotation Pagination Controls
 Previous / Next Annotation
PDF Annotation: Annotation Menu Button
Annotation Action Menu
Edit Annotation
Delete Annotation
PDF Annotation: Annotation Reply Button
Reply to Annotation

 

 

 

Grading PDF Annotations

 

Canvas SpeedGrader

To view SpeedGrader, click the action menu next to the title of your PDF Annotation and click SpeedGrader.

Canvas Assignments: Assignment Menu SpeedGrader Option

 

The Graded PDF Annotation will appear in the left window.  Click the Annotations Panel button to open the annotations panel.

Canvas SpeedGrader: PDF Annotation Submission View

 

  1. This is a summary of the individual student's activity for this graded PDF Annotation. It includes the number of annotations created, the number of replies created, and the total number of annotations viewed.
  2. Use the arrows to navigate between annotations and replies. To only view the student's work, toggle the switch to ON.
  3. Only the student's annotations will be shown in this view so it's easy to see the student's work.

 

Here is the expected grading behavior for Graded PDF Annotations:

Student Action Canvas SpeedGrader
If a student creates a top-level PDF annotation Harmonize sends student work to SpeedGrader immediately
If a student creates a reply, but does not create a top-level PDF annotation Harmonize sends student work to SpeedGrader when the due date elapses
If a student does not participate in the activity Harmonize sends nothing to SpeedGrader

 

Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle

To grade your PDF Annotation activity, click the Grades & Activity button in the top right of the Harmonize window.  Select a student from the list.

PDF Annotations: Grades and Activity View

 

  1. Grades may be entered in the provided Grade field. To view another student's work, select a different name from the student drop down menu.
  2. This is a summary of the individual student's activity for this graded PDF Annotation. It includes the number of annotations created, the number of replies created, and the total number of annotations viewed.
  3. Use the arrows to navigate between annotations and replies. To only view the student's work, toggle the switch to ON. Only the currently selected student's annotations will be shown in the PDF content area to make it easy to see the student's work.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I use Milestones with Graded PDF Annotations?

  • Milestones are not available for use with Graded PDF Annotations at this time.

 

Q. Can I use Harmonize's Group Visibility setting with Graded PDF Annotations?

  • The group visibility setting is not available for use with Graded PDF Annotations at this time.

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