Annoto

Annoto Logo

Annoto is a video annotation tool integrated within D2L Brightspace designed to enhance online video content by allowing users to add interactive elements directly onto videos. It offers features like annotations, chat, and quizzes that viewers can engage with while watching a video. Instructors commonly use this tool to make videos more engaging and interactive, improving communication and learning experiences.

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Annoto – Overview Video

 

How does Annoto work?

Annoto can easily be added to your videos in My Media/Kaltura within D2L Brightspace to enable features such as annotations, video comments, personal notes, quiz interactions, and user analytics. The tool will unlock new ways of interacting with the video content in your course and provide insights into how students engage with the material.

How to get started
Step 1: Sign up to access Annoto
  1. To get started with Annoto, email dlhelp@pcc.edu[opens in new window] with the subject “Enable Annoto in Course” and include your D2L course URL(s) in the message (D2L Brightspace required).
    The license will be granted during college hrs. No weekend & holiday. It can take a few business days.
  2. We will email you when Annoto is available to add to your course in D2L Brightspace.
Step 2: Adding Annoto dashboard
  1. Once you receive a confirmation, go to your D2L course and click on Content from the navbar.
  2. Create a module in the Content area, name it “Annoto Dashboard” and hide it, so that only you, as the instructor, can access this dashboard to control which video you will use for Annoto.
  3. From that module, click “Existing Activities”, choose “External Learning Tools” and choose “Annoto Dashboard” from the list.
  4. Click on “Annoto Dashboard” to view your Hub and preferences for the course.
Step 3: Enable Annoto on a video
  1. You must first add the video to the D2L course before they are available in the Annoto Dashboard.
    • For a video located in your Kaltura MyMedia library, please use “Embed Kaltura Media Quick Link” from “Existing Activities”
    • For videos located on YouTube, Wistia, or Vimeo, please use “Embed Annoto Media Quicklink” from Existing Activities
      Note: please do not add this option to link a Kaltura video from MyMedia library!
  2. Access Annoto Dashboard, choose the video from Hub tab, then click on Preferences to set the features you would like to use (refer to Annoto Preferences guide).
    To learn more about Annoto, please watch our training video: Adding Interactive Elements to Video with Annoto.
Resources
Resources for Faculty

Annoto provides a comprehensive knowledge base guide for instructors using the tool. Below, you will find a selection of topics to become familiar with:

  • FAQ Guide for Instructor
  • Annoto Dashboard – Learn about the Dashboard that provides analytics and an overview of engagement with your videos in a course.
  • Annoto Comments – Learn about the time-tag comment feature, which includes text, sentiment, and video replies.
  • Annoto Interactions – Learn about the interactions feature to add a quiz, poll, or survey to a video.
  • Annoto Personal Notes –  Learn about the personal note space to keep comments and information on a video only visible to you.

Additional resources available include:

Resources for Students
Use Cases

Annoto offers use-case examples for creating activities in your classroom that utilize the tool to provide new learning experiences. Below is a selection of use-case examples to help inspire you:

  • Guided Watching – Guide students through a video by adding questions, reflection points, and other interactions.
  • Skills Assessment – Assess a student’s skill via two-way video communication. Add time-tag notes to provide specific feedback in the video.
  • Peer Review – Offer students a place to upload their videos and receive comments and feedback from their classmates.
  • Self-Learning – Allow students to add comments to a video to ask questions or further clarify the material they are learning.
  • Flipped Classroom – Assign a video with comments and interactions to view before a class lecture to prepare students beforehand.

Additional case studies are available from instructors at other higher education institutions that used Annoto in their classrooms:

Training
Support
  • Faculty should contact the Faculty Help Desk to enable Annoto in your D2L Brightspace course.
  • Faculty training and support, schedule:
    • Annoto 1-1 with Gili Cohen (Customer Success Manager) to schedule 1-1 training or email gili.cohen@annoto.net between Sunday and Friday (expect a response within 24 hours).
    • Contact an ITS to schedule one-on-one training.
Account-Related
  • Annoto is integrated with D2L Brightspace. (Note: You will need an active Brightspace course shell to use Annoto.)