Active Learning Tools for Online Learners

Summary of Cui & Wang (2024)

 Background & Existing Knowledge
Online learners often face challenges in staying engaged. Social annotation tools allow learners to comment, discuss, and interact with content, potentially boosting active learning.

New Insights from This Study
✔ Social annotation improved pre-class engagement and post-assessment performance.
✔ English language learners performed equally well, regardless of proficiency.
✔ Students valued peer interaction and teacher feedback within annotations.

Practical Applications: How Educators Can Use This Research

Digital Strategy
📌 Use tools like Perusall for collaborative reading.
📌 Encourage comment threads to spark discussion.
📌 Assign points for meaningful annotations.

Inclusive Pedagogy
📌 Support language learners through visual and social cues.
📌 Monitor engagement analytics to identify needs.
📌 Provide targeted feedback within the tool.

Community of Inquiry
📌 Foster cognitive, social, and teaching presence online.
📌 Use annotation to build reflective habits.
📌 Blend asynchronous and live interactions.

Conclusion
Social annotation tools make online learning more inclusive, reflective, and interactive—especially beneficial for diverse student groups.

Key Words
social annotation, active learning, online engagement, language learners, community of inquiry

Reference
Cui, T., & Wang, J. (2024). Empowering Active Learning: A Social Annotation Tool for Improving Student Engagement. British Journal of Educational Technology, 55(2), 712–730. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13403

Suggested Citation
Ross, E. M., & Malar, D. B. J. (2025). Active Learning Tools for Online Learners. Excellent Educator, 2(10), 2.