There are three tools available in Canvas that allows student annotations. To learn more about the differences, please refer to our detailed comparison matrix or our simplified high-level matrix.
Canvas Student Annotation Assignments
Instructor Guide to Setting Up an Online Assignment
This option allows instructors to upload a file for students to annotate directly in Canvas. Annotations made by students are visible only to the teaching team members and not to other students in the course. The only way for students in the class to see see each other's annotations is if peer reviews is part of the assignment.
Hypothes.is
Instructor Guide to add Hypothesis to Modules
Instructor Guide to add a Hypothesis Assignment
Hypothesis allows students in a course to collaborate by adding annotations and notes to a PDF file or YouTube video simultaneously. Hypothesis files and videos can be assigned to the entire class or to specific groups. By default, annotations cannot be made private between just the student and instructor but a workaround is available, but requires upfront work to set up specific sections. Supports grade passback to Canvas.
Harmonize
Creating Image, Video, and PDF Annotations
Harmonize enables students to annotate images, videos, and PD files. Harmonize annotation assignments can be assigned to the entire course, specific sections or groups, or privately between the teaching team and students. Supports grade passback to Canvas.
Mediathread
Instructor Guide to Mediathread
Mediathread is a collaborative multimedia analysis tool available through Canvas. Mediathread makes it possible for instructors and students to collect, share, annotate, and analyze media all in one shared space. The tool supports the annotation of multiple media types, such as video, audio, and images. Instructors can also create Mediathread Assignment Selection assignments, which can be private between the instructor and the student or visible to everyone in the class. DOES NOT support grade passback to Canvas.