Feedback is an essential component of the learning process. Annotate PRO and Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ are two prominent tools designed to facilitate this process. While Turnitin® is well-known for its plagiarism detection capabilities, Annotate PRO offers unique features that make it a better tool for providing the crucial feedback that students need to thrive. In this blog post, we will explore the advantages of Annotate PRO and how it can improve the feedback experience for educators and students alike.
1. Integration With Multiple Platforms
One of the most significant differences between Annotate PRO and Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ is the seamless integration with various platforms that Annotate PRO offers. It plays beautifully with your favorite platforms, including Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Canvas SpeedGrader, and Blackboard. This makes it easy for educators to utilize the tool across different learning management systems and applications without having to switch between multiple tools or send students through an awkward workflow (see https://turnitin.psu.edu/help/canvas/ for one complicated explanation). Since Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ is primarily integrated with Turnitin’s own suite of tools, its usefulness is limited in diverse learning environments. With Annotate PRO, students get their feedback in the solution with which they’re already comfortable.
2. Customizable Comment Libraries
Annotate PRO makes it easy to create and use multiple customizable comment Libraries that instructors can swap in and out with a single click. In contrast, Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ only offers a single “Quickset” of predefined comments, which may not be as effective in addressing the unique needs of individual students across multiple courses or assignments.
3. Sharing and Collaboration
Unlike Turnitin® Feedback Studio™, where Quicksets can only be downloaded, shared as files, and uploaded, Annotate PRO supports centralized management of comment libraries. This feature enables institutions to create and update comment banks, assuring 10, 100, or 1000 instructors have the latest and greatest content.
4. Expert Feedback Libraries
Annotate PRO offers a wide range of expert feedback libraries, addressing diverse student needs and subject areas. The available libraries include College Edition, Legal Writing Edition, Presentation Skills Edition, and Discussion Moderator Edition. These specialized libraries provide targeted feedback to help students excel in specific areas, improving their writing skills and understanding of course content. Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ doesn’t provide these specialized libraries, giving Annotate PRO an edge in addressing diverse student needs and streamlining the feedback process for educators.
5. Time Efficiency
Annotate PRO’s Comment Libraries and its intuitive user interface enable educators to provide feedback more quickly and efficiently. By having a bank of prewritten comments, teachers can spend less time typing repetitive feedback and more time focusing on individual student needs. Annotate PRO comments are easily editable and expandable to adapt to the specific circumstance at hand. Turnitin® Feedback Studio™, on the other hand, requires manual input of comments, which can be time-consuming for educators managing multiple assignments and students.
6. Enhanced Student Engagement
By providing personalized feedback using Annotate PRO’s customizable Comment Libraries, educators can foster greater student engagement and motivation. Students are more likely to respond positively to feedback that is tailored to their specific needs and progress, rather than generic comments. While Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ does offer audio comments and other features, written feedback is often faster for students to consume and comprehend.
7. Privacy and Security
Annotate PRO does not rely on a centralized database for processing or storing student data, eliminating the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access to student information. In contrast, Turnitin® Feedback Studio™ requires that student submissions be stored on their servers, raising concerns about data privacy and security. Turnitin®, claims “fair use” as a justification for storing and monetizing student work; Annotate PRO does not attempt to monetize student–or instructor–created content. This ensures that student work remains secure and private, respects students’ rights to their intellectual property, and fosters trust between educators and students.
Conclusion
While Turnitin® may be an effective tool for plagiarism detection, Annotate PRO offers unique features that provide educators with the ability to deliver personalized and efficient feedback. Its customizable Comment Libraries, time-saving capabilities, seamless integration with multiple platforms, and emphasis on student engagement, make it an attractive alternative for educators looking to enhance the feedback process. Individual instructors can start using Annotate PRO for free and choose to license advanced features for an affordable annual subscription. Institutions can license Annotate PRO, to facilitate sharing of Comment Libraries and access administrative features, for a fraction of Turnitin’s® cost. With Annotate PRO, teachers unlock the potential of feedback and ultimately improve the learning experience for their students.
AP is free for individual educators
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