Web annotations in an online mathematics course using UOCLET

Communication is a key issue in the student learning process. In mathematics education, it is essential to overcome specific difficulties such as the learning of abstract concepts and its language of expression and communication; mathematical notation. At the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), students face the challenge in a somewhat "handicapped" way, since this is an online learning environment involving asynchronous communication. One of the problems students have to handle is that individual work, based on a set of well-organized learning resources, is physically separated from the "dialogue space" where they interact with fellow students and tutors. This separation makes it difficult to ask questions about some topics in the study material. Being aware of this situation, a web annotation tool called UOCLET has been designed and developed by the UOC. This tool, conceived for a pedagogical framework, enables students to highlight the text, add comments and share them. This communication tool has been incorporated in a mathematics course for online pre-engineering students during 2 semesters. This experience shows that it is difficult to introduce a new technology, as well as a new methodology, in a traditional learning process