Promoting Engagement and Preventing Tribalism in Perusall’s Online Platform
Conference Tracks
Teaching with Technology – Research
Abstract
Students read less today, and technologies like Perusall offer new ways to encourage engaged reading. Integrating with a university’s LMS and mimicking social media, Perusall enables users to annotate texts in conversations with classmates. This environment, however, presents a challenge: the shift from educational goals to expressivism. When sharing content online, studies show that what we think are factual “assertions” or valid “endorsements” often are avenues for emotional attitudes — particularly moral outrage. Do Perusall annotations add to today’s divided climate, with tribalist critiques overpowering scholarly dialogue? A qualitative analysis of assignments from health sciences courses examines this question.
Session Format
Research Brief and Reflection Panels
1
Publication Type and Release Option
Image (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Rich, Leigh E.; Buelow, Janet; and Tillman, Paula, "Promoting Engagement and Preventing Tribalism in Perusall’s Online Platform" (2022). SoTL Commons Conference. 55.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2022/55
Promoting Engagement and Preventing Tribalism in Perusall’s Online Platform
Students read less today, and technologies like Perusall offer new ways to encourage engaged reading. Integrating with a university’s LMS and mimicking social media, Perusall enables users to annotate texts in conversations with classmates. This environment, however, presents a challenge: the shift from educational goals to expressivism. When sharing content online, studies show that what we think are factual “assertions” or valid “endorsements” often are avenues for emotional attitudes — particularly moral outrage. Do Perusall annotations add to today’s divided climate, with tribalist critiques overpowering scholarly dialogue? A qualitative analysis of assignments from health sciences courses examines this question.
