Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) is Norway’s third-largest university, known for its commitment to education, research, and innovation. The university’s multidisciplinary focus spans fields such as health sciences, technology, social sciences, art and design, and education, preparing students to meet the evolving demands of the global workforce. Rooted in inclusivity and forward-thinking pedagogy, OsloMet is dedicated to fostering lifelong learning and empowering students with the skills needed to thrive in an interconnected world.
Irene Lona is a project manager at DIGIN (Digital Innovation in Education) at Oslo Metropolitan University, where she promotes digital teaching practices and supports instructors in using educational technology. Her expertise includes learning design, gamification, and project management. Irene has led key projects, including the implementation of digital exams, Canvas rollout, and developing feedback literacy. She also serves on Flexible Education Norway’s quality committee and innovation group, advancing digital innovation in education.
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) is Norway’s third-largest university, known for its commitment to education, research, and innovation. The university’s multidisciplinary focus spans fields such as health sciences, technology, social sciences, art and design, and education, preparing students to meet the evolving demands of the global workforce. Rooted in inclusivity and forward-thinking pedagogy, OsloMet is dedicated to fostering lifelong learning and empowering students with the skills needed to thrive in an interconnected world.
Irene Lona is a project manager at DIGIN (Digital Innovation in Education) at Oslo Metropolitan University, where she promotes digital teaching practices and supports instructors in using educational technology. Her expertise includes learning design, gamification, and project management. Irene has led key projects, including the implementation of digital exams, Canvas rollout, and developing feedback literacy. She also serves on Flexible Education Norway’s quality committee and innovation group, advancing digital innovation in education.
After successfully integrating social annotation into an online sexual health course, Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) recognized the potential of this initiative to enhance student engagement and foster collaborative learning. This prompted OsloMet to expand the use of social annotation across the institution, aligning with its mission to develop 21st-century skills, improve student learning outcomes, and promote pedagogical innovation.
Here is the story of how OsloMet leveraged FeedbackFruits interactive tools to stimulate critical thinking, build community in online courses, and drive institutional change through continuous dialogue, strategic planning, and innovative teaching practices.
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), the third-largest university in Oslo, is a vibrant hub for education, research, and innovation. With 22,000 students and 2,200 employees, OsloMet offers 48 bachelor’s programs, 33 master’s programs, six international master’s programs, and seven PhD programs across fields such as health sciences, technology, social sciences, and art and design. This multidisciplinary approach ensures students are prepared for the complex demands of a global workforce.
In today’s job market, 21st-century skills—such as analytical thinking, critical analysis, and problem-solving—are crucial. However, OsloMet has identified challenges in fostering these competencies. Students are reading less, struggling with academic texts, and facing language barriers as the student population becomes more diverse. Research further indicates that students from families with lower education levels are at higher risk of not completing their studies, necessitating new, inclusive teaching practices.
To address these challenges, OsloMet implemented social annotation using FeedbackFruits to promote collaboration through shared comments, tags, and questions within texts. Social annotation allows students to engage deeply with content while fostering meaningful discussions.
Irene Lona, Project manager in DIGIN (Digital Innovation in Education), reflected on the adoption of FeedbackFruits:
“OsloMet uses interactive tools in FeedbackFruits for social annotation. Instructors upload articles or texts and add questions or discussions. These can focus on concept clarification, language, or comprehension, or students can be asked to discuss specific themes in the text. Students are allowed to ask questions or initiate discussions. One great feature is that students can remain anonymous, which significantly lowers the participation threshold.”
In an online sexual health course, the DIGIN team (Digital Innovation in Teaching and Learning), OsloMet’s Teaching and Learning support unit, leveraged FeedbackFruits to implement seven social annotation activities that maintained student engagement between asynchronous sessions.
Here’s how FeedbackFruits facilitated the process:
The course attracted participants from various professions—nursing, physiotherapy, and roles in prisons and nursing homes—bringing a wealth of diverse perspectives to the discussions.
High Engagement through Voluntary Participation
In the first activity, 42 of 49 students participated, each contributing an average of four comments. This demonstrated how an inclusive environment motivates students to engage meaningfully with course content. Instructors used prompts to connect theoretical concepts with students' professional experiences. Some of the prompts included:
These activities activated prior knowledge and facilitated peer learning through shared insights.
In another activity, students analyzed a key healthcare model through embedded questions in an article. Although not every question was answered, the responses generated deep engagement. Additionally, student-generated discussions led to thoughtful exchanges, with anonymity encouraging honest participation and exploration of sensitive topics.
Motivating Engagement through Clear Expectations and Positive Reinforcement:
Encouraging student participation was essential to the success of the social annotation activities. As Irene Lona explained:
“The instructors showed the students how to add comments in FeedbackFruits in the first online session and what was expected of them. They were also very clear about why it was beneficial to participate and what they could achieve by doing so.”
By establishing clear expectations and demonstrating the platform's benefits, instructors motivated students to engage actively. To sustain this engagement, instructors monitored contributions and provided brief, positive feedback, fostering a supportive environment that encouraged continued participation throughout the course.
One of the key lessons learned was the importance of managing student workload. Initially, students were asked to comment on all seven articles, which became overwhelming and led to a decline in participation. To address this, instructors divided students into seven groups, assigning each group one article to focus on, while still allowing students to participate in other discussions if they wished.
In addition, instructors recognized the need to emphasize the purpose of these activities. While they communicated what students would learn, they found that students also needed a stronger link between the tasks and their personal and professional goals. Moving forward, instructors emphasized how these activities contributed to students' long-term development, helping students see the value in their participation for both their current learning and future careers.
Social annotation offers benefits for both students and instructors, enhancing learning outcomes and teaching practices.
Benefits for Students
Benefits for Instructors
FeedbackFruits equips instructors with tools to enhance their teaching through insights into student engagement. As Irene Lona noted:
“FeedbackFruits provides extensive statistics and insight into student learning. You can download all the data in Excel, and from there, it’s a short step to research. It’s a really nice way to study your own teaching and student learning.”
The DIGIN team at OsloMet views social annotation as part of a broader strategy to foster institutional change. Guided by Å lede læring by Rennemo (2019), the team follows four action-based activities to promote innovation:
Irene Lona emphasizes continuous dialogue with all levels of the institution. DIGIN works closely with middle managers to increase the adoption of social annotation, recognizing their pivotal role in driving change. These leaders integrate teaching and learning initiatives into program meetings, fostering collaboration on course development.
The initiative also builds networks across departments, including partnerships with IT, administration, and research centers, enabling strategic alignment. Staying connected with day-to-day teaching is another priority. As Irene Lona shared:
“I help teachers with the smallest of things. This gives me insight into the daily teaching and what is going on in the organization. This information is very important for our strategic-level work.”
Through this multi-faceted approach, OsloMet ensures that social annotation becomes a sustainable part of its teaching practices, contributing to both individual student success and a culture of continuous learning and innovation across the institution.
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