Shifting Reading into a Socially Constructed Activity: A Case Study on the Benefits and Challenges of Using Perusall

Abstract

Perusall is a social annotation tool that engages students in digital course materials. The system facilitates student interaction via posts of questions, responses, and comments on the video, written materials, and audio sources. The platform was created to increase student interaction with course readings and course-specific materials. This paper considers the benefits and challenges of Perusall as reported by 28 students enrolled in a synchronous, online, upper-level social science course at a medium-sized Canadian university. Students described Perusall as "fun" and "engaging" because they enjoyed positive communication with classmates, and the system was easy to use. Challenges of using the tool reflect the need for students to learn a new interface and technology glitches such as disappearing comments. We include suggestions for instructors wishing to use Perusall in this paper.

Full text

Journal of Educational Informatics, 2023
Vol. 4(2) 32-44.
https://doi.org/10.51357/jei.v4i2.231
Shifting Reading into a Socially Constructed Activity:
A Case Study on the Benefits and Challenges of Using
Perusall
Dr. Sharon Lauricella, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3270-8217
Chris D. Craig, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6786-3685
Dr. Robin H. Kay, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0416-5980
Ontario Tech University
ABSTRACT
Perusall is a social annotation tool that engages students in digital course
materials. The system facilitates student interaction via posts of questions,
responses, and comments on the video, written materials, and audio sources.
The platform was created to increase student interaction with course readings
and course-specific materials. This paper considers the benefits and challenges
of Perusall as reported by 28 students enrolled in a synchronous, online,
upper-level social science course at a medium-sized Canadian university.
Students described Perusall as “fun” and "engaging” because they enjoyed
positive communication with classmates, and the system was easy to use.
Challenges of using the tool reflect the need for students to learn a new
interface and technology glitches such as disappearing comments. We include
suggestions for instructors wishing to use Perusall in this paper.
Keywords: Perusall, course readings, e-reading, active engagement
University and college educators often include readings in their course syllabi and
believe that readings are essential to the learning process in higher education. However, many
are all too familiar with the sound of crickets when they ask students to summarize, discuss,
analyze, or respond to such readings. For example, Kerr & Frese (2016) found that only 20 to
30% of undergraduate students complete assigned or required readings. Students avoid
readings because of low self-confidence, disinterest or lack of motivation, and
underestimating the significance of the materials (Kerr & Frese, 2016; Lei et al., 2010;
St.Clair-Thompson et al., 2018). In response to student challenges, faculty may attempt to
make the readings sound interesting, give students quizzes, and send digital timeline
reminders (Hoeft, 2012).

However, new digital tools have emerged to build more active engagement,
self-efficacy, and conceptual understanding around reading engagement (Miller et al., 2018).
The social annotation platform Perusall was developed as part of a four-year research project
at Harvard University and was made available to instructors outside the university in 2015
(Perusall.com). The platform works such that instructors upload course readings in various
forms, including (but not limited to) PDFs, websites, podcasts, videos, online textbooks, open
textbooks, or images (King & Sen, 2013; Miller et al., 2018). Students then consult the course
materials, comment or ask questions, and respond to one another, all within the Perusall
platform. Instructors can also respond, engage with student comments, and pose questions to
stimulate conversation or direct student focus.
Perusall emerged from social science research on behaviour and learning (King & Sen,
2013). The online tool combines technological innovation with advances in causal inference,
data collection, and theoretical models. Three principles guide the platform (King & Sen,
2013):
●Social connections motivate. Students are more motivated by communal benefits
than personal ones. The software builds upon the notion that social networks
stimulate individual drive and action.
●Teaching teaches the teacher. Mind-wandering—the phenomenon whereby students
lose focus when they are only passively engaged—is less likely to occur during active
social interaction. The active experience can help students develop a deeper
understanding of the subject due to diverse perspectives and a reflection on personal
feelings toward the subject.
●Instant feedback improves learning. Immediate and frequent feedback can enhance
a student's learning potential. When students engage through questioning and
responding, they cultivate a more fulsome understanding.
To use Perusall, students must sign up for a free account and join the instructor's
course with a specific code. Once students are engaged in the platform, they consult course
material organized by the instructor according to the date or topic. Students then annotate,
meaning they add comments or questions to each digital item, and such commentary appears
much like writing in the margins of a book. Instructors can provide prompts to stimulate and
mediate critical thinking and community building through personal responses (King & Sen,
2013). The annotation process design supports the development of students' conceptual
knowledge (Adams & Wilson, 2021).
Educators can consult Perusall's automated assessment tool to gain insight into
student participation and areas of confusion (Miller et al., 2018). An algorithm guides the
assessment process by considering distribution, quality, quantity, and time of consultation
and comments; Perusall then develops an overall score (Miller et al., 2018). Instructors can
adjust the assessment process to focus more on quality than quantity, time spent engaged
with course material, or any spread of criteria. Over time and exposure, Perusall's algorithm
uses machine learning to encourage students' thoughtful and thorough engagement (Miller
et al., 2018). Perusall's algorithm perceives any part of any material as confusing (i.e. if
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students asked questions more frequently in a specific area or document), it will flag the area
or material and prompt educators to review.
Literature review
Through a thematic review, we outline the benefits and challenges outlined in
previous research. Perusall has the potential to enhance student connectedness, comfort, and
personal engagement. However, some challenges associated with the system include time
management, scoring, and technology glitches.
Connectedness
The feeling of connectedness that Perusall affords can support students' motivation to
engage with learning content. Walker (2019) found that sharing information and idea
gathering through Perusall helps to develop a learning community in the course. In creating
such a community, students can readily share their unique perspectives to support their peers
(Gray, 2021). They are likelier to do so if they believe their insights can benefit others
(d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021).
Perusall's ability to host dialogue and feedback helps reduce common boredom
associated with course readings (Sigmon & Bodek, 2022; Theodosiou & Corbin, 2020; Walker,
2019). Perusall's chat feature can significantly reduce boredom as students can communicate
directly with each other about the learning experience—or whatever they wish to discuss (Lee
& Yeong, 2018; Sigmon & Bodek, 2022). The community-based learning experience in Perusall
can facilitate the ability for students to co-construct meaning beyond the traditional confines
of physical space (McFarlin, 2020; Tian, 2020), such as a classroom or one-dimensional,
asynchronous discussion board (such as those hosted by a course learning management
system). A summative benefit of Perusall is that it can cultivate learning communities,
dialogue, and meaning-making, which can reduce the friction that often hinders academic
progress.
Comfort
A particular benefit of Perusall is that students may be more comfortable participating
in responses, feedback, and discussion online than in a face-to-face environment. The ability
for students to offer insights online in Perusall improved engagement as students were more
comfortable than in similar in-person scenarios (d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021; Gray, 2021; Lee &
Yeong, 2018; Sigmon & Bodek, 2022). An increased level of comfort with Perusall was
demonstrated by international students, who often refrained from in-class discussions but
appeared more comfortable online (Lee & Yeong, 2018). This comfort may result from not
feeling put on the spot or being called out. However, future research can address the reasons
for increased comfort in participating in discussion via Perusall compared to a traditional
classroom.
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Level of Engagement
Perusall allows students to engage with course content by interacting simultaneously
with learning materials and classmates (Adams & Wilson, 2021; d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021;
McFarlin, 2020; Sigmon & Bodek, 2022). Participants from three studies found that the online
social annotation process helped them develop a deeper understanding of the learning
content compared to the traditionally solitary experience of reading a textbook (Adams &
Wilson, 2021; d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021; Sigmon & Bodek, 2022). Student participants in
McFarlin's (2020) study believed that they could more effectively connect with the learning
content via Perusall, which resulted in a more fulsome understanding of the learning
materials. As a quantifiable measure, students' total post volume is often much greater
through Perusall than baseline measures or control groups (de Boer & Spoelstra, 2021; Lee &
Yeong, 2018). However, studies have not yet quantified if and how relationships are formed
via Perusall. This avenue would interest scholars of social network systems who indicate that
building learning relationships based on trust, risk-taking, and play are important (Rodway et
al., 2023).
Time Management
Time management can be challenging when using Perusall and requires educator and
student attention as the term progresses. Literature suggests three primary issues with
Perusall and time management. First, students appear unlikely to budget the time required
for higher-level responses without scripts or prompts such as a fill-in-the-blank or
straightforward question to which they must respond (de Boer & Spoelstra, 2021; Lee &
Yeong, 2018). Second, d'Entremont and Eyking (2021) found that student annotation requires
more time than traditional in-class discussions, presumably because students take time to
read, reflect, and respond. Finally, students in Linzell's (2021) study often waited until the last
minute to read and make posts in Perusall, which negatively affected their peers' ability to
respond promptly (and, in turn, negatively affected students' overall scores). While Perusall
holds the benefit of automated scoring, educators must monitor students' timeliness to
maximize the opportunity for participation and the efficacy of the assessment process.
System Scoring
The Perusall scoring system can be a disruptive experience for students. Traditional
marking is often sourced from a single metric by an individual educator compared to Perusall's
algorithmic approach. We found two challenges described relative to Perusall's scoring system
worth considering. First, students can find the scoring process unclear and confusing
(d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021; Ortigosa Blanch & Planells-Artigot, 2021; Tian, 2020). Such
confusion is understandable when we consider that most higher education students will have
spent most of their educational time with limited access to machine-learning-based scoring
that directly results from their output. Second, Francisco and Amado (2021) indicate that the
limited number of languages the system algorithm understands can impair the scoring
process for culturally diverse students. Thus, grading may be affected if students submit
comments or questions in a language with which Perusall is not enabled.
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Technology Glitches
Perusall’s technology-related issues are minor in scope. However, the added friction
can discourage behaviours in their best interest. When using Perusall, students may
experience minor glitches, such as displaced annotations that reappear (McFarlin, 2020) or the
inability to embed new comments over an annotated word or sentence (Tian, 2020). Another
potential issue is that students may find that specific web browsers work more efficiently
than others (Franciso & Amado, 2021). The glitches appear readily solvable but result in
extended time on task and may disrupt students’ willingness to engage in thought flow or
enthusiasm for the platform.
Objective
Following the population, exposure, and outcome (PEO) framework, our study sought
to outline what university social sciences students (population) perceive as the benefits and
challenges (outcome) of using the Perusall application in formal learning (exposure). The
following three questions guided our research:
1. What are the benefits (if any) of using Perusall?
2. What are the challenges (if any) of using Perusall?
3. What suggestions do students have for improving the use of Perusall?
Method
Sample
Participants (n=28) were from a medium-sized university in a municipality with a
population of approximately 650,000. Students were enrolled in a fourth-year social sciences
Communication and Conflict course, instructed by one of the authors. The total course
enrolment was 61, resulting in a response rate of 46%.
Context
Students received a code to enroll in the course Perusall site; 100% of the students
enrolled. Each week, the instructor posted between 2-6 course materials for student
consultation, which included videos, news articles, blogs, documentaries, or academic journal
articles. No course materials required any fees or payment; all were open-access sources. Each
week, an invite was sent to students to consult the assigned items and post at least one
question and at least three responses to classmates' questions for each item. This ratio
encouraged dialogue and discussion among students. With a course enrollment of 61
students, Perusall automatically allocated students into three groups of about 20; the
population of each group changed each week, thus facilitating a variety of interactions each
week.
Perusall permits artificial intelligence-based grading whereby students are assigned a
mark based on the length of time they spent consulting each course item, the frequency and
length of their questions, and the frequency and length of their responses. However, this
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course's AI grading functionality was not employed to focus on interaction rather than a
grade.
Procedure
After the course, students could fill in an open-ended, online feedback form about
their experience using Perusall. The survey was approved by the university’s Research Ethics
Board (REB#17242). Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and the resulting data
remained inert until the course completion. The authors conducted a content analysis
(Krippendorff, 2018) of all open-ended questions in the survey and engaged with the data
separately—independently assigning categories to all data points. The authors then
developed and agreed upon a coding scheme that operationalized and described all
categories and created a corresponding codebook. All student responses were included in the
study; categories are described below. Next, the authors independently coded the data a
second time based on the codebook. When the authors did not initially assign the same
categories to the data, such instances were discussed and recorded. This process continued
until inter-rater reliability reached 100%.
Results
Benefits of using Perusall
Students offered 58 responses to the open-ended question, “What are the benefits of
using Perusall for you?” Six categories emerged from the data and are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1
Qualitative Comments: Benefits of Using Perusall
Category
Criteria
Sample comments
Meaningful
discussion/
Interaction
Beneficial for discussion, replies,
interaction with classmates and seeing
other students’ views
“positive communication with my
classmates”
Ease of use
Easy to use, install, navigate, consult
readings
“easy to refer back to previous weeks'
content”
Enjoyable/
Engaging
Fun, enjoyable, engaging
“I enjoyed using it”
Attention/
Motivation
Encouraged or motivated students to
do the readings
“encouraged me to do the readings”
Reminder
feature
System sends a reminder to complete
assignments
“I like that it reminds you to complete
assignments”
Misc
General positive or negative comments
“I love it”
About one-third (32%, n = 19) of responses described the benefit of meaningful
discussion and interaction with classmates via Perusall. Twenty-nine percent of student
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responses (n= 17) found the tool easy to use based on comments that the platform was easy
to install, navigate, comment on, and refer to comments on different readings. Students also
reported that Perusall was enjoyable/fun and engaging (17%, n= 10). About 12% (n= 7) of the
students noted that Perusall encouraged or motivated them to complete the readings.
Several comments referred to the benefit of Perusall’s reminder feature (5%, n= 3), which
sends an email to students to remind them to complete the assignment coming due.
Miscellaneous comments (5%,n= 3) referred to the general benefit of learning new software
and simply “loving” Perusall.
Challenges of Using Perusall
Students offered 11 comments that described the challenges of using Perusall. More
than half (55%, n= 6) of the comments regarding challenges described difficulties using the
new interface or learning to highlight areas where students wished to comment. Some
students (27%, n= 2) described technology as “glitches,” including comments not registering
in the system. Two comments (18%) described difficulty viewing previous responses or
everyone’s posts.
Suggestions for Improving Perusall
Students offered four suggestions for improving the use of Perusall. Two referenced
the volume of readings/assignments each week, though these suggestions are relative to the
course design rather than Perusall. One student suggested having reading links open on a
separate tab would be helpful. Another suggested that notifications sent to their mobile
phone would be helpful so that they would know when someone replies to their questions or
comments in the system.
Discussion
Students participating in this study expressed satisfaction with Perusall; participants
provided nearly five times more comments about the benefits of Perusall than its challenges.
Students appreciated positive interaction with classmates, ease of use, and encouragement to
complete or consult course readings. However, students described that any challenges using
Perusall reflected the initial learning curve associated with getting accustomed to a new
platform and occasional technology “glitches” that occurred. A deeper understanding of the
benefits and challenges of Perusall can inform what students appreciate about this tool and
how educators can best provide learning opportunities that will resonate with students.
Benefits
Meaningful discussion/interaction
Results of this study indicate that Perusall can benefit student-to-student interaction
because reading (or consulting the course materials such as web articles, blogs, or learning
videos) is usually a solitary experience. The level of interaction afforded by Perusall allowed
students to learn about their classmates' perspectives and views, which students expressed
were often different from their own. The interaction among students in Perusall added a
heightened interest and depth to the course. Gray (2021) found that sharing unique
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perspectives with peers was identified as a benefit of Perusall, which is supported by this
study's results.
Perusall's ability to facilitate student discussion is beneficial in an online course. The
course in which this data was collected was delivered online but was not entirely
asynchronous; thus, students still had the opportunity to interact in the 80-minute
synchronous online component. In a course delivered in a fully asynchronous format,
interaction in Perusall could be even more meaningful, as discussion in this forum may be the
only direct communication between or amongst students. This result is again in keeping with
previous research, which identified that Perusall could provide the (virtual) space for students
to co-construct meaning beyond the traditional confines of physical space (McFarlin, 2020;
Tian, 2020). In other words, a benefit of Perusall is that it can provide opportunities for
students to discuss course material without being present in a classroom during regular class
hours.
Perhaps one of the most surprising benefits of Perusall reported in this study is that it
"forced" students to interact with one another. The course instructor reiterated that while the
discussion was a requirement, student engagement was critical to creating meaningful
interaction. To that end, students identified that being "forced" to interact with one another
was a benefit of the tool. For example, one student said, “I appreciate that the grading rubric
forced us to communicate with each other in class and interact with our thoughts and
opinions.” The insight aligns with Walker's (2019) study, which indicated that interactions
through Perusall can support the development of learning communities. We therefore,
propose that the social nature of Perusall was one of its primary benefits. The small groups
(which the instructor set at the Perusall default of 20) contributed to constructing these
learning communities.
Ease of Use
Students appreciated that Perusall was easy to use. First, the discussion was easy
because it was straightforward to identify questions versus comments in the system precisely
because of the different colours in the margin of the course content. Second, it was easy to
determine which reading or content was due each week because of the clear labelling in
Perusall's interface. Thus, students could navigate through assignments throughout the
course quickly and found it easier to navigate than other tools—such as Google Docs—where
comments could get truncated, disorganized, and confusing. Perusall made it easy for
students to plan their work, consult the readings, think about what they will comment on,
respond to others, and view discussions holistically. One student reported that Perusall was
an “easy way to discuss with classmates our thoughts about readings and videos.”
Unlike students in Linzell's (2021) study, who often waited until the last minute to read
and make posts in Perusall, students in this study found the simple interface and clear outline
of due dates helpful in organizing their time. Our approach to the organization of Persuall
may have differed from Linzell's, leading to different perceptions of usability and time
management. We suggest that instructors set up assignments by week/due date so students
can quickly identify what and when readings and responses are due. An increased level of
39

organization on the instructor's part can further contribute to the ease of students'
experience in the Perusall system.
Enjoyable/Engaging
This study further supports results reported in prior studies indicating that Perusall's
online social annotation process helps students to heighten their engagement with course
material (Adams & Wilson, 2021; d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021; McFarlin, 2020; Sigmon & Bodek,
2022). Interestingly, students seemed to equate "enjoyable" with "engaging." In other words,
students enjoyed engaging with the course materials, as summed up by one student who said
that Perusall “was a more engaging way to do weekly readings.” Students in this course were
in their final year of study, so the simultaneous enjoyment and engagement may have
resulted from a heightened sense of connection with other students they had known for
several years. Alternatively, given that the course was at an advanced level, they may have had
a genuine interest in the course material and that Perusall allowed them to discuss it with one
another at a deeper level. The enhanced engagement with course material indicated by this
study and previous research is a clear benefit of using Perusall.
Motivation
Similar to previous studies (e.g., d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021; Gray, 2021; Lee & Yeong,
2018; McFarlin, 2020; Sigmon & Bodek, 2022; Theodosiou & Corbin, 2020; Tian, 2020; Walker,
2019), Perusall helped motivate students to pay attention and engage with the learning
materials. As grading was not a factor in student engagement, we propose that social and
intellectual interaction is a primary motivator.
Reminder Feature
The reminder feature in Perusall is another aspect of the platform that students found
beneficial, which received limited or no insight in previous studies. While educators should
inform students that higher-order discussions and responses take time (de Boer & Spoelstra,
2021; Lee & Yeong, 2018), they can help support time management by enabling push
notifications for deadlines. This way, the email reminder comes from the system (not the
instructor) and is easily identifiable by the student.
Challenges
Student challenges associated with using Perusall were minimal. The most significant
challenge with the platform was getting used to it: students explained that they had to get
accustomed to a new system and learn how to make comments or highlight passages. Put
simply by one student, Perusall “took a little bit of time to figure out.” After the pandemic
forced learning online, educators have employed increasing amounts of educational
technology in their teaching: many instructors use apps or web-based tools in addition to the
course learning management system. The challenge of getting used to Perusall's interface
may have been the simple responsibility of learning yet another system as educational
technology increases in teaching and learning.
40

Students in this study identified technology glitches as a challenge with using Perusall.
Like students in previous studies, results here identified that annotations sometimes
disappear and reappear (McFarlin, 2020). Sometimes, it is challenging to add comments on a
word or sentence that another student has already annotated (Tian, 2020). However, these
glitches are inconsequential and may not be unique to Perusall but may be relative to one's
browser, hardware, or internet connection. While the scoring system may present challenges
associated with understanding and trust (d'Entremont & Eyking, 2021; Ortigosa Blanch &
Planells-Artigot, 2021; Tian, 2020), this paper cannot add insight into the topic as it was not an
aspect of our study.
Suggestions
Suggestions for improving Perusall were minimal. Two students suggested that they
only have to comment upon one reading each week. Most weeks, there were 2-5 items with
which students interacted. Comments suggesting fewer readings each week are not a
suggestion about Perusall itself but about the volume of course materials as determined by
the instructor. We respectfully disagree, as one reading would limit the opportunity for
meaningful interaction with the material and learning community.
Two suggestions for improving Perusall pertained to the technology. One suggestion
described allowing each reading or content to open in a new tab; however, the idea runs
contrary to fundamental accessibility considerations as it may be disorienting for some
students (W3C, 2016). The second suggestion described push notifications to one’s mobile
device so students could know when someone replied to their questions or comments in
Perusall. We agree that an option for response-based notifications would be beneficial to
support the flow of discussion and engagement.
Limitations
This study is limited to upper-level, online, synchronous course results. Future research
on the benefits and challenges of using Perusall in asynchronous courses would help
understand how engagement, discussion, and relationships may or may not form in
environments where students need synchronous contact. Students in this study had some
familiarity with one another, as several had been classmates in previous courses. It would,
therefore, be helpful to explore the use of Perusall in introductory courses where students do
not know one another. One notable limitation of this study is the lack of automated grading,
which could impact student motivation. It would be helpful if future studies contrasted the
results of scored and non-scored engagement and motivation in Perusall.
Conclusion
This analysis of the benefits and challenges of Perusall outlines results from 28
students enrolled in a synchronous, online, upper-level course at a medium-sized Canadian
university. Students outlined that Perusall facilitated meaningful interaction with classmates
and course material and was easy to use, enjoyable, engaging, and motivating. Students
appreciated that the platform kept their attention on their coursework, and the reminder
41

function was particularly helpful in keeping on track with assignments. Challenges for
students using Perusall included the investment required to learn a new interface and minor
technology glitches. Some students identified that they would appreciate mobile notifications
when peers replied to their comments via Perusall or responded to their questions in the
system.
The social benefits of Perusall are notable. Students appreciated the heightened
interaction that they experienced with their peers. Consulting course materials is traditionally
a solitary—even lonely—experience. Students are often left to wonder whether they
understand something correctly, if anyone else thinks the same way they do, if anyone has
had similar experiences, or if anyone has similar objections or resonances to course materials.
Perusall allows students to connect and converse with one another rather than wonder for
themselves.
Results from this study indicate that students experienced increased motivation to
engage with course material via Perusall, a function of the social nature of the platform. Given
that students were interested in receiving mobile notifications when a peer responded to
their post in Perusall, it indicates that they were enthusiastic about connecting with other
students in the system. We, therefore, suggest that instructors using Perusall explain to
students how to use the platform; Perusall has a “Making the most of learning in Perusall”
tutorial that would be beneficial in addressing the challenge of learning a new interface. We
also suggest that students have the opportunity to use Perusall regularly so that prosocial
interaction is available throughout the term. It would be helpful if instructors reminded
students that responding to questions posted by their peers is a meaningful way of creating
and sustaining connections. We also advise that instructors take the time to clearly organize
all assignments by due date so that students can find them easily and will be reminded by the
Perusall system accordingly.
University years are a time in which many students form meaningful friendships (Buote
et al., 2016). Providing students with additional venues to connect can be helpful, particularly
for students who do not live in residence or are uncomfortable with face-to-face discussion.
Such interaction is significant in online courses, whether synchronous or asynchronous.
Increased motivation, enjoyment, and engagement with course material via Perusall can
establish this tool as an asset to educators and students.
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