This sounds like something I've been envisioning.
I would like to find a module that would allow students to upload a given text or image (a map for instance) then create a layer - like an overhead transparency - upon which they could make annotations, "highlight" or drag-n-drop symbols then save and submit their work.
Here are some uses I envision (in the context of Bible study but applicable to other examples as well):
- Students could review and even edit their annotations over the course of a long text broken up into weekly chunks. This is helpful in the case of individual book studies in the Bible which may be long but have themes and internal structure throughout. This module would provide a visual representation of text study over time allowing students to make discoveries in the text by following their own visual cues - a editable scroll so to speak.
- In the case of maps, students could document the geographical details of a text. This would also be helpful for history or culture courses. It might behave something like some of the "guestmap" programs out there (see Globetrotter) for displaying a site's visitors and their comments geographically (users can place an icon over a map image and add text that will show up in a pop-up layer when later visitors hover over the icon).
- There could also be the option of displaying submitted "layers" in a "class summary" so that a student who has submitted their layer can compare it against the submitted layers of other students. This would be a great way to fuel discussion and to be able to refer to other people's observations.
- Finally, if the student's layer could be stacked with the original and saved either as html or as an image, it could be used as a reference for an individual's future study.
I am not a programmer, just I'm a dreamer. If I had the skills to work on something like this I would do it. As it stands, I only know enough to be dangerous. If you know of anything in existence like this or a way to accomplish the same thing through different available means, let me know. If there are any suggestions for how to make this work, I'd be willing to give it my best shot - so long as it's not too complicated.