Image Annotator 

Image Annotator is one of the tools availables on the website classtools.net. This tool allows you to upload an image and add 'hotspots' in which you can include a title, a description and a hyperlink. Whenever students click on a hotspot, it will provide them with the information you wrote.

Advantages

✔︎ It's really intuitive and easy to use 

✔︎ It's free

✔︎ You can add as many 'hotspots' as you please

✔︎ You can edit the image as many times as you please, even after being published

✔︎ You can hyperlink any multimedia material for further exploration

✔︎ You can choose the way students will access the images, either by using a link or by scanning a QR code

Drawbacks

✖︎ It's limited. You can only create hotspots with this tool, it doesn't offer any other functions.

Conclusion 

Image Annotator is a satisfactory tool  to replace a traditional class material such as a coursebook. You can have your students access information in a more engaging and interactive way as well as explore diverse multimedia material embedded in the hotspots. However, if you are looking for innovation, such a basic tool will not meet your objectives.

1. As soon as you enter the website you will see the instructions which are very intuitive.

2. Upload a proper image for your students to work

3. Click on the place you want to create a hotspot. Add a title and a brief description of the spot. In addition, you can embed a link.

4. In order to save your image, the website will ask you to provide a password in case you want to edit the image later on.

5.  Once you finish creating the hotspots, you can choose the way students will access the image 

6. Now the image is ready to explore. Students will click on the different 'hotspots' and get a definition or brief description of the object, place or person in the picture

Inclusive Education

Image Annotator is suitable for students who struggle while reading long texts (such as dyslexic learners) When a student clicks on a hotspot, he or she will only focus on that particular description or information and won't get overwhelmed. In addition to this, Image Annotator is a good option for differenciated instruction. You can provide students with an image and embed a link to a video, article, piece of news, dictionary or any other kind of resource. By doing this, you can cater all the different learning styles (visual, auditory, etc.) and support students with any kind of difficulty. 

References to Theoretical Frameworks

SAMR Model

The SAMR Model is a framework developed by Puentedura (2010) that helps educators integrate technology into their teaching practices. This Model lays out four tiers of online learning and integration of technlogy in the classroom presented roughly in order of their sophistication and transformative power: substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition. Including Image Annotator in the classroom is an engaging and effective way of reaching the substitution and augmentation levels. The substitution level consists of the direct replacement of existing tools or methods used in traditional classrooms, we can replace the traditional coursebook with this tool. Instead of reading definitions from the book, students can click on a hotspot and read the definition of a certain item in the image. In case you want to go the extra mile, we can use this tool to reach the augmentation level. By adding a link to any other kind or resource (video, audio, article, etc.), students will be able to explore with technology more deeply. This can be done through the task previously suggested.

References 

Nakapan, Walaiporn. (2016). Using the SAMR Model to transform mobile learning in a History of Art and Architecture Classroom. 10.52842/conf.caadria.2016.809.