Several distance students submit homework by PDF of fax to PDF. How does an instructor inexpensively add comments and corrections to a PDF?
Some solutions:
- Use built in annotation features of programs like Apple OS X Preview. Preview is Apple’s default PDF reader application which allows users to add simple text comments to existing PDFs. This might be adequate for some work, but falls short when an instructor needs to sketch out an equation. The big pro is that it’s free.
- Use the full featured Adobe Acrobat Pro. Advantage is that this desktop based program allows instructors to add pictures, text and sketches to an existing PDF. Disadvantage: can be a pricey program if all you are looking for is to add hand written equation comments.
- For iPad users there is a program called “PDF Expert”, https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pdf-expert-fill-forms-annotate/id393316844?mt=8. It does quite a lot for its $10 price. If a person already has an iPad, this is a great solution that allows hand (or fingered) drawn comments to be inserted into student homework PDFs
