Over the course of this Spotlight Series we’ve talked about using AI in different ways; the importance of knowing what you’re asking for, how to use it for graphics and project designs, and even using it for alternative text and long descriptions for complex images.
There are hundreds of other reasons why you might want to use AI to help you with your workload, but the last one we want to share with you is how to use it to generate feedback for student work.
As educators we know that when a student completes an assignment, we need to respond in a timely manner. We not only need to provide a thorough response, but also some direction about how they can adjust their work for future assessments. Looking at a roster of dozens of students, the thought of giving that much feedback can be daunting, but using an AI program like Copilot gives you the chance to craft specific feedback that can apply to multiple students at a time, AND allow you to adjust the tone of that feedback to meet the students’ needs.
Take this example: Some students in your ENGL 15 course have written a persuasive essay that includes no hard evidence from any sources. You’ve gone over this requirement multiple times in class, and it’s listed in the essay requirements, but a few students have used personal anecdotes or assumptions instead of scientific evidence.
Prompt:
Write feedback to a student explaining that they need to cite scientific evidence for their argument in an ENGL 15 course. Explain why evidence is important.
Response:
While reviewing your assignment, I noticed that there was a lack of cited evidence to bolster your claims. It’s crucial to understand that in academic writing, evidence serves as the backbone of any argumentative piece. Without credible evidence, your arguments may lack authority, persuasiveness, and reliability.
Here are a few reasons why citing evidence is of paramount importance:
- Validity and Credibility: Evidence lends credibility to your arguments by showing that your claims are not formed in a vacuum, but are grounded in reliable sources and research. By citing relevant sources, you show that you have engaged with existing literature and considered multiple perspectives on the issue at hand.
- Contextualization, Persuasiveness, and Depth: Incorporating evidence makes your arguments more persuasive and contextualized within a broader discourse. When you provide concrete examples, data, or quotes from experts in the field, you give your readers compelling reasons to believe in the validity of your standpoint. This adds depth and richness to your writing.
- Academic Integrity: Citing evidence is not only about bolstering your own arguments but also about giving credit to the ideas and work of others. Failure to acknowledge your sources through proper citation can lead to accusations of plagiarism.
As you continue to develop your writing skills in this course and beyond, I encourage you to prioritize the integration of evidence into your arguments. If you have any questions or need further guidance on how to effectively incorporate evidence into your writing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
Context and Tone in AI Feedback
This AI response was generated in seconds, and with a recommended tweak or two, is good enough to send out to multiple students who have made the same mistake. An important step here is to re-read through the AI response to make sure it’s actually relevant to your class and sounds on their level. You could also follow up the response by asking Copilot to “make this response sound a little more warm” or “make it understandable by someone who is in twelfth grade”. It is easy to fire off an email to a student who has repeatedly made the same mistake, and the baggage of that student experience comes out in the tone of your writing. If you’re worried that’s happening, try Copilot to help weed out your emotional response and get straight to the point.
If you have any questions about how to generate feedback for other kinds of student work, or you’re curious about how to use prompts to change the tone of your writing, feel free to reach out and we can get you started!
