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2.3.2: Using AI to provide formative feedback (with caveats)

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    253420

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    ✍️ 3.3.2: Using AI to Provide Formative Feedback (with Caveats)

    Faster Draft Comments, Not Final Grades

    Formative feedback is essential for learning—but time constraints often limit how much and how quickly instructors can respond to student work. AI tools like ChatGPT can help generate draft feedback, rephrase suggestions more clearly, or highlight patterns based on an instructor’s input.

    However, AI-generated feedback should be viewed as a drafting aid, not a substitute for human insight. It lacks awareness of context, student history, and tone sensitivity—meaning instructors still need to guide, edit, and approve any feedback before sharing it.


    🛠️ What AI Can Help You Do

    1. Draft Feedback on Writing or Structure

    Use AI to:

    • Provide initial comments on clarity, organization, and tone
    • Offer sentence-level suggestions (e.g., transitions, thesis support)
    • Reword feedback to be more encouraging or concise

    Prompt Example:
    “Provide friendly, constructive feedback on this paragraph from a first-year student’s essay. Focus on clarity and flow.”


    2. Identify Patterns from Rubric Categories

    Use AI to:

    • Summarize student strengths and growth areas based on rubric scores
    • Offer specific examples of what to revise based on criteria
    • Add guiding questions to support reflection

    Prompt Example:
    “Write a 2–3 sentence summary of feedback for a student who earned ‘Developing’ in thesis, ‘Proficient’ in evidence, and ‘Excellent’ in organization on a writing rubric.”


    3. Rephrase or Simplify Comments

    Use AI to:

    • Make feedback more accessible or ESL-friendly
    • Remove overly technical or punitive language
    • Offer both praise and actionable suggestions

    Prompt Example:
    “Simplify this comment for a multilingual student: ‘The conceptual framework is underdeveloped and lacks integration with the literature.’”


    ⚠️ Important Caveats

    • Don’t use AI to evaluate student ideas or grade original thinking. AI cannot assess nuance, critical insight, or personal experience.
    • Never feed entire student submissions into public tools unless permitted by your institution’s privacy policies or the student.
    • Always read and edit before sending. What sounds “polite” to AI may still feel robotic, vague, or tone-deaf to students.

    🎓 Why This Matters for Instructors

    • AI can help you keep feedback timely and focused—but only with clear boundaries.
    • Used responsibly, it supports more frequent, more readable feedback that helps students revise.
    • It can also model tone, balance, and specificity for instructors looking to strengthen their written comments.

    Think of AI not as a grading shortcut, but as a feedback co-author—one that still needs your expertise to guide the final 3.3.2.pngmessage.


    This page titled 2.3.2: Using AI to provide formative feedback (with caveats) is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by .


    This page titled 2.3.2: Using AI to provide formative feedback (with caveats) is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Pamela Huntington.

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