How AI is used in Instant Feedback
Packback’s Instant Feedback uses our AI algorithms in real-time, providing students with a preview of their Curiosity Score range, feedback on their written work (including grammar, spelling, and sentence fluency), and early alerts if their post may be flagged for any reason.
What is Instant Feedback (and what it is not!)
Our AI system gives students actionable instant feedback as they type to apply to their post. This feedback is not punitive!
This allows students to have the opportunity to immediately learn from and apply feedback to craft their best question or answer in the moment, which supports Mastery Learning. Mastery Learning is the term for learning experiences that allow students to receive feedback immediately and adjust their work as-needed until they have achieved a result they are happy with.
What is the Curiosity Score
(and what it is not!)
Our Curiosity Scoring System calculates a grade for students based on a set criteria set by a professor for their community. Every post earns a point score out of 100 based on Packbacks four instant feedback categories: Curiosity, Credibility, Communication and Convention!
Just keep in mind, a Curiosity Score is not the same thing as a grading scale in class. For example, a Curiosity Score of 70 is not equivalent to receiving a C on a homework assignment.
What components are considered in Instant Feedback?
Curiosity
The Curiosity category includes AI feedback on the effort, interest, and “discuss-ability” of the students’ post, including feedback on:
- If a question is open-ended or closed-ended
- The length and depth of the description
- The repetitiveness of the text
- If their post may be flagged due to Community Guidelines
Credibility
The Credibility category includes AI feedback on the presence of a cited source. Unsupported opinions don’t make for good answers.
Communication
The Communication category includes AI feedback on how effectively the student is communicating in their post, including feedback on:
Formatting
Make use of indentations, bolding, underlining, or italicizing portions of your post. It is also helpful to break the post up into paragraphs to engage your classmates even further.
Question Quality
Make sure your question is open ended. An open-ended question is one that can only be answered by a unique thought or statement in someone’s own words. Unlike a closed-ended question, it cannot be answered in one word, or by yes/no, or through a quick Google search. Your question should be at a good length to balance both specificity and clarity.
Media
Including images or videos to support the content. You can embed images, animated gifs and videos right into your post. If you can, always include at least one video, image or source with your answer that helps to explain your perspective, make your response more interesting, and provide an additional resource for extra exploration if your response sparks.
Please note that due to our current post editor limitation, we can only accept videos from YouTube, Vimeo, and Daily Motion. For now, if you want to add a video to your post, you first need to upload it to either YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion and then use a video link from that service.
Convention
The Convention category does not impact a Curiosity Score to ensure ELL students are not penalized. The Convention category includes AI feedback on:
- Grammar (Grammar does not have a bearing on the curiosity score, to avoid bias against ESL students.)
- Spelling
- Sentence fluency
- Post Language
- Plagiarism (While Plagiarism falls under the “Convention” category of feedback, plagiarism is checked only after submission)
Note: The Curiosity Score is not meant to be a “grade”; it’s meant to be a measure of some of the key elements in a post that can be used as a proxy for “curiosity” including effort, depth, inclusion of outside sources.