For the first time ever at my university, and probably anywhere else in Mexico for that matter a custom made AI app specifically designed for students was used as a class assignment to evaluate the students’ speaking abilities.
The App is called SpeakWell, and I designed it using Google’s Firebase studio. What the app does is record a students’ speech and then transcribe it. The AI then evaluates the speech. The app returns the evaluation and audio file to the student, who then could either upload it to the Blackboard system or try again.
Surprising Results: The same instructions and demonstration were given to all five of my groups over a two day period. Class one completed the assignment without many issues. Some client-computer issues popped up which included iPads that couldn’t download .wav files, dirty and clogged microphones, and self consciousness. These issues were quickly overcome, however. The second class was a bit different.
In that second class of the day, one student took it upon herself to read her report and try the app again. She waited until after almost everyone else was done with the assignment to ask if it was okay to do so. Of course, I said ‘Sure! Why not?’ A few of them did retry. After that class, I made sure that students in subsequent groups were aware that they could, if they so chose, retry or record their assignment again. I did ask students to upload each of their attempts, but very few did. Fortunately, one student did as I asked. It turns out she retried several times. She used the report to try and improve her assessment and this is visible in her reports she shared.
First report:
Second Report:
Third Report:
Does rapid feedback encourage students to self-correct? Try harder? I imagine the WriteRight app will reveal similar efforts. My students are not known for being super-motivated, particularly when it comes to English classes. Regardless, maybe the effects of rapid feedback on student motivation would be worth a deeper investigation.
Other issues did arise. Some students copied and pasted their story into the comments area of the Blackboard assignment rather than upload their error report, still others refused to add their report and a few others declined to do the assignment. These are sadly common reactions to some assignments,and anecdotally speaking, my colleagues report the same behavior regardless of the assignment. The malaise of being a know-it-all college student, I suppose.
So, these are the initial findings. I will post more later.