Over the past 20 years in education, I've seen how feedback from just one teacher can completely change a student's path, unlocking their potential in ways they never imagined. Unfortunately, the brutal truth is delivering meaningful, individualized feedback is like trying to grade papers while running a marathon. Swelling class sizes, endless administrative tasks, and limited time often means that the personalized attention we dream of providing often feels impossible. Effective educators have built a professional foundation on giving feedback as one of the most influential factors in improving student achievement, so how can we collectively move the needle on student writing given the realities of classrooms today?
The dynamic changes in teaching and learning led by the advancements in educational technology has led to significant challenges in the way educators effectively engage their students in the feedback loop. We have the unique opportunity to bridge the gap between our educational ideals and instructor responsibilities and meet these changes head-on by harnessing the power of AVID’s Instructional AI. We can ensure every single student receives targeted, timely feedback that genuinely improves their writing and critical thinking skills. Exploring innovative approaches to feedback is unlocking student potential and empowering educators to reimagine the future of education.
Grounded in Hattie’s Research: The Power of Feedback
As a learning designer who's passionate about student success, I've been captivated by John Hattie's longstanding research which underscores what we educators inherently know: feedback is one of the most effective ways to increase student achievement. In his meta-analysis of over 800 studies, Hattie found that feedback has an effect size of 0.73—which, in educational research terms, is nothing short of remarkable. To put that into perspective, anything above 0.4 is considered significant, making feedback one of the most powerful interventions we can implement in the classroom.
Yet, despite its significance, providing effective feedback is often one of the most challenging aspects of teaching. This is especially true in writing, where students need detailed guidance to understand what they’ve done well and where they can improve; AVID Instructional AI helps close this gap. By providing immediate feedback on writing assignments, the tool ensures students can make the necessary changes and improvements in real-time—boosting their writing skills and overall academic success. Educators gain a strategic partner in offering timely, constructive feedback, which is pivotal for improving students' writing and preparing them for college and career success.
A Game-changer for the Instructor’s Playbook
While giving feedback is essential to the learning process, in practice, providing feedback that is both timely and actionable can be incredibly difficult. Whether you’re grading essays, writing prompts, or collaborative discussions, feedback needs to be immediate, formative so students can make adjustments before moving on to their next assignment, and summative to show progress overtime. The reality, however, is that in classrooms with large numbers of students, individualized feedback is often delayed. I’ve spoken with many educators who share the frustration of providing feedback too late—when students have already moved on to their next task, leaving them with little opportunity to apply the insights gained.
AVID Instructional AI has the ability to provide immediate, AI-powered feedback on student writing, teachers can offer consistent, personalized support in real-time, no matter the class size. The impact of AVID Instructional AI on student writing and teacher feedback is more than just theoretical—it’s already transforming classrooms. Take, for example, Martin O’Neil, an AVID Elective teacher at Pinellas County Schools, who faced the daunting task of providing individualized feedback to 180 high school seniors. Here’s how he found a way to make this challenge manageable and impactful for his students.
Transforming Writing Instruction at Pinellas County Schools
Martin O’Neil is making an impact as an AVID Elective teacher at Pinellas County Schools. Martin works with high school seniors who are preparing for college-level writing, particularly focusing on college entrance essays. This is a critical moment in their academic careers, and as any teacher knows, the level of writing required at the college level can be a huge leap from what students are accustomed to in high school.
Martin’s biggest challenge was providing the kind of timely, individualized feedback his students needed to develop these higher-level writing skills. Working with 180 seniors, it wasn’t feasible for him to provide each student with the kind of feedback required to elevate their writing. By integrating AVID Instructional AI into his classroom, Martin was able to give his students real-time feedback on their writing. The tool provided students with clear, constructive insights into how to improve their essays, especially when it came to refining their ideas and adding depth to their responses. As a result, Martin saw significant improvements in student engagement. Students who were previously disengaged saw the power of how feedback can spark curiosity and investment in learning.
For Martin, the time-saving aspect of the AI tool was invaluable. With grading and feedback automated, he was able to focus more on building relationships with his students, providing the individualized support that made a real difference in their development. His students truly experienced the power of Instructional AI, it created the space for their teacher to do what they do best—teach and mentor.
The Consistency of AI-Driven Feedback
Another great benefit our educators have seen in partnering with AVID Instructional AI is its ability to provide consistent feedback for every student. Despite our best efforts, in large and diverse classrooms, it's easy for feedback to come in flux. Some students receive more attention than others, and this can create inequities in how feedback is delivered. AVID Instructional AI, on the other hand, ensures that all students receive the same high-quality feedback. It’s consistent, reliable, tailored to each student’s unique needs, and can provide every student with specific guidance to improve. This tool’s capability ensures all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential. For Kim Cook, an AVID teacher at Largo Middle School, the consistency of feedback provided by AVID Instructional AI allowed her to give every student the attention they needed, no matter how large the class. Let’s take a look at how this consistency made a real difference in her students' learning.
Fostering Efficiency and Efficacy at Largo Middle School
By embracing AVID Instructional AI, Kim Cook discovered not only did her student’s writing improve, but it also sparked engagement by encouraging students to ask deeper, more meaningful questions. Students who may have been reluctant to participate in class discussions began engaging with their peers in online forums, responding to one another’s ideas and building a more collaborative learning environment.
What stood out to Kim was how the consistent feedback encouraged students to improve the quality of their responses. The tool didn’t simply give them the answers—it guided them to reflect on their writing and explore ways to deepen their thinking. This approach led to improved writing skills and higher-quality interactions, both in person and online.
Despite the challenges of a large class, AVID Instructional AI helped her prioritize support, ensuring that she engaged with every student in meaningful ways to meet their needs. Like Martin, Kim was able to keep the focus on each student’s growth, which has led to stronger relationships and improved confidence among her students.
Conclusion: The Future of Feedback in Education
As we look toward the future of education, it’s clear that AI will play a key role in reshaping how we provide feedback to students. AVID Instructional AI is a powerful tool that makes feedback more timely, personalized, and consistent. For educators like Martin and Kim, it’s not just about saving time—it’s about offering students the feedback they need to succeed.
By using Instructional AI, we can ensure that feedback is available when students need it most, helping them to develop the writing, critical thinking, and inquiry skills they’ll need to succeed in college and beyond. As more educators embrace these AI-powered tools, we can expect to see even greater advancements in student learning and engagement. The future of feedback is here—and it’s transforming the way we teach, learn, and grow.
To get started with AVID Instructional AI, visit our website and sign up for training if you're an AVID Elective teacher (grades 6–12) or an Excel Elective teacher (grades 7–8).
