MyEssayFeedback.ai: a teacher-created app to support a human-centered writing process
How can AI support students’ writing processes without taking the place of writing or thinking? I have been a volunteer advisor on an app developed by teachers, MyEssayFeedback.ai. I wanted to share a little about why this approach makes sense to me as. way to support both AI literacy and students’ development of their own words and ideas.
First, let me clarify that this is not a grading app. I am still responding to and evaluating my students’ writing. Students still do peer review, visit human tutors, and get plenty of comments from me. AI is a secondary supplement. The idea is that AI feedback may help students clarify what they want to communicate to human audiences.
As I see it, MyEssayFeedback is aimed at using AI to
Stimulate thinking and writing rather than replacing them
Build critical AI literacy
Support students’ confidence in their own judgment.
Unlike other feedback apps, MyEssayFeedback allows teachers to choose, adapt, or write instructions for exactly what kind of feedback the system should give on a student draft. With the open library of feedback prompts, teachers can build on what others have done and adapt prompts to their own philosophy and assignment specifics.
MyEssayFeedback allows students to use AI with guardrails and instructor guidance. Students can ask teachers’ opinions on the AI feedback, and teachers can weigh in anytime we see something we don’t agree with. We can assign reflections or revision plans in response to the feedback and automatically give students credit for their engagement.
MyEssayFeedback is simple for teachers and students to use and syncs easily to common LMSes.
It's healthy to be suspicious of ed tech sales pitches. This is not a project aimed at making a lot of money; we are committed to keeping it very low cost. Thanks to a grant of $25,000 Azure credits from Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub, new instructors will be able to test out MyEssayFeedback.ai for free through at least Fall 2024 (limit 3 teachers per school). We are already FERPA compliant and have verified accessibility. Future essay analysis will leverage Microsoft's GPT4 model, backed by a stringent privacy policy.
We are not promoting AI as a bigger deal for writers than the typewriter. But we do think AI writing feedback can be useful when approached skeptically. Students will be using AI in the workplace, and an educational app with guardrails can help them practice recognizing places where AI misses something as well as where it’s useful. (See these suggested phrases for reflecting on AI feedback)
In addition, by showing students an appropriate way that AI can support the writing process, we hope to discourage overreliance and academic dishonesty.
We would like to see more research into feedback quality and student perceptions of AI feedback. So far, student comments have been largely positive. Here are a few, shared with permission:
"By only editing previously written content instead of generating new content, MEF eliminates the fears of plagiarism that usually accompany the use of AI systems, while also promoting the benefits of targeted essay feedback."
-Andrew
"I think there was a nice balance when MEF gave students help because it was not just giving answers, it was providing help that engages and provokes stronger writing."
-Grace
"I really appreciated being able to have my work reviewed before I showed it to another person, as that alleviated some of my stress before there was another pair of eyes on it. This tool was effective in multiple ways, including strengthening my writing and teaching me how to interact with A.I. in an efficient and advantageous manner. My favorite part of using the A.I. was the ability to ask a follow-up question, and for the most part, receive an intelligent and beneficial answer."
-Peyton
"MEF did not rewrite anything for me, so while it gave suggestions on things to improve and how to do so, the work was still mine. MEF taught me how to use A.I. in a way that doesn't allow me to cheat or have something else do my homework for me, yet it truly improved my writing."
-Michael
Thanks for reading all this! If you're curious about integrating AI into writing assignments in a responsible way, please feel free to reach out to us. You can also watch our recent webinar or browse the slides.