AI produced scoring rubrics, group projects, and discussion questions

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

In previous blogs I explored the use of AI for planning lessons, outlining a unit, and creating a multiple-choice quiz. This blog reports the results of my exploration of using AI to create a scoring rubric, generating group projects, and producing discussion questions.  

I also asked the bot to create a marking rubric for essays addressing the question "was the French Revolution a success?"  Here’s what it produced.  

Marking Rubric for "Was the French Revolution a Success?" Essays  

I. Introduction

·         Clearly states the topic and thesis statement (0-2 marks)

·         Provides background information on the French Revolution (0-2 marks)

 II. Historical Context

·         Describes the political, economic, and social conditions leading up to the Revolution (0-2 marks)

·         Outlines the key events of the Revolution (0-2 marks)

 III. Analysis of Success

·         Defines what constitutes success in the context of the French Revolution (0-2 marks)

·         Supports thesis with well-researched and relevant historical evidence (0-5 marks)

·         Considers both positive and negative outcomes of the Revolution (0-5 marks)

·         Integrates outside sources to support arguments (0-3 marks)

 IV. Conclusion

·         Restates thesis and summarizes key arguments (0-2 marks)

·         Offers a clear, concise evaluation of the success of the French Revolution (0-2 marks)

·         Provides implications for the future or lessons learned from the Revolution (0-2 marks)

 V. Writing Quality

·         Properly cites sources using MLA or Chicago style (0-2 marks)

·         Demonstrates clarity, coherence, and organization in writing (0-2 marks)

·         Avoids errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling (0-2 marks)

 VI. Total (out of 25 marks)

I would employ the rubric as is. I particularly liked that the bot identified that it is important that students define success in context, support their argument with evidence, consider both positive and negative outcomes of the Revolution, and integrate outside sources to support their arguments (though the latter point might seem to double count the evidentiary requirement).  

Knowing that group work is common and popular technique among teachers, I asked the bot to provide a list of group projects for students studying the French Revolution. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of suggestions:  

• Role-Play Simulation: Divide the class into groups and assign each group a specific role, such as a member of the Third Estate, a member of the Royal Court, or a revolutionary leader. Each group must then conduct a simulated meeting or debate to address a specific issue related to the French Revolution.  

• Newspaper Project: Have students create a newspaper from the perspective of the French Revolution. Each group must research and write articles about key events, figures, and issues during the Revolution, including opinions and editorials.  

• Museum Exhibition: Have students create a museum exhibit on the French Revolution. Each group must research and create displays and interactive exhibits such as maps, paintings, artifacts, and timelines, to illustrate the causes, events, and impacts of the Revolution.  

• Historical Fiction: Have students write a fictional story set during the French Revolution. Each group must research the time period, create characters, and write a story that captures the essence of the Revolution while incorporating accurate historical information.  

• Debating Society: Have students form a debating society to discuss and debate key issues related to the French Revolution. Each group must research and prepare arguments, both for and against, on topics such as the role of the monarchy, the impact of the Enlightenment, and the legacy of the Revolution.  

• Political Cartoon Project: Have students create political cartoons to comment on key events and issues during the French Revolution. Each group must research and create illustrations that convey a message or opinion about the Revolution.  

• Re-enactment: Have students re-enact a key event from the French Revolution, such as the fall of the Bastille, the Reign of Terror, or the rise of Napoleon. Each group must research and prepare a script, costumes, and props to bring the event to life.  

• Historical Documentary: Have students create a historical documentary on the French Revolution. Each group must research and create a film that covers the causes, events, and impacts of the Revolution, using primary sources, interviews, and visual aids.  

• Research Paper: Have students write a research paper on a specific aspect of the French Revolution. Each group must choose a topic, such as the role of women, the influence of the Enlightenment, or the impact of the Revolution on Europe, and research and write a well-supported paper that addresses their chosen topic.  

• Museum Scavenger Hunt: Have students create a scavenger hunt for a museum exhibit on the French Revolution. Each group must research and create questions, clues, and puzzles to guide visitors through the exhibit and help them learn about the causes, events, and impacts of the Revolution.

I’d consider most of the suggestions, but I would not include the suggestion about re-enacting the Reign of Terror for reasons that I assume are obvious.  

I find group projects relatively time consuming. I prefer encouraging group discussions as a means of assessing how well students have grasped the central concepts and ideas associated with a topic. So, I asked the bot to create a list of discussion topics that a group of students might have about the French Revolution. Here is the bot’s output:  

·         What were the main causes of the French Revolution?

·         How did Enlightenment ideas influence the Revolution?

·         What was the significance of the fall of the Bastille?

·         How did the Revolution impact the French monarchy and the role of the king?

·         What were the key events and turning points of the Revolution, such as the Reign of Terror and the rise of Napoleon?

·         What was the role of women in the Revolution, and how did they contribute to the cause of liberty and equality?

·         How did the Revolution affect the French economy, society, and culture?

·         How did the Revolution influence other European countries and the wider world?

·         What were the long-term effects and legacies of the Revolution, both positive and negative?

·         Was the French Revolution ultimately a success, and if so, what made it successful? If not, what factors contributed to its failure?

These are worthy topics that, if given time for preparation, would challenge students to invest mental effort in demonstrating their learning and build upon the contributions of their peers.

I suggest you evaluate the bot’s production of rubrics, group projects, and discussions on other topics and in other fields.