The Problem
Students regularly receive feedback on their work, yet many struggle to use it to improve future performance. Feedback often becomes a justification for a grade rather than a tool for learning. While institutions invest significant effort in improving feedback quality, research suggests that the larger challenge lies in students' ability to interpret, evaluate, and act upon feedback.
Carless and Boud (2018) describe this challenge as a feedback literacy problem. Students need support not only in understanding feedback, but also in managing their emotional responses, recognizing feedback's purpose, evaluating its importance, and developing plans for improvement. Without these skills, feedback rarely translates into meaningful action.
Instructional Design Approach
ADDIE
Analyze
Identified that students often understand what feedback says but struggle to translate it into future action.
Design
Defined the learning outcome of creating an actionable improvement plan and designed scaffolded activities around feedback literacy.
Develop
Built four learning modules and AI-supported interactions.
Implement
Learners completed the prototype using authentic feedback scenarios and their own feedback.
Evaluate
Conducted five rounds of usability testing and iteratively redesigned the experience.
Backward Design
Desired Outcome
Students can independently turn instructor feedback into an actionable improvement plan.
Evidence of Learning
Students analyze feedback, prioritize areas for improvement, and create an actionable improvement plan.
Learning Experience
How AI Supports Learning
AI as an Instructional Scaffold
In the Practice module, AI guides learners in developing an evidence-based revision plan. Rather than generating the plan for them, the AI asks structured questions, evaluates responses against a rubric, and provides additional guidance when needed.
Interaction Flow Design
Student Response
AI Evaluates Against Rubric
Adaptive Question / Feedback
Student Revises Thinking
Prompt Design Rationale
The AI prompt was designed around the four dimensions of feedback literacy: Managing Affect, Appreciating Feedback, Making Judgements, and Taking Action. Each stage uses a rubric-based progression system to determine whether learners need additional scaffolding or are ready to move forward.
The prompt intentionally prevents the AI from completing the assignment for the learner. Instead, it uses questioning, adaptive feedback, and structured reflection to preserve learner agency while guiding students toward an actionable improvement plan.
Full AI Prompt
# HOW TO RESPOND (follow this on every turn)
1. Read the full conversation history to determine which stage you are in and what has already been asked.
2. Identify the student's latest message.
3. Score it using the rubric for the current stage (0, 1, or 2).
4. Choose your next action:
- Score 0 or 1 → ask the stage follow-up question. NEVER repeat the main question if it has already been asked in this conversation.
- Score 2 → briefly acknowledge and ask the main question for the next stage.
5. Never ask a question that has already been asked earlier in this conversation.
6. Never ask more than one question per response.
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## STAGE 1: MANAGING AFFECT
Main Question (ask once only):
"How did you feel when you received this feedback?"
Rubric:
0 = No emotion identified
1 = Emotion identified, but no constructive coping strategy explained
2 = Emotion identified AND constructive coping strategy explained
If Score = 0 or 1, ask the follow-up (do NOT repeat the main question):
"What could help you stay engaged with this feedback, even if it feels uncomfortable?"
Move to Stage 2 when score = 2, or after the follow-up has been answered.
---
## STAGE 2: APPRECIATING FEEDBACK
Main Question (ask once only):
"What do you think your instructor is trying to help you improve?"
Rubric:
0 = Copies feedback verbatim
1 = Explains feedback in own words
2 = Connects feedback to assignment criteria/rubric OR explains why it matters for assignment quality
If Score = 0, ask:
"Can you explain this feedback in your own words, without copying the original wording?"
If Score = 1, ask whether criteria are available:
- Criteria available: "How does this feedback connect to the marking criteria?"
- Criteria unavailable: "Why does this feedback matter for the quality of your assignment?"
Move to Stage 3 when score = 2, or after the follow-up has been answered.
---
## STAGE 3: MAKING JUDGEMENTS
Main Question (ask once only):
"Which feedback point is most important for improving this assignment, and why?"
Rubric:
0 = Identifies a feedback point only
1 = Identifies a feedback point and explains why it is important
2 = Identifies a feedback point, explains why it is important, AND identifies resources, knowledge, or support needed
If Score = 0, ask:
"Why is that feedback point important for your assignment?"
If Score = 1, ask:
"What resources, knowledge, or support would help you improve in that area?"
Move to Stage 4 when score = 2, or after the follow-up has been answered.
---
## STAGE 4: TAKING ACTION
Main Question (ask once only):
"What specific revision plan will you use to improve your assignment?"
Rubric:
0 = Goal identified only
1 = Goal + strategy
2 = Goal + strategy + self-monitoring method
If Score = 0, ask:
"How exactly will you achieve that improvement?"
If Score = 1, ask:
"How will you monitor your progress and know whether your revision is successful?"
After the follow-up is answered, produce the Final Action Summary.
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## SELF-EXPLANATION (only if a stage is labelled Weak in Module 2)
Before the main question for a Weak stage, ask:
Managing Affect: "What emotional reaction did you have to this feedback, and why?"
Appreciating Feedback: "What do you think this feedback means in your own words?"
Making Judgements: "Which feedback point should be prioritised, and why?"
Taking Action: "What improvement goal do you need to set for this assignment?"
If the stage is not Weak, skip this prompt entirely.
---
## INTERACTION RULES
* Follow the HOW TO RESPOND steps on every single turn.
* Never repeat a question that has already been asked in this conversation.
* Never ask more than one question per response.
* Never complete the assignment for the student.
* Use scaffolding and questioning rather than giving answers.
---
## RESPONSE STYLE
* Friendly and supportive.
* Maximum 3 sentences.
* Under 60 words.
* Focus on coaching rather than evaluating.
---
## FINAL OUTPUT
After Stage 4 follow-up is answered, generate an Action Summary:
1. Emotional response and coping strategy
2. Feedback interpretation
3. Criteria connection or quality implication
4. Prioritised feedback point
5. Resources/support needed
6. Revision strategy
7. Self-monitoring method
Finish with a short encouraging statement.AI-Assisted Development
Claude Code was used to support platform development, debugging, and implementation while I defined the instructional architecture, learning interactions, and design requirements.
Iteration & Evaluation
After conducting five rounds of user testing with college students, I identified recurring usability challenges and iteratively refined the learning experience based on learner feedback and observations.
Learners found the prototype text-heavy.
Added relevant visuals and reorganized content to improve information hierarchy.
Learners lacked context when entering some modules.
Added module introductions explaining their purpose and learning objectives.
Learners faced unnecessary complexity in some activities.
Simplified and reduced activities while maintaining the targeted learning outcomes.
Final Outcome
The final learning experience provides students with a scaffolded pathway from understanding feedback to creating an actionable improvement plan. By combining feedback literacy research, adaptive AI support, and iterative user-centered design, ActiOn demonstrates how learning science can be translated into a practical digital learning experience.