Packback and AVID Partnership
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Instructional AI?
Instructional AI enhances critical thinking and writing skills through instant feedback on discussions and essays, allowing teachers to prioritize feedback on students’ ideas. Unlike Generative AI (made popular by ChatGPT), Packback’s Instructional AI never writes for students. It teaches students how to be stronger writers and critical thinkers.
For educators, Packback’s Instructional AI acts as a grading assistant while keeping the instructor in control. Packback helps speed the more “mechanical” aspects of managing and grading assignments, freeing educator time to focus on the students’ content and provide personalized and meaningful feedback.
In summary, Packback’s Instructional AI provides students with live, instant, real-time feedback as they write to improve their critical thinking and writing skills. Teachers that use Packback maximize their time: on average educators reduce the time required to assess writing assignments (including essays and written Socratic seminars) by 30%.
What Products Do AVID Educators Have Access To?
As a part of your AVID Site Membership, AVID Elective (grades 6-12) and AVID Excel Elective (grades 7 and 8) teachers are granted access to Instructional AI (Packback’s Questions & Deep Dives) Tools at no additional cost.
Packback Questions
Inquiry-Based Student Discussion Platform
Engage curiosity, increase motivation, build community, and support writing practice with our award-winning student discussion platform with built-in AI coaching that helps students develop better questions and responses.
Packback’s A.I. Instant Feedback and Moderation ensure that the discussion stays on track, helping educators spend less time managing the discussion and more time engaging with students.
Packback Deep Dives
Feedback Platform for Writing Assignments
Improve student writing skills and confidence on written assignments through instant AI-powered coaching. Streamline the grading of writing assignments through an AI grading assistant that is tied to your specific rubric.
Through instant AI feedback, students have the opportunity to iterate on their work based on your specific assessment criteria. Instructors receive grading support from our AI grading assistant to help assess the writing mechanics of a piece, so you can focus your feedback on students’ ideas and content.
AVID Educators Ask
How could you address the implementation of educating our students on how to effectively and ethically use AI to help them learn?
For implementation, we suggest talking with students, consulting with administrators, and adhering to your school’s policy. Instructional AI like Packback is built to help students learn and think critically, and thus easier to implement into classrooms.
Why can’t I find our high school on Packback?
Our Support Team (help@packback.co) can be contacted for any missing schools. We are happy to help get your school and district listed (for all AVID Elective grades 6–12 and AVID Excel Elective grades 7–8).
Do all AVID schools have access to Packback?
All AVID schools can access Packback. AVID Elective grades 6-12 and AVID Excel Elective grades 7–8 teachers can access Packback once they complete an hour training. There is special pricing for other educators. For more information, click here!
How do you envision Packback being used in the AVID Elective and AVID Excel Elective classes?
Packback will support discussion and writing assignments in AVID Elective and AVID Excel Elective classes. We have lessons for AVID Elective 6-12 and lessons for AVID Excel 7-8 that will help teachers and students implement Packback, including getting started lessons, Socratic Seminar, Philosophical Chairs, and more.
What is a specific skill that the teachers have students practice using Packpack (e.g., thesis vs. supporting details)?
In Packback, teachers can guide their students with Guide Posts in Packback Questions and Deep Dives directions for written assignments. When creating a response in Packback Questions, students are asked for a thesis statement and will receive feedback based on the feedback criteria in Packback. To learn more about those criteria, please read the article “Instant Feedback and Curiosity Scoring.”
How does Packback support experienced multilingual students developing their academic language and writing? Is there any data that supports accelerated growth for these scholars?
The Packback system supports students in developing their academic language and writing by providing strong and direct corrections and tips for improving English language skills.
How much does Packback cost?
Packback is included as part of membership for AVID Elective grades 6–12 and AVID Excel Elective grades 7–8. If you are not a part of those groups, AVID offers special pricing through the Packback partnership. Please contact Madison Shea for more information.
How long has Packback been implemented? Can you share some data on its effectiveness?
Packback Questions has been used in classes since 2016. We have conducted white paper studies on the Impact of Online Discussion Platform and Pedagogy on Student Outcomes and Student and Instructor Outcomes, which can be accessed in our Resource Library.
How long did it take for you to “master” Packback before you felt comfortable introducing it to your students?
Packback is very user-friendly and offers many supports, including a 24/7 support team (available at help@packback.co), a dedicated Curriculum Consultant who supports teachers as they use Packback, and office hours for any questions. With any technology, there can be a slight learning curve, but most people who use Packback find it easy to use and learn.
Packback is Applicable across the curriculum for (almost) any course
Packback is applicable to any course with a writing component. Packback has been used by over 2 million students, at more than 700 institutions, across thousands of different courses and subject areas.
Outcomes
Packback leads to more successful student and faculty outcomes than LMS discussion.
- Increased A’s and B’s
- More consistent discussion engagement
- Improved self-reported writing confidence in students
- >30% time savings for instructors when grading
Packback collaborated with 12 institutions to run a multi-year study of student outcomes on Packback.
Packback’s partnership with AVID also provides discounted pricing to use Instructional AI beyond the AVID classroom. If you are curious to learn about discounted pricing options please fill out the form below.