Assessing writing in the age of AI: The case for assessment scales
Short Answer & The Stanford EdClub were honored to cohost Dr. Mike Perkins and Leon Furze for a conversation about their AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) and how it can be used to adjust K12 writing assessment in the wake of AI. The conversation originally took place on Thursday, October 10th 2024. The recording, along with […]
The hidden meaning behind our new avatars
We’re updating our student avatars in Short Answer this week. This may seem like a small, cosmetic update. We actually think it belies a deeper truth that we want to be intentional about as we continue to build Short Answer: Feedback is emotional. That emotion can make or break the learning benefits of feedback in […]
Updates to the Short Answer student experience
7 Updates to the Student Experience You’ll notice changes to the Short Answer student experience in the coming weeks. This is the first part of a larger update we’ll be pushing out this fall. These updates grow directly from the feedback of hundreds of educators during the ‘23-’24 school year (Short Answer’s first full school […]
Increase assessment rigor with our simple guide
5 Pillars of Effective Formative Assessment The 5 pillars of effective formative assessment, identified by Dr. Paul Black and Dr. Dylan Wiliam in their formative assessment research, are: 🎯 Clarifying, sharing, and understanding learning intentions and success criteria 🔍 Eliciting evidence of learning ✍️ Providing feedback that moves learning forward 🧑🎓 Activating learners as instructional resources […]
AI & K12 Assessment: A Conversation with Dr. Dylan Wiliam Webinar Recording
Short Answer & The Stanford EdClub were honored to cohost Dr. Dylan Wiliam for a conversation on AI and K12 assessment on Thursday, August 1st 2024. The recording, along with research and resources discussed in the conversation, are linked below. About Short Answer Short Answer supports writing across the curriculum initiatives by making it fun […]
Short Answer Educator Experience Case Study ’23-’24
Abstract Short Answer finished its first full school year in classrooms in June of 2024. By year’s end, it reached over 50,000 monthly active teacher and students across all 50 states and 8 countries. The case study that follows is our effort to understand how those users experienced Short Answer over the course of the […]
6 lessons from 6 edtech conferences
I (Adam Sparks, cofounder of Short Answer) have felt something like a nerdy version of a touring rock band lately. I’ve been “on tour” sharing Short Answer and working with teachers on adjusting writing instruction and assessment in the wake of AI at 6 different Edtech conferences over the last three months. After hearing dozens […]
Writing Instruction for the Age of AI Workshop
New AI tools like ChatGPT have upended K12 writing. Seven states have recently joined the Department of Education in calling for, “more professional development opportunities to equip educators with the skills and knowledge to effectively integrate AI into teaching and learning, and also for building students’ AI literacy”1. At the same time, almost 71% of educators […]
Short Answer Ambassadors
Intro Hello there, my name is Adam Sparks. My wife Alexa and I are the creators of Short Answer! First, we want to say thank you for being a Short Answer Teacher. We’re honored to have you using Short Answer in your classroom and are excited that you’re interested in becoming a Short Answer Ambassador. […]
TEKS + Short Answer
Short Answer in Texas Welcome Texas educators! Short Answer’s approach is a particularly good fit in schools that teach the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), especially for schools focusing on writing across the curriculum in the wake of recent updates to STAAR (see PDF 36-53 for the changes most relevant for Short Answer). Check out our […]
