ThinkCERCA provides a variety of opportunities for assessments as learning, assessment for learning, and assessment of learning.
Through practice opportunities, assessments, and individual student reporting functionality, we empower students to understand where they are in their progress toward mastery of grade-level expectations.
ThinkCERCA’s award-winning AI provides feedback in the draft stage of writing and after writing is completed. These may both be considered formative pieces of feedback.
- Feedback (CERCA Scan in the Draft stage): Feedback assesses student progress and provides encouragement and actionable strategies for students to tackle opportunities for growth. No scores are assigned.
- Rubric Scores (CERCA AI auto scores): Scores are provided for overall performance and performance by aspect/rubric category to help students gauge where they are in relation to grade-level standards. These scores should be treated as draft scores. Powered by AI, our autoscoring tool evaluates key aspects of student writing to provide an initial sense of student performance in relation to grade-level expectations.
Why does this feedback look different? If students are wondering why the formative feedback is positive, and their score in the end is not perfect, it is because it is important to shine a light on the bright spots as students progress. This helps students remember to hang on to those strengths, while also lighting the path forward. Improving writing is a marathon, not a sprint, so we need encouragement along the way. Here are some key concepts to consider as you and your students learn to leverage AI in the classroom. One of the overarching principles to keep in mind is that AI, like humans, isn't always perfect. It is always improving, but teaching students to question the results of AI is an important skill. Teachers should also feel empowered to edit and revise scores, while maintaining high expectations for all students.
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AI Feedback
(Formative Assessment for Learning)
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Rubric Scores
(Assessment as Learning)
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Teacher’s Role
(Assessment of Learning)
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What is provided:
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Feedback
Strengths
Growth opportunities
Action steps for revision
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Evaluation
Overall proficiency level
Scores by rubric aspect
Personalized growth focus
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Authentic Assessment
Human review of AI scores
Score approval or adjustment
Final grading decisions
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Support for students:
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Encourages reflection on strengths
Provides revision strategies
Reinforces revision mindset
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Helps students see progress toward grade-level expectations
Helps prioritize revision focus
Reinforces progress as part of the learning journey
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Helps teachers provide clarity when encouraging feedback doesn't translate "yet" into top ratings
Sparks teachable moments--when students question their scores teachers can provide clarity around expectations.
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How to talk to students about this:
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“This feedback highlights what you’re doing well and how you can grow. You’re building writing skills over time.”
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“Focusing on this area will help you grow faster. You’re making progress and understanding expectations, but you will get to the highest levels as you continue to build your skills.”
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“Let’s look at your scores and talk through where you see discrepancies between the expectations and your draft.”
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There is also no better teachable moment than when students disagree with the score. If students are motivated to make the case for a higher score they are well-positioned to reread their work critically, understand the rubric more deeply, and understand the opportunities and limits of AI.
When your students reach out to you for help, you can support them with all three components.
Read about our update here.
