Campfire Session — Student Self-study

Tips and examples about how students can use Flint to leverage AI for studying, learning, and researching on their own.

Lulu Gao, Head of Teacher Experience at Flint | LinkedIn

During this session, Flint's Head of Teacher Experience, Lulu Gao, discussed the different ways students can use Flint to study, learn, and research. Educators who have seen students use Flint on their own also shared their stories of how they rolled Flint out to students and what the outcomes have looked like.

This session covered:

Talk to Flint feature
Teacher-built activities
Student-built activities

Slides from the presentation can be found here.

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Introduction • 00:00

The agenda for the call is shared.

Ice-breaking news • 01:13

An article from Forbes is shared. It states that students learned twice as much with an AI tutor than from lectures.
A study from an online university in Germany is mentioned. It found that learning time was reduced by 27% using an AI chatbot.
Kelley Briceno emphasizes AI tutors as a supplement to teachers. Positive results with AI tutors assisting younger students are highlighted.

Talk to Flint feature • 04:57

Perks and limitations of this method are shared.
The Talk to Flint feature is demonstrated. Students can use it for specific problems and research assistance.
Students can draw on a whiteboard to show their work. The feature allows for customized help with specific problems.
Quiz questions can be generated for studying topics.
The Talk to Flint feature cites information while creating quiz questions.

Educator stories about Talk to Flint use • 08:14

James Bender shares what he's been seeing students use Talk to Flint as an admin. Concerns about students using AI just to answer homework questions are discussed. The need for guidance in using the tool effectively is emphasized. Conversations about oversight of student use have been important to their faculty.
Mica Mulloy shares positive observations about student engagement with the platform. He says that 4/5 times he check into the sessions, he's seeing positive use of AI with students asking questions to try and understand, not just solve. He says he didn't train students to use AI this way, and that the students must see the value in it because they keep going back to it.

Teacher-built activities • 12:38

Perks and limitations of this method are shared. Customization and AI grading are highlighted benefits.
An example of a Spanish teacher's individualized summer practice activities is shared. The practice helped new students meet class expectations.
Kevin Gregorio's research on retrieval practice and its benefits is discussed. The importance of active practice over passive learning is emphasized.

Educator stories about teacher-built activities • 19:43

Kevin shares more on retrieval and feedback in education. The potential of generative AI to enhance learning experiences is highlighted. A specific student success story is shared. The student demonstrates increased motivation and engagement through the use of Flint.
James mentions a significant increase in teacher-created activities at their school. This uptick occurred in preparation for midterms.
Teachers were encouraged to build activities for students. The concept of practice was emphasized using a sports analogy.

Student-built activities • 25:56

Perks and limitations of this method are shared.
Students were informed about creating their own activities. The importance of clear school policy on AI usage was discussed.
A custom activity can be created for students. Students can personalize their learning experiences with Flint. Follow-up activities are suggested by Flint and easy for students to use to continue their learning.
Flint assists in creating engaging educational activities. An example activity on collisions using capybaras is discussed.

Educator stories about student-built activities • 31:44

Mica shares about a student who created an activity for feedback. The teacher praised the student's initiative and creativity.
An engineering student designed a canoe using complex calculations. The student received assistance with material usage and design.
A student developed an activity for mastering geometric proofs. The activity provided guidance on solving triangle congruence problems.
A student utilized the platform for essay feedback. The student was assisting a sibling with their work.
Students engaged in building a CubeSat project. They collaborated with Arizona State University for solar panel technology.

Question about how students were initially introduced to Flint • 39:27

Initial promotion of the platform was not necessary. Students discovered and shared it through word of mouth.
The importance of effective prompt writing is emphasized. A conversational approach to using AI is discussed.
Teachers are identified as resistors to AI integration. Students are shown to be more engaged and proactive in using AI tools.
Students are encouraged to participate in shaping their learning experience. The need for oversight in student exploration of AI tools is highlighted.
Concerns about AI's incorrect responses are shared. Confidence in using the platform is emphasized.

Conclusion and future sessions • 47:17

A discussion about collecting ideas for activities occurs.
Plans for future sessions are outlined. Upcoming presentations on evaluating student responses are mentioned.