4 Steps to automate 1-on-1 assessments for new learners

As educators, you have a whole host of tools you use to create educational and engaging online classes. These may include lesson plans, interactive games, exit tickets, and funnels to grow your business.

But what if there was a tool that could enhance your tutoring classes?

In this article, we’re going to discuss how this can help you gather information and make your communication with parents and learners more effective by using more tools in your online teaching business.

Before we begin, please note that it is never okay to collect personal information from a learner. For more information about what is and is not okay, please familiarize yourself with Outschool’s learner safety and privacy policy. We also urge you not to use any personal information of the family in your usage of AI tools.

What is a learner intake form?

If this phrase is new to you, you’re not alone. A learner intake form goes by several names: learner assessment, questionnaire, and data collection, among others. The goal is to collect the appropriate information needed to create materials and a learning environment that works best for an individual learner.

However, creating individualized assessments takes time. What do you do if a learner signs up last minute for a 1-on-1 session?

One suggestion is to use AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to create the intake form for you. (Please note that there are numerous online tools to help you write a learner intake form. In this article, we are focusing on one to avoid confusion). You can continue reading more about using AI in the classroom in Outschool’s Educator Library.

Below are a couple of tips to get you started:

Step 1: Gather information

When a family reaches out to you about your 1-on-1 classes, the first thing you need to do is come up with a plan about how you can evaluate the learner. Doing so allows you to discover which areas the learner needs help with. Typically, a parent will not know the exact area their learner is struggling with, so it is up to you to help them uncover it.

Here are some examples of questions that you may want to ask:

1. Why are you looking for a tutor?
2. What are your expectations for our meetings?
3. What do you want your learner to achieve after one meeting, six meetings, etc.?
4. What areas of study are you most concerned about?
5. Have you ever worked with a tutor before? Was it a good or bad experience?

Step 2: Create an assessment

Creating a general assessment and using a tool like ChatGPT allows you to address these concerns. In this example, we asked ChatGPT to write an assessment for a 7-year-old who needs tutoring help writing sentences.

The tool then gave us instructions on how to access the learner:

It also provided a series of tasks for our 1-on-1 session to determine which part of sentence writing is causing the most problems.

Step 3: Use interactive tools to evaluate learners

Now that you have the instructions and tasks to perform in class, you may want to decide the best way to share this material with your learner. Because Outschool offers classes to learners ranging from 3 years old to 18 years old, you may find that different ways of presenting the material works best for each learner. The same is true for each subject.

Let’s look at a couple of tools you can use to present your learner intake form. Remember, there is no right way to do this. It’s completely up to you based on how you best interact with your learners.

Slides

If you’re short on time or want to create a series of slides for visual learners, consider using a slide generation tool such as SlidesAI.io or AhaSlides. To do this, simply take the tasks provided by ChatGPT from the previous step and plug them into the slide generation tool. 

Quizzes and games

If your learners prefer online games, you’re in luck! Many popular educational gaming platforms now have AI tools embedded in them. For example, the trivia-style game Kahoot now has an AI question generator. However, if you’re using the ChatGPT-generated questions, you can import them directly into the game.

Other online quiz games like Quizlet’s Q-Chat or educaplay use AI functionalities that are usable for presenting an assessment when evaluating a new learner.

Performance-based tasks

Problem-solving, demonstrations, writing samples, and any other learning activity that requires the learner to demonstrate their knowledge of a topic is considered a performance-based task. The biggest difference between this form of assessment versus the two others is that the learner will show what they know instead of being tested on it. In this scenario, you can have learners show you the expected outcomes.

Step 4: Communicating with families

After your 1-on-1 meeting, the next step is to share feedback with the learner’s family. Part of having a successful online teaching business is good customer service, which includes making sure that you are sharing your assessment results with the family. Doing so helps families see the value in your 1-on-1 services and expertise. Tools such as Outschool’s AI Note Maker can help you achieve this goal.

You can also use ChatGPT to write feedback based on your assessment. 

Here’s what ChatGPT produced when asked to create an email based on a perfect score of the above assessment:

Subject: Excellent Performance on Sentence Writing Assessment!

Dear [Parent’s Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to share some exciting news with you regarding [Learner’s Name]’s recent assessment in sentence writing. I am thrilled to inform you that [He/She/They] achieved a perfect score of 25 out of 25 points!

[Learner’s Name] demonstrated exceptional proficiency in various aspects of sentence writing, and I am truly impressed by [his/her] abilities. [He/She/They] has shown an excellent grasp of sentence structure, grammar, and creativity in composing sentences and a short story.

Here’s a breakdown of [Learner’s Name]’s performance on the assessment:

• Task 1 – Write Simple Sentences: [He/She/They] successfully composed three clear and meaningful sentences on a chosen topic, showcasing [his/her] ability to express ideas effectively.
• Task 2 – Complete the Sentence: [Learner’s Name] adeptly completed each sentence starter, demonstrating a strong understanding of sentence construction.
• Task 3 – Correct the Sentences: [He/She/They] not only identified the errors in the sentences but also corrected them accurately, indicating a solid grasp of grammar and language mechanics.
• Task 4 – Build a Story: [Learner’s Name] created a captivating narrative with well-constructed sentences that flowed seamlessly from one to the next. [His/Her] storytelling skills are commendable.
• Task 5 – Describe a Picture: [He/She/They] provided vivid and detailed descriptions of the picture, showcasing [his/her] ability to convey visual information through writing.

It’s evident that [Learner’s Name] has a natural talent for writing and a strong foundation in language skills. I believe [He/She/They] has the potential for further development in this area.

Moving forward, I recommend continuing to nurture [Learner’s Name]’s writing skills through regular practice and exploration of different writing styles and genres. Encouraging [him/her] to read a variety of books can also have a positive impact on [his/her] writing abilities.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss a more personalized tutoring plan to further enhance [Learner’s Name]’s writing skills, please feel free to reach out. I am here to support [him/her] on this exciting learning journey.

Once again, congratulations to [Learner’s Name] on this outstanding achievement! I look forward to seeing [him/her] continue to thrive in their writing endeavors.

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

It can also help you explain areas of improvement if the learner did not get a perfect score:

Dear [Parent’s Name],

I hope you are well. I wanted to discuss the recent assessment of [Learner’s Name] in sentence writing. The assessment revealed a total score of 15 out of 25 points, with some areas needing further improvement.

Here is a breakdown of [Learner’s Name]’s performance on the assessment:

• Task 1 – Write Simple Sentences: [He/She/They] successfully composed three clear and meaningful sentences on a chosen topic, demonstrating a good ability to express ideas effectively.
• Task 2 – Complete the Sentence: Unfortunately, [Learner’s Name] had some difficulty completing the provided sentences. This area requires more attention and practice to enhance [his/her] skills in constructing complete sentences.
• Task 3 – Correct the Sentences: [He/She/They] showed some potential in identifying and correcting grammatical errors, but there is room for improvement in this area.
• Task 4 – Build a Story: [Learner’s Name] faced challenges in creating a coherent narrative with well-constructed sentences. This is another area where additional practice and guidance are needed.
• Task 5 – Describe a Picture: [He/She/They] provided descriptions of the picture but may benefit from more guidance in making these descriptions more vivid and detailed.

While the overall assessment score may not have been as high as we had hoped, it’s important to remember that assessments serve as a starting point for identifying areas where improvement is needed. It’s common for students to have strengths in certain aspects of writing while needing support in others.

I want to assure you that I am here to support [Learner’s Name]’s growth and development in writing. To address the areas that require improvement, I recommend the following:

• Focused Practice: We will work on completing sentences and building coherent stories through focused practice sessions tailored to [Learner’s Name]’s needs.
• Grammar and Mechanics: We will dedicate some time to reinforce [his/her] understanding of grammar and language mechanics.
• Reading: Encouraging [Learner’s Name] to read regularly can be immensely beneficial for improving writing skills. Reading helps in expanding vocabulary and understanding different writing styles.
• Regular Feedback: I will provide continuous feedback and guidance to help [Learner’s Name] make progress in sentence writing.

I firmly believe that with consistent effort and a bit of extra support, [Learner’s Name] can make significant strides in writing. I appreciate your commitment to [his/her/their] education and am confident that together, we can help [his/her/their]  reach [his/her/their] full potential.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the tutoring plan further, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to work together in the best interest of [Learner’s Name]’s success.

Thank you for your support and trust in our tutoring program. I look forward to working closely with both you and [Learner’s Name] to help [him/her] achieve the desired writing proficiency.

Warm regards,

[Your Name]

Remember that you can also make templated feedback responses for multiple scenarios and add a personal touch with at-home assignments or suggestions for additional meetings.

How does this help your online teaching business?

As the saying goes, time is money. To increase your 1-on-1 enrollments, you need to find ways to be more efficient outside of the classroom. Having tools readily available is one way to minimize time wasted trying to come up with new ideas for curriculum. 

Using AI tools, such as ChatGPT, you can spend more time working on growing your online teaching business and marketing to new learners.

So, what are you waiting for? Start putting together your 1-on-1 tutoring ideas and see what AI can do for your online classroom.

For additional insights and tips regarding growing your business, check out Outschool’s Educator Library.