One of the most difficult challenges for millions of teachers is navigating administrative tasks and finding time for their most important job—engaging with students. At Pearson, we understand this challenge and are committed to providing solutions that will help teachers spend more time teaching. That is why we created an AI tool for teachers, with custom assessments features to streamline the assessment creation process. Currently being piloted by Connections Academy high school English teachers in the US, this tool allows educators to dedicate more time to inspiring their students and delivering high-quality education.
Streamlining Assessment Creation
Pearson's AI Instructor Tool for Teachers is improving the way educators approach assessment creation, a crucial component of effective teaching. By automating this process, the tool reduces the time required from over an hour to less than 30 minutes, freeing teachers to focus on meaningful interactions with students.
Teachers often struggle to balance administrative duties with personalised teaching, and the creation of custom assessments can be particularly taxing. Pearson's AI Instructor Tool for Teachers alleviates this burden by allowing educators to input course objectives and standards, generating a variety of question types that align with these criteria. This not only saves time but ensures assessments are comprehensive and tailored to measure student understanding effectively.
Proven Impact
Since the tool’s pilot launch in September 2024, it has been embraced by 120 teachers at Connections Academy schools teaching middle and high school English. They have created over 1,200 AI-enabled custom assessments, which has collectively saved them more than 600 hours, showcasing the potential of AI in K12 education. Teachers report significant improvements in their workflow, allowing them to dedicate more time to personalised instruction and student interaction.
Pearson's AI Instructor Tool for Teachers “is very easy to use. I saw a colleague use it and decided to check it out because I saw the product and the output from it was great,” said Samantha Smith, a high school English teacher at Alabama Connections Academy, who is now able to create custom assessments with the tool in less than 10 minutes. "The more I delved into it, the more I saw the different tweaks that can be made to the assessment itself, which solved the challenge last year of creating scaffolded assessments.”
Future Innovations and Expansions
Pearson is committed to continuous innovation, with plans to expand the subject coverage for the AI Instructor Tool for Teachers and enhance feedback mechanisms. Future iterations will support math subjects, broadening its applicability across disciplines. More than just a technological advancement, this tool is a vital resource for educators striving to balance administrative duties with impactful teaching.
Through integrating AI grounded in learning science into K12 teaching, Pearson ensures tools not only enhance efficiency but deepen learning and improve educational outcomes. These benefits support the goal of helping students learn how they learn best to make more progress in a shorter period of time.
Pearson's application of generative AI is backed by learning science and vetted by subject matter experts. With over 80% of our products now digital or digitally enabled, Pearson is committed to the responsible application of AI to enhance the teaching and learning experience for educators, students, and employers.
Through innovative solutions, Pearson is helping educators and students realise the life they imagine through learning.