The Packback Blog

Recent Articles

Case Study

Case Study: Helping Students Become Better at Writing Across the Curriculum with Packback

Lezlee Brinkman, a social studies teacher at Eisenhower High School in Houston, knows as well as any other educator that for many students, advanced history courses are a major step up in difficulty for students across a number of metrics. The complex and in-depth comprehension of the coursework is new to most students, and the reading and writing skills required to succeed in the course often requires a steep learning curve. Check out the below case study to see how Packback helped Lezlee’s students become better at writing across the curriculum.

Packback's Impact on Academic Achievement

Case Study

Case Study: Empowering Educators and Students – The Impact of Packback on Academic Achievement and Engagement

Evaluation of student work in higher education remains a cornerstone of academic progress tracking and skill development. Grades serve as a crucial metric for assessing student understanding, providing feedback, and guiding instructional strategies. However, as we prepare the next generation of practitioners and academics in our respective fields, the complexities of modern education in today’s economy demand an approach to evaluation that balances authentic assessment with measurable outcomes aligned to course objectives.

Case Study

Case Study: Enhancing Student Engagement, Sentiment, and Teaching Evaluations with Packback

One of the realities of teaching in higher education is that student evaluations are core to the tenure and promotion process, at least when it comes to assessment of teaching practice and course quality. It’s often a review committee’s only direct window into how your students perceive you, your quality as an instructor, and the efficacy of the courses you’ve created and executed. We know a few other things about them, too – good, bad, or ugly.

For Educators

How Instructional AI Feedback Can Improve Student Outcomes and Classroom Engagement

Often when you hear or read the words “AI feedback” you think of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc. that do the writing and thinking for students. These tools can be given a simple prompt and return answers sophisticated enough to pass the bar exam.

This however, is a common misconception. In fact, there are several other forms of AI feedback, like Instructional AI, that when used and implemented properly, can scaffold and support learning, while simultaneously acting as an extension of the teacher. These pedagogically sound AI feedback loops have even been shown to improve student outcomes, enhance writing skills, and promote better classroom engagement.

Announcements

Packback Named To TIME World’s Top EdTech Companies 2024

An image recognizing Packback being named to the the Worlds Top EdTech Companies 2024

Packback is proud to announce that we have been named to the inaugural list of Time and Statista’s “World’s Top EdTech Companies 2024”.

Michelle Barton: Teacher Turned Packbacker

Hi! For those of you I haven’t met, my name is Michelle Barton, I’m a former teacher turned Packbacker. Ever since second grade, I knew I had a love for education and that I wanted to be a teacher (and believe me, everyone else around me knew it too). Teaching is something very near and dear to my heart, some would say I was born with the need to teach!

For Educators

5 Spring Break Tips for Educators

On Sunday, February 2, 2024 our dear friend Punxsutawney Phil poked out of his hole and showed us his furry little face for the first time since 2023. As Philly Fahrenheit walked around that day, he saw many things, but one thing he didn’t see was his shadow. Which meant spring would be coming soon around the corner.

Fast forward to March, and as our friend Phil foretold, Spring is indeed here meaning we are inching ever closer to Spring break. For students, Spring break offers a chance to unwind, blow off some steam and forget their responsibilities for a week. However, Spring break means something different for educators.

How accessibility impacts people with disabilities

Features

All Things Accessibility

I’m Viktor Köves, a front-end engineer and accessibility specialist at Packback. I am incredibly passionate about accessibility and believe that accessibility is a moral obligation, legal obligation, and a civil right. Despite the many laws and regulations in place, I find pervasive gaps in accessibility – whether it’s at my local train station or on the online ordering portal of a popular fast casual chain restaurant that specializes in bowls and burritos. ?

I wasn’t always passionate about nor an expert on web accessibility. So my intention is to share a bit of information on accessibility, and how designing technology with accessibility benefits all of us!

The Future of Education: AI Learning Tools for Students and Teachers

The education landscape is rapidly evolving due to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). AI learning tools are being used in classrooms, giving students new learning opportunities and helping teachers educate. As the pioneers of Instructional AI, Packback is leading the way providing powerful AI feedback for every student and every teacher.

Stories

How Will AI Impact Education in 2024?

2023 was certainly a banner year for AI. It exploded and seemingly dominated almost every conversation; from home, to the workplace, to the classroom, it was basically unavoidable. I don’t know about you, but it also was a topic of conversation around the dinner table during the holiday season, and let me tell you, there were some wild opinions shared (looking at you Uncle Mark).

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Curious to learn more? One of our friendly strategy consultants will be excited to meet you and discuss your course learning objectives. We will provide a free consultation to see if Packback would be a good fit for your class!

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