CASE STUDYPinellas County SchoolsHow Pinellas County Used Instructional AI to Strengthen College Essay SkillsPinellas County Schools needed a scalable way to support college essay writing and inquiry skills across AVID classrooms. Packback provided real-time writing feedback, increased engagement, and freed up valuable instructional time. Key Takeaways Significant time saved on grading and feedback Students better prepared for college essays and digital communication Increased peer collaboration and classroom engagement Situation Martin O’Neal, an AVID Elective teacher in Pinellas County, was tasked with preparing 180 high school seniors to write college-level essays. Despite his efforts, students lacked formal writing structure and struggled with critical thinking and academic inquiry. Students had little experience with intensive writing practice and needed one-on-one coaching. Martin lacked the time and resources to provide individualized, timely feedback at scale. Traditional discussions and grading were time-consuming and didn’t engage students in higher-order thinking. Action In summer 2023, Greg implemented Packback to bring purpose and relevance back into his classroom, without increasing his grading workload. He first piloted Packback Questions, comparing it to Canvas discussions side-by-side and saw instant improvement in length and quality of posts. Then he brought in Deep Dives to elevate long-form writing assignments and integrate students’ ideas from discussion into essays and exams. Students began referencing one another more both online and in person, and Greg leaned into it, using Packback threads to drive classroom discussions. Result Students became more engaged, began collaborating outside of class, and improved both their writing and critical thinking skills. Martin was able to focus more on individualized student support. Students improved their ability to ask deeper questions and articulate ideas clearly. More peer-to-peer collaboration created a stronger classroom learning community. Martin had more time for college prep support and AVID instruction without sacrificing writing rigor Real Impact, Real Voices Much of my day is spent with students on college applications, essays, financial aid, and their questions about where they are going. I was concerned that this focus might take away from other important parts of AVID that we need to address. However, I think with Packback, I have the time to engage in those key AVID areas, prepare them for college and career,while also having a clear snapshot of their progress when I review and grade their work.” Martin O'Neal Pinellas County Schools SCHEDULE A DEMOWant to acheive similar results ? Contact us today. "*" indicates required fields First Name*Last Name*Email* Your Role*Select OneFaculty (Higher Education)Administrator (Higher Education)Instructor (K-12)Administrator (K-12)OtherInstitution*EmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
