Digital learning platform boosts exam results, teacher says

A digital learning platform helped students improve their Estonian language and mathematics exam results by about 11 to 16 percent, according to research by teacher Martin Filippov, ERR reported. He says artificial intelligence is also changing how teachers and students approach learning.

Filippov, a mathematics teacher at Tallinn English College and the French Lyceum, analysed a digital platform that brought together past exams, extra exercises and materials prepared by teachers. It resembled Google Drive and also let students book lessons.

Students who used the platform performed better because they had easier access to materials, worked solutions and exam-style exercises, Filippov said on Vikerraadio’s Kajalood programme. The resources gave them more confidence and encouraged them to practise more.

His project is the basis for a wider study now under way across Europe, which aims to test how effective a similar hybrid feedback system is in different countries.

AI makes homework harder to assess

The rapid spread of artificial intelligence has forced schools to adapt. ChatGPT and other language models can produce answers in seconds, making traditional homework assessment less reliable and changing the teacher’s role beyond simply checking answers.

Filippov said motivated students who want to take part in Olympiads and engage in class are unlikely to misuse ChatGPT. He does not grade homework in his own classes. Instead, students’ grades are based only on paper tests completed during lessons, so their results depend on what they demonstrate in the classroom.

Used carefully, language models can also offer useful learning opportunities. In mathematics, AI can generate engaging, real-life exercises, Filippov said. But its solutions often do not meet the requirements of Estonia’s curriculum, and getting suitable results requires precise prompts.

AI can also produce nonsensical answers. To generate good exercises, teachers need to provide specific examples and solution methods, Filippov said. He has added lessons to teach students how to prompt ChatGPT to produce solutions that meet local requirements.