From overwhelm to engagement: Using creativity and AI in dense subjects 

With the equivalent of two units’ worth of material packed into one, students were understandably overwhelmed. The sheer volume of content left them struggling to stay engaged, let alone deeply process the material. 

Recognising the need to support students, Irina decided to revamp one of the assessment tasks. Her goal? To make learning more engaging and to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding in a creative and memorable way. The result was a new portfolio assessment that included, among other things, short video explanations and reflection tasks. 

The centerpiece of Irina’s new assessment was a task that asked students to create a short (no more than 2 minutes) video where they would explain a key anatomical concept in a memorable way.  

Using AI to spark innovative thinking 

Irina was mindful that this was not a media or communications unit. She didn’t want to add unnecessary pressure or stress on students who might feel uncomfortable with creative idea generation, so she encouraged students to use any tools, including AI, to generate ideas or come up with everyday metaphors that would make complex concepts easier to grasp. 

Video by Rosie Stoddart – Brilliant Idea

Balancing personal input with AI assistance  

By allowing AI to assist, Irina aimed to reduce anxiety and let students explore how AI tools could complement students’ existing skillset and be used as an assistant. This made the task accessible to all, regardless of their creative skills. 

Boosting engagement with a contest 

To add a competitive edge, Irina announced that prizes would be awarded for the best videos, as judged by both a popular vote among the students and a panel of educators. This approach not only motivated students to put extra effort into their work but also encouraged them to watch and learn from each other’s videos. 

Video by Kajal Thanki – Most Popular Videos

Encouraging deep reflection and peer learning 

In addition to the video task, students were invited to reflect on their learning journey—specifically on the stumbling blocks they encountered and how they overcame them. This reflective practice was designed to help busy students think critically about what strategies worked for them and what could be improved, contributing to a supportive community of learners where challenges were normalised and shared. 

Irina’s students receiving prizes for the best videos (a certificate and a textbook).

Learning from the first trial  

Implementing this new assessment task wasn’t without its challenges. For example, Irina initially used VoiceThread for video submissions, but the tool’s excessive email notifications quickly became overwhelming for both students and herself. She later switched to Forum submissions, which proved to be more suitable overall. 

Students reactions 

Despite these technical hiccups, most students responded positively to the assessment. They appreciated the creative aspect and the opportunity to engage with the material in a new way. One student shared, “I loved the concept of the memorable explanations—it helped me review and really understand the content at a higher level.” Another echoed this sentiment, noting, “The video assessment allowed us to be creative and make interesting short videos. It was both beneficial and enjoyable, expanding my knowledge of the content.” 

Students also found the approach to be a refreshing change from traditional assessments. One remarked, “This unit was more engaging thanks to the creative video tasks. It wasn’t just about quizzes; it helped us understand the topics while also aiding others in their learning.” 

The unexpected joy of marking 

Irina was pleasantly surprised by how much she enjoyed watching the videos herself! Despite initially planning not to mark them personally, “I ended up marking all 300 videos because they were so enjoyable,” she noted. The task also seemed to have a positive impact on student performance, with fewer students failing the unit compared to previous cohorts. While it’s difficult to attribute this improvement solely to the new assessment, Irina believes it played an important role. 

I also loved reading students’ reflections and I have learnt so much about issues that students struggled with and how they tackle those issues. This was rich material for me as an educator to reflect on what I can do to help my students in their learning journey.

Irina Dedova

Video by Jesse Cross – Mesmerizing Creation

Lessons learned and moving forward 

Of course, there were lessons learned along the way. One issue that arose was the depth of content in some of the student videos. Irina realised that the sample video she provided was too simplistic, leading some students to produce content that lacked the necessary depth. In future iterations, she plans to either provide a more appropriately challenging example or perhaps avoid giving a sample altogether to encourage more original thinking. 

Another interesting outcome was the use of AI for voiceovers. Some students, particularly those for whom English is not a first language, opted to use AI-generated voices for their videos. While Irina initially had reservations about this, she ultimately decided that it was an acceptable approach, given that communication skills were not a core competency for the unit.  

This experience has raised some interesting questions for Irina as she considers the future of this assessment task. Should AI voiceovers be encouraged, or should students be required to present their own voices to ensure authenticity? As AI becomes more prevalent in education, how can we ensure that its use enhances learning without hindering the development of other skills?  

Video by Sofia Sahami – Hard Topic Made Easy

As Irina reflects on these questions, one thing is clear: the creative and reflective nature of this task has helped her students engage with the material in a more meaningful way. 

What do YOU think?

How do YOU feel about encouraging students to use AI? Would it enhance their learning, or do you feel that it’ll rob them of the skill development?  

I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments or reach out to me directly.  

Image credits: Header Image is AI generated