Macmillan Learning Launches iClicker AI Question Creator for Educators
Macmillan Learning announced the introduction of the iClicker AI Question Creator, a new feature for instructors that utilises generative AI to facilitate the creation of customised learning questions.
iClicker, developed by a team from the University of Illinois, is used in higher education, engaging more than 1.3 million students each year. It supports active learning by facilitating quizzing, group collaboration, and polling, offering real-time insights into students' comprehension.
Set to enhance the iClicker platform, the AI tool will be made available to the first 5,000 instructors who register for the beta version.
The AI Question Creator is designed to support educators in generating questions across various subjects and difficulty levels. It allows for customisation according to specific academic goals, enabling the creation of questions that are tailored to different teaching objectives.
Steven Ray, VP of Enterprise Solutions at Macmillan Learning, stated, "The AI Question Creator is intended to save instructors time and support them in creating a more interactive learning environment."
The tool will be used to generate questions for iClicker activities, such as polls, quizzes, and assignments, and features the capability to produce unique questions that are not easily found online. This aims to provide a more genuine assessment of students' understanding. The iClicker system allows for immediate display and engagement with these questions in the classroom.
The AI Question Creator will enable instructors to generate up to 50 unique questions during its beta period. Access to the beta version requires an iClicker account, and the beta is scheduled to conclude in May, with a full launch planned for the fall.
The AI Question Creator includes features such as the ability to create questions effortlessly, adapt to student needs in real time, and enhance academic integrity by generating unique questions.
Justin Shaffer, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and a Teaching Professor at the Colorado School of Mines, remarked on the utility of the tool: "After teaching introductory biology for 12 years, I find it harder and harder to come up with novel quiz questions. Using the AI Question Creator allowed me to easily generate personalised questions that varied on topic, content, scenario, and Bloom’s level, all with an easy-to-use drop-down-box and text entry interface."
