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Best practices for AI Grading

Updated this week

This guide outlines best practices for setting up assignments that work well with AI grading. It helps ensure AI evaluations are aligned with your expectations and reduces the chances of mismatched or inaccurate evaluations.

1. Choosing the assignments that work well with Toddle AI

Identify the types of assignments where AI grading can be used effectively.

Use AI grading for assignments like:

Assignment Type

Why It Works Well

Math worksheets and problem sets (e.g. solving equations, showing steps, applying formulas)

Toddle AI generates a solution and evaluates each student’s response based on accuracy and reasoning.

Written responses (e.g. explaining a concept, describing a scientific process)

Toddle AI evaluates how clearly and accurately the student explains an idea, using structure and content expectations from the task.

Analytical tasks (e.g. comparing sources, interpreting data or graphs)

Toddle AI checks for logical reasoning and use of evidence by comparing the response against an internally generated exemplar.

Structured templates or worksheets (e.g. graphic organizers, T-charts, reflection tables)

Toddle AI follows the format of the template or worksheet and evaluates each part based on its content and structure.

🚫 Avoid using AI grading for:

Assignment Type

Why It’s a Problem

Oral presentation tasks (e.g. fluency, presentations, read alouds)

Toddle AI cannot process audio and video formats, so these will be skipped or graded incorrectly.

Other learning tools (e.g. Google Forms, Kahoot, Padlet)

Toddle AI cannot access other platforms unless they are publicly accessible. These are better auto-graded or assessed manually.

Tasks where evaluation is based on effort, collaboration, or process (e.g. group participation, iterative drafts, hands-on models)

Toddle AI cannot "see" student effort unless it's reflected in the submission. These aspects are best evaluated by the teacher.

Creative performance tasks (e.g. skits, dioramas, art projects) without written reflection

Unless students submit a written reflection, Toddle AI cannot fairly evaluate these tasks.

See the full list of supported submission types here.


2. Making Task Instructions Clear

Ensure that Toddle AI clearly understands what students are expected to do by providing all necessary instructions and materials in the assignment.

Why this matters

For every assignment, Toddle AI builds an internal evaluation guide based on the instructions, submission template, and resources you provide. If your assignment is incomplete or unclear, the evaluation guide won’t match the students’ submissions, leading to less effective grading.

Principle

Good Example

Poor Example

1. Clearly specify what students are expected to do in the description

If the task is too vague, Toddle AI will create a broad or generic evaluation guide that doesn't match your expectations.

Draw a Tree Map for Types of Prepositions. Create three main branches:

  • Prepositions of Place

  • Prepositions of Time

  • Prepositions of Direction/Movement

Under each category, learners add:

  • 3–4 example words

  • A simple sentence and a doodle or emoji to match

Draw a Tree Map for Types of Prepositions.

(no further details)

2. Upload all materials the students are working with (e.g. worksheets, textbook pages)

Without access to all the relevant materials, Toddle AI won't see what students are responding to — and will build an evaluation guide with its own assumptions.

Answer Q1–Q5 from page 62 of World History Today. (attached image of the page)

or

Read the data expressed in tables and column charts. (attached image or PDF of worksheet)

Answer Q1–Q5 of the textbook. (but no textbook uploaded)

or

Read the data expressed in tables and column charts. (but worksheet not attached)

3. Don’t rely on verbal or in-class instructions alone

Without access to the additional instructions provided — Toddle AI may build an evaluation guide with its own assumptions.

Include verbal instructions as written instructions in the task itself.

"Label the parts of the plant and describe their functions in one sentence each. Use the diagram provided.”

Instructions were only given on the blackboard or explained verbally in class.

4. Provide clear submission instructions to students

Toddle AI can only read Google Drive or One Drive submissions that are added via the appropriate add-on, not directly via links.

"Submit your research as a Google doc or PDF here. If using Google Drive or OneDrive, use the appropriate add-on to attach the file directly."

No submission instructions provided.


3. Designing Effective Assessment Tools

Set up assessment tools in a way that makes grading more objective and aligned with expectations, so that there is no ambiguity in how student work is evaluated.

Assessment Tool

Good Example

Poor example

Score

The final score is broken down clearly in the assignment so Toddle AI aligns with your expectations of scoring.

Solving a word problem (5 marks)

  • 5 marks: Correct answer with all steps shown

  • 3 marks: Minor calculation or unit errors

  • 1 mark: Final answer is incorrect and no steps shown

Solving a word problem (5 marks)

Rubric

For each criterion, descriptors are clearly described and grounded in specific, observable indicators.

Criterion: Use of Evidence

  • Accomplished: Cites 2 or more specific and relevant pieces of evidence. Each piece is clearly explained and directly supports the argument.

  • Mastering: Cites 1–2 relevant pieces of evidence. At least one is explained, but connections to the argument may be unclear.
    ...

Criterion: Use of Evidence

  • Accomplished: Uses strong examples to support all ideas.

  • Mastering: Includes examples but they’re not strong

    ...

Checklist

Checklist items are specific and objective.

Checklist: Diagram of a Plant Cell

  • Draws a diagram that includes at least three key features (e.g. nucleus, membrane, cytoplasm)

  • Labels at least three features of the diagram

  • Each labelled part includes a short description (one phrase or sentence)

Checklist: Diagram of a Plant Cell

  • Draws a diagram of the plant cells

  • Labels the features of the plant cell

  • Describes the features

MYP Criteria

Re-write the MYP rubric with task specific clarifications.

Task-Specific Clarification — Criterion B: Investigating

Task: Formulate a research question about the impact of social media on teenage mental health

  • 1–2 – The student writes a research question related to social media or teenage mental health but not both. Relevance is mentioned without explanation.

  • 3–4 – The student writes a clear and focused question about the impact of social media on teenage mental health and briefly describes why it matters.

    ....

Genric MYP Criterion B — Investigating

(used as-is without adapting to the task)

  • 1–2 – The student formulates a research question that is clear or focused and describes its relevance.

  • 3–4 – The student formulates a research question that is clear and focused and describes its relevance in detail.

    ...

For other questions, refer to our FAQs for AI grading.

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