What is Discussion Mode?
The AI tutor asks each student adaptive questions about a topic or a class reading, and you read the transcript to see what they understand.
Discussion Mode is a conversation between an AI tutor and each of your students about a topic or a class reading. The tutor asks adaptive questions that promote deeper thinking, at the right level of challenge for each student. You then read the whole conversation, which shows the depth of each student’s understanding.
Students don’t need an account. They enter the task’s access code and their first name, and the conversation starts.
Choose the kind of discussion
When you create a task and choose Discussion mode, pick one of three kinds.
Revision is a low-stakes discussion about a topic or curriculum area. The tutor questions more gently and gives more supportive feedback, so it suits consolidating learning before an assessment.
Assessment is a summative conversation with less supportive feedback. The tutor presses for evidence and reasoning rather than scaffolding, so choose this option when you are grading the transcript of the discussion.
Class Reading checks comprehension of a reading. Upload or paste the reading, or name a well-known text such as Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 2, and the AI checks that it knows the text. Students don’t see the reading during the conversation, so give it to them beforehand.
Setting it up
The task editor takes you through these steps in order.
Task design: upload a document and we pull out the key details, or choose Design Task to enter the subject, year level, topic and focus yourself.
Student Instructions: the title and instructions students read before they start. AI can suggest them, and you can attach a PDF. A document you uploaded in Task design is attached here for students as the instructions PDF. If it holds answers or a marking guide, click Remove under PDF attachment before you publish.
Customisation: the tutor asks 12 questions unless you change it. Turn on I want to customise this task to set between 5 and 15 questions, change the conversational style where your subject offers a choice, add Standardised questions that every student is asked, or set a Time limit.
Accessibility: spellcheck, plus the voice options Speak answers and Read replies aloud.
Preview task: optional. Try the conversation yourself before your students do.
Select rubric: turn on Use a rubric for this task if you want to mark each conversation against a rubric.
Finalise: check Secure mode, Student access and the AI summary settings, then click Save & complete.
Secure mode and AI summaries
Secure mode is on by default. It suits in-class work: students are locked into the task, it only opens when you start the class, and a student who leaves is locked out until you readmit them. See Tips to avoid students being locked out.
For homework and revision, turn Secure mode off, then set Student access to Straight away. This will allow students to start the task at home and they will not get locked out while completing the task.
Generate AI summary is on by default. When a student finishes, the AI reviews their transcript and writes a snapshot of how they demonstrated their understanding.
Hold for educator review is on by default too, so students only see a summary once you release it. AI can make mistakes, so check a summary before you use it as a form of educational evidence.
When a conversation ends
Once the tutor has asked its questions, it closes the conversation and the student’s responses are submitted. A student can also finish early with Exit & submit. Open any student from the task page to read their transcript.