Integrating generative AI
into the classroom
PowerNotes | Work at Manifold | Product design
My Role
Product Designer
Visual Designer
Brett Peterson (Product Manager)
Nick Mueller (Visual Designer)
Camilo Bravo (Developer)
Team
Timeline
Jan 2023 - June 2023
PowerNotes is a research-to-writing productivity tool with a quick browser extension for saving and organizing web content seamlessly. It lets you create annotated outlines effortlessly. Once you’ve gathered your research, the web app facilitates easy assessment, reorganization and export options, streamlining the transition from research to drafting.
The rise of conversation AI posed a big challenge - Research shows that 90% of students use ChatGPT for assignments so a critical need arose for a strategic response. To effectively address the challenge, PowerNotes partnered with Manifold to take a proactive step towards integrating generative AI into the academic environment.
This effort also marked a pivotal expansion into a B2B2C model, enabling institutions to offer PowerNotes to students as a key tool for academic research and writing, aligning with the evolving needs of modern education.
Background
We didn’t want to just treat it as a commodity and just integrate AI into Powernotes and call it a day. Our goal was to introduce AI such that it seamlessly fits with the PowerNotes tool & workflow in a way that it's easy to use and valuable for everyone. We interviewed 15+ students and professors to gather insights directly from them. Key takeaways:
Research
Our goal was to develop a platform that is tailored to promote academic integrity and efficient learning. Educators and learners collaborate effectively and transparently throughout research and writing assignments, through an integrated and inclusive process.
Goal
Provide guidance in discovering & understanding sources
Student | Solution #1 - Discovery AI
Doing research is difficult. Students spend hours scrolling through irrelevant information or bouncing between countless related sources which causes inefficient learning. Discovery AI feature harnesses the power of AI to enhance and optimize the research experience.
Student | Solution #2 - Brainstorm with AI
Provide assistance in synthesizing sources
We are leveraging conversational AI to act as a tutor, to help students make sense of the research they’ve already done. For example, a student could ask AI to point out possible connections between quotes that they have collected. Or, a student could select those sources and ask the AI to suggest topic sentences to tie all of those points together.
Professor | Solution #1
Integrates with an institution's own LMS, such as Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, and D2L Brightspace, as well as with library systems like ProQuest and EBSCO. Within assignments in PowerNotes, faculty can specify to which extent students can access AI writing tools, with all interactions saved for faculty review. AI prompting features combine research with AI to reduce hallucinations.
LMS Integration
Professor | Solution #2
Visibility into students' learning process
View student engagement: Insight's Activity Log provides a record of the learning process that enables professors to evaluate the learning process, not just results. Questions of academic integrity can be addressed using evidence, not suspicion.
Identify issues early: Spot potential problems and assess students' academic integrity in regard to AI use or contract cheating. This gives professors an opportunity to course correct early, leading to better student outcomes.
Understand students' AI usage: The Insight Score compares students' work to their final submission. Professors can investigate low Insight scores by reviewing the Project Outline and a downloadable Activity Log, including AI interactions.
UI & Branding Refresh
The refreshed UI and new AI features are currently available in alpha to a gradually expanding number of institutions, with positive feedback received overall. My work on PowerNotes' new B2B2C offering has driven its adoption by over 80 institutions, establishing it as the company's primary revenue source.
Over nearly three years of partnership and development, I alongside our team at Manifold have helped deliver the complete PowerNotes product experience, product design, and brand identity. View some of those here.
Outcome & Next Steps
80+
Partner Institutions
+30%
Free trial conversions
+50%
User engagement