Technological Sweet Spot
- Nov 2, 2025
- 2 min read
In the world of education we are teetering on a line between human interaction and the technological advancements which are entering into the field. As a virtual teacher I am often evaluating the best way to incorporate technology while still providing students with the human relationships to support their instruction. One of the ways I often use technology to support my students is through using it to auto-grade students.
By using technology to auto-grade responses students are receiving immediate
feedback on the work they are completing. Through automation, using technology to automatically provide students with results, students are able to instantly receive feedback on their work. One tool I use to give students this immediate feedback is through the use of google forms or other online quizzes. “It’s interesting to think about what kinds of software are in our classrooms now that do this. Perhaps the most obvious are the personalized learning systems, the kind of learning-recommender systems that have come out over the past five years” (Young, 2021). Using auto-grading technology students can see what is going well and identify areas where they still need to improve.
This puts the attention not on the final summative assessment but rather on identifying the areas for improvement during formative assessments. When it comes to final assessment we need to rethink what they look like, especially in light of the AI that is accessible to students. “When AI can produce these artifacts in seconds, we need to shift our focus to something machines can’t replicate: the human learning process" (Ybarra, 2025).
In finding the sweet spot for technologically assisted learning the magic happens when the technology and human interaction combine to give students a complete snapshot of their progress. In my sandbox 10 assessment I have combined and auto grading google forms assessment with a teacher interview in order to help students focus on the learning progress. Students have the opportunity to receive that automatic feedback on the form and then can take it to the next step through a teacher lead discussion on the next steps. Through this formative assessment the student’s attention can be focused on the progress they are making by identifying areas of growth and their existing strengths. “By focusing on process over
product, collaboration over competition, and critical thinking over content creation, we can prepare students for a world where working alongside AI is the norm, not the exception.” (Ybarra, 2025)
While teaching in a technologically rich environment, we constantly need to be weighing
the pros and cons of using technology. "Educators should be having a conversation about what parts of teaching should be automated, and which parts should be left to the humans, no matter how capable tech becomes" (Young, 2021). Even as it advances technology will not replace the humanity that is needed in the classroom. It can be a great tool but needs to be balanced in order to help prepare our students for the technologically rich world they are entering into.
Ybarra, S. (2025, July 22). Beyond the take-home essay: How AI is reshaping assessment in digital learning. Online Learning Consortium.
Young, Jeffrey. R. (Executive Producer). (2021, October 5). Should robots replace teachers? [Audio podcast]. EdSurge
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