Suggestions for improving the Savvy Writer tool

Savvy Writer Team,

Thank you very much for your thoughtful response regarding my concerns with Savvy Writer. Following my previous correspondence, I have compiled a list of specific, actionable suggestions for improving the Savvy Writer tool. As the platform is new, I understand that it is an iterative process, and I hope this feedback from a classroom perspective proves valuable in its development.My recommendations are focused on enhancing usability, feedback specificity, and instructional alignment:

1. Enhance Feedback for Repetition: The current implementation of a submission-blocking error for repetition is counterproductive.

   • Recommendation: Re-categorize this from a critical error to a stylistic suggestion. Similar to how spelling errors are highlighted, the system could highlight repetitive words or phrases. This feedback could then be presented under a new rubric category, such as "Word Choice and Phrasing," allowing for revision without halting student progress.

2. Improve UI for Critical Error Notifications: The red error banner at the top of the page is often missed by students, who must scroll to see it after receiving a prompt on the side.

   • Recommendation: For submission-blocking errors like a missing quotation mark, implement a modal pop-up window. This ensures the student sees and understands the issue. The message could be student-friendly (e.g., "We've noticed a missing quotation mark. Please review your dialogue to ensure it is formatted correctly before submitting."). Highlighting all existing quotation marks on the page simultaneously would further aid in troubleshooting.

3. Increase Clarity of Assignment Parameters: Key structural requirements, such as paragraph or sentence counts, are not always prominently displayed, leading to confusion.

   • Recommendation: Ensure all formatting and structural parameters are explicitly stated in the main assignment description, rather than being located in less visible sub-sections.

4. Increase the Specificity of Automated Feedback: The current feedback is often too general for students to act upon, resulting in a "guessing game."

   • Recommendation: The tool should provide context-aware suggestions by highlighting specific passages of the student's text. For instance, instead of a general comment about descriptions, it could highlight a sentence and suggest, "This passage tells the reader something, but doesn't show them. Consider adding sensory details (sight, sound, touch) to create a more vivid picture."

5. Refine Scoring Accuracy and Content Validation: The system's inability to distinguish between valid and invalid submissions is a significant concern.

   • Recommendation A (Content Structure): Implement a fundamental validation check that prevents submissions formatted with bullet points or detected AI-generated text from receiving positive, paragraph-based feedback. An initial error message should state, "Submission must be in a standard essay format with complete sentences and paragraphs to receive feedback."

   • Recommendation B (Evidence Detection): The algorithm for detecting textual evidence needs refinement. It has erroneously flagged multiple student essays for lacking evidence when direct quotes were clearly present (e.g., the work of Diego Bischoff, Rio Perez, and Aven Tilley).

6. Provide Greater Teacher Flexibility: The tool's current function as a mandatory submission portal limits its utility.

   • Recommendation: Allow educators to assign Savvy Writer as a formative feedback tool exclusively, decoupling the feedback mechanism from a graded submission. A simple first step would be to make the "due date" field optional.

I believe these enhancements would significantly improve the student and teacher experience. I hope to see a smoother implementation in our upcoming sessions and am available to provide further clarification if needed. Sincerely,

Jalene Vander Hook, M. Ed.

ELA Teacher

The Manning School of Academics and Arts

13200 West 32nd Avenue

Golden, Colorado 80401

Office: (303) 982-6340 | Principal Direct: (303) 982-0202