Introduction
This article will cover the "Practice Pal" option that appears when adding an activity to a module.
"Practice Pal" is an AI-powered interactive assistant that evaluates learners' understanding through dynamic questioning based on the source content. It also provides explanations to clarify concepts when confusion arises--creating an experience similar to working with a teaching assistant in a two-way, chat-based conversational format.
The screen for adding a new Practice Pal activity looks different from the screen for editing an existing one, so we'll split this guide between the two.
Add New Practice Pal Activity
Below is a screenshot of the window that appears when selecting to add a new "Practice Pal" activity through the builder:
Below, we'll describe the handful of fields that appear:
- Select Character - Select an avatar that will represent Practice Pal during the activity. Learners will see this avatar as they chat with the assistant.
- Sources - From this dropdown, select all the source material from which Practice Pal will use when engaging with the learner. Acceptable source activities currently include base video segments, PDF files, and PPTX files.
- Passing Score - Indicate a score the learner must achieve in order to be marked as having "Passed" this activity. This value can range from 1 to 100. The score is an evaluation of how well Practice Pal believes the learner understands the source content, so it will be subjective. You may click on the field's corresponding "info" icon to read more details about how the learner's score is calculated.
- Generate - Click here to add the activity to the module. The newly-added activity will show a "Processing" indicator for several minutes, as the AI engine generates the content. Once the indicator goes away, the activity is ready.
Edit Existing Practice Pal Activity
Once a Practice Pal activity has been added and completed processing, you can click the "edit" icon associated with it to review the AI-generated content and make any necessary modifications.
Below is a sample screenshot of the "edit" window:
Below, we'll describe all the fields that appear:
- Name - This is the activity name learners will see. It's automatically generated but can be edited to better suit your needs.
- Practice Pal Profile - This read-only section displays the avatar that was selected when the activity was added, along with the topic that the AI engine has identified as being the primary topic for the source content.
- Topics - This section contains a list of all the topics the learner will be assessed on and is auto-generated. Each entry will contain the topic's name, as well as the pool of questions Practice Pal will use to test the learner on the topic. Next to each topic is a "delete" button you can click to remove the topic. At the bottom of the list of topics is an "+ Add Topic" link you can click to add a new topic entry. You can click on each topic item to see its details. Below is a sample view of a topic's details window:
We'll describe each field that appears in the topic details window:- Topic Name - The name or description of the topic. This is auto-generated, but can be modified as needed.
- Main Idea - This field provides context on the topic that Practice Pal will discuss with the learner, as well as any guidance Practice Pal should consider. The content here is auto-generated, but can be modified as needed. Should you feel the need to add your own topic, we recommend reviewing an auto-generated example for guidance on the kind of information to include. The content within this field is not accessible to learners.
- Questions - This section will contain a pool of questions to guide Practice Pal on the specific areas of the topic in which the learner will be evaluated. Practice Pal will typically ask the learner 2-3 questions for each topic; this will vary based on how well the learner is able to show their understanding of the material. The questions are auto-generated, but you can edit them as needed. You can also delete questions by clicking the "delete" icon next to each one. Lastly, you can add additional questions for the topic by clicking the "+ Add Question" link at the bottom.
- Estimate - This indicates the anticipated duration to complete the activity. By default, the system will automatically assign a value here, though you can adjust it as needed. This value mainly serves as a reference point for estimating the overall time required to complete the module or activity, with minimal functional impact.
- Passing Score - This is the passing score that was configured when the activity was added to the module and can be updated here.
- Save - Click this to save any changes you've made to the Practice Pal activity.