Using AI-Enabled Feedback For Online Learning Environments

The online learning experiment wasn't supposed to be permanent.

But here we are in 2025, and 5 million K-12 students are still learning full-time online with millions more in hybrid environments. What started as a temporary pandemic solution has become the new reality for education.

Here's what we're not talking about: 82% of teachers report that providing feedback online is significantly harder than in-person.

🎯 The Hidden Feedback Crisis

Think about how feedback works in a traditional classroom. As a teacher you scan the room, catch a confused expression, and provide instant course correction with a quick verbal nudge. Problem solved in 30 seconds, student back on track.

Online learning flipped this completely. That same 30-second interaction now requires detailed written explanations, screenshots, video responses, or lengthy email exchanges. What used to take seconds now takes minutes—and when you multiply that across 120+ students, the math becomes impossible.

Teachers went from quick verbal check-ins to crafting mini-essays for every piece of feedback. The workload didn't just increase—it exploded.

🤖 The "AI Will Save Us" Promise

Enter the tech companies with their shiny solution: "Just let AI handle the feedback!"

Sure, AI can catch spelling errors and flag incomplete assignments. But here's what it can't do: recognize when Sarah's essay about family struggles needs encouragement rather than technical critique, or understand that Marcus's seemingly off-topic response actually demonstrates sophisticated critical thinking.

AI sees patterns in text. Teachers see humans learning.

🎯 The Real Challenge We're Facing

Online learning didn't just digitize education—it amplified every feedback challenge we already had. Students learning through screens need more human connection, not less. They need personalized responses that acknowledge their specific struggles and celebrate their unique insights.

The solution isn't replacing teachers with algorithms. It's designing better tools that help teachers be more human, more responsive, and more effective in digital environments.

If you teach remotely, what's been your biggest challenge providing online feedback?