Abstract:
Providing effective feedback in large settings presents significant challenges due to time and resource constraints. Given the importance of
feedback in competency-based higher education, innovative solutions are
essential. This study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI)
to enhance feedback delivery. The research focuses on the development
of a custom prompt for GPT-4 within a no-code web application, designed
to deliver AI-generated feedback to second-year accounting students on
discussion or essay-style questions in a large competency-based intermediate accounting course in South Africa. The prompt aligns with the principles of effective feedback and was tested in a pilot evaluation. Results
indicated that the AI-generated feedback generally adhered to these
principles, though some variability was observed across the different
feedback dimensions. While challenges remain in consistently guiding AI
to apply pedagogical best practices, the findings suggest that large language models can complement traditional feedback. Rigorous oversight
of AI-generated feedback remains critical.
