While challenges like teacher burnout and student social-emotional needs abound, schools are looking to edtech tools to ease the burden

Big Deals—New and enhanced edtech tools from Quizlet, eSpark, and Turnitin


Announcements include study tools across grades, personalized learning curricula for primary grades, and plagiarism detection advances

Global learning platform Quizlet today announced a series of new study tools designed to help students return to the classroom with renewed confidence this school year. These new product launches deliver more AI-powered resources to Quizlet’s 60 million monthly active users, combining cognitive science and artificial intelligence to help students study more effectively and efficiently.

Joining well-known and beloved study tools, including Flashcards and Learn and Test, this back-to-school Quizlet is introducing:

  • Magic Notes: With Magic Notes, students can upload their class notes to Quizlet and instantly and automatically turn them into flashcards, practice tests, and more. Whether notes are hand-written or digital, this AI-powered solution gets users ready to study in mere seconds, saving valuable time that was previously used manually building studying tools, and helping students extend their knowledge with outlines, sample essay topics and related course materials. 
  • Memory Score: Memory Score lets students track their personal memory scores based on their study habits and help them understand how likely they are to remember material at different intervals and when test day comes.
  • Quick Summary: Quick Summary pulls key concepts out of dense readings, providing summaries that help students digest material faster and at the right level to match their current understanding.
  • Brain Beats: With Brain Beats, students can automatically turn their flashcards into a song to enhance studying, using a tune to aid in memorization.
  • Q-Chat: Q-Chat launched in beta in March as the first personalized AI tutor built on OpenAI’s ChatGPT API and has since powered millions of conversations with students on Quizlet. Today, it is officially out of beta and Q-Chat will now be a part of the core Quizlet experience and with additional activities including Teach Me, Quiz Me, Apply my Knowledge, and Practice with Sentences. Q-Chat is built to help students achieve a deeper understanding of the topics they are studying through a virtual tutor-like experience.
  • AI Enhanced Expert Solutions: Millions of step-by-step explanations written by verified experts on Quizlet are now enhanced by advanced AI capabilities. On top of the trusted step-by-step guidance this feature is known for, students can now access alternate explanations to better understand tricky concepts, practice problems to test their knowledge, and use Q-Chat for personalized AI-powered tutoring all built within the experience.

All Quizlet users 16 years and older will be able to access these new features, with Quizlet Plus users gaining unlimited access. 

eSpark, an online supplemental curriculum provider for K-5 math and reading, has released Choice Texts, the next evolution in personalized learning. 

This new approach to reading instruction is powered by artificial intelligence and driven by students’ individual choices and interests. With Choice Texts, students become co-creators of the reading passages used in their standards-aligned lessons, resulting in deeper engagement, better outcomes and a truly student-centered experience. 

eSpark worked directly with teachers and students throughout development to ensure Choice Texts would support critical classroom priorities while being compelling for students at all levels. By generating a personalized text for each student in real time, eSpark is helping even the most reluctant readers get excited about learning. Research has consistently shown that engaged students learn more, and there is ample evidence that more student choice equates to higher levels of motivation and engagement.

“This is something so unique and powerful. Giving my students the ability to create a text based on their interests has made them enjoy practicing reading skills significantly more,” said Michelle Bolker, a third-grade teacher from Denver, Colorado. “One student, who typically doesn’t have much interest in reading, asked if he could create another story right after finishing the quiz!” 

eSpark employs strong content moderation within its product, eliminating any privacy, security, or age-appropriateness concerns that may be present when students use tools like ChatGPT directly. This makes Choice Texts the ideal fit for educators looking to explore AI in a safe and secure way. Choice Texts is available now to all eSpark Premium members. Teachers are encouraged to try it at https://www.esparklearning.com/choice-texts.

Turnitin announced last month that more than 65 million papers have been reviewed since the April launch of its new feature that detects similarities to AI writing. The company also announced that of those 65 million papers, over 2.1 million – 3.3 percent – have been flagged as having at least 80 percent AI writing present. Nearly 6.7 million – 10.3 percent – have over 20 percent AI writing present. Tracking the overall detection rate illustrates that generative AI has made its way into classrooms, however, whether this is acceptable or not is determined by educators themselves.

“In just over three months, Turnitin’s new AI detection feature is being used widely and it is giving educators data they have asked for since ChatGPT first became free to the public in November 2022,” said Annie Chechitelli, chief product officer at Turnitin. “Since the release, nearly 98 percent* of Turnitin institutions have AI writing detection enabled within their Turnitin workflow in at least one of their active accounts.”

Chechitelli added, “Sharing usage and indication rates is one way that we can help improve understanding of the presence and use of generative AI in their teaching and learning practices. Given the urgency expressed by educators about these challenges and the public’s interest in AI text creation and AI text detection, we are committed to sharing these insights so that we can all begin to understand the trends that are currently shaping education.”

Patti West-Smith, Turnitin senior director of customer engagement and a long-time classroom teacher and administrator said, “Turnitin has been a supporter of academic integrity for 25 years and we are continuing that commitment with our new AI writing detection feature. We want teachers and students to talk about appropriate use of writing tools, proper citation and original thinking. Our role is to provide them with a tool to start those meaningful conversations.”

Conversations are critical because even a very high proportion of the statistical signatures of AI in a document does not necessarily indicate misconduct. Some educators are specifically asking students to use AI tools in their work, so detecting its presence may not be as concerning for them. And yet, other educators might tell their students that generative AI is not allowed. In these cases, detection may help them address the issue earlier in the draft process.

To help educators navigate this ever-evolving technology, Turnitin regularly publishes new resources on academic integrity in the age of AI including guides for conversations with students, rubrics to AI-proof writing prompts, and an AI misuse checklist, among several others. In the spirit of transparency, Turnitin will continue to update the public on progress across its detection technology at Turnitin.com/solutions/ai-writing.

Sign up for our K-12 newsletter

Newsletter: Innovations in K12 Education
By submitting your information, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Kevin Hogan

Want to share a great resource? Let us know at submissions@eschoolmedia.com.

New AI Resource Center
Get the latest updates and insights on AI in education to keep you and your students current.
Get Free Access Today!

"*" indicates required fields

Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Hidden
Email Newsletters:

By submitting your information, you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

eSchool News uses cookies to improve your experience. Visit our Privacy Policy for more information.