Augmenting English Language Assessment Feedback: A Case Study on AI Chatbot Integration and the “Instantaneity Premium” in Queensland Secondary Education

This case study examines the development and implementation of a customized artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot designed to provide instant feedback on Year 12 General English student drafts in a Queensland secondary school. Developed through iterative prompt engineering by an English teacher and a technical collaborator, the chatbot was refined until it consistently produced feedback aligning with approximately 80% of the teacher’s typical responses. Ethical safeguards—including strict compliance to the school’s ethical guidelines, adherence to data privacy measures and transparent communication with students—were central to the project’s design. Conducted with a class of 21 students, the intervention resulted in a 81% improvement in grades from IA1 to IA2 and a 47.6% increase in projected IA2 grades. Qualitative observations indicate that the primary benefit was not solely the content of the AI-generated feedback, but rather its immediacy—reducing turnaround time from one week to seconds. This “instantaneity premium” allowed students greater time for revision and increased motivation. The hybrid model highlights the importance of expert prompt engineering, teacher conferencing to mitigate AI hallucinations, and ethical AI integration. As a proof-of-concept initiative, this study contributes to the discourse on human-AI complementarity in education and aligns with UNESCO’s frameworks for responsible AI use in teaching and learning.