Summary
For the last couple of weeks we have been writing about our new AI-augmented assessment creation tool, Penrose (links here and here). This week we thought we might discuss how we see the tool being used in academic publishing settings. What follows are personae of likely users, the work that they do and how Penrose could be incorporated into that workflow. We’re very excited to share these ideas with you. We hope they inspire you to contact us and learn more about Penrose and how it will save textbook publishers both time and money.
Textbook
“Basic Organic Chemistry, Practical Applications and You” redefines the introductory organic chemistry experience. Created by the esteemed Dr. Iris Wright, whose textbooks have shaped the understanding of countless students, this new book connects fundamental principles to the tangible world around us. Dr. Wright’s decades of academic experience illuminates the organic chemistry inherent in the everyday, from the kitchen to the manufacturing line, making this subject accessible and interesting.
Personas
Instructional Designer, Lehanna West
Lehanna West is an Instructional Designer at a higher education publisher, specializing in Chemistry. With three years of experience, all at her current company, she plays a very important role in shaping the structure and delivery of educational content. Ms. West collaborates with authors and editors to translate complex chemical concepts into engaging and effective learning experiences. Her work involves designing course materials, developing interactive activities, and creating assessments that support student success.
Subject Matter Expert, Dr. Gabriella Baird
Gabriella Baird recently earned her PhD in Organic Chemistry. Her doctoral work at the New England Institute of Technology focused on natural product synthesis. This research culminated in several notable publications, including a first-author paper in Journal of the American Chemical Society and collaborations contributing to articles in Angewandte Chemie and Nature Chemistry.
Dr. Baird’s expertise extends to computational chemistry which she applied throughout her graduate studies at NEIT. Currently, she works as an independent contractor, offering her skills to various research projects and organizations. This diverse experience has honed her ability to adapt quickly to new challenges and collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
Editor, Oliver Winslow
Oliver Winslow brings a wealth of experience to his role as Chemistry Editor at a prominent higher education publisher. With 20 years in the field, including the last nine at his current company, he has developed a keen understanding of the needs of both instructors and students in the dynamic discipline of chemical education. His work involves overseeing the development of a wide range of educational materials, from introductory textbooks to advanced monographs, collaborating closely with authors, instructional designers, and production teams throughout the publishing process.
Use Cases
Following are 3 possible use cases for Dr. Gabriella Baird in her role as the SME using Penrose AI. For this article we will focus on the first case: Customized Educational Material Evaluation.
- Customized Educational Material Evaluation: Dr. Baird creates assessments for an educational publisher who is developing organic chemistry learning materials. Penrose AI helps her produce varied question formats and difficulty levels that are tailored to the specific content and target audience of each publication.
- Training Program Assessment Creation: Dr. Baird develops assessments for organizations that provide organic chemistry training. She uses Penrose AI to generate diverse question sets rapidly that evaluate participants’ understanding of key concepts and their ability to apply them.
- Research Project Evaluation: Dr. Baird designs assessments for research teams to evaluate the effectiveness of new teaching methodologies or experimental techniques in organic chemistry. Penrose AI allows her to create pedagogically appropriate assessments that measure learning outcomes and skill acquisition within the research context.
Scenario: Dr. Baird and “Basic Organic Chemistry” Assessments
Dr. Gabriella Baird has secured a contract with a leading publisher to develop assessments for “Basic Organic Chemistry, Practical Applications and You,” a new textbook authored by Iris Wright. The textbook makes organic chemistry accessible and relevant to everyday life.
Dr. Baird’s immediate task is to create assessments for Chapters 3 and 4. Chapter 3, “Organic Chemistry in the Kitchen,” explores the organic chemistry principles behind cooking, food preservation, and flavor compounds. Chapter 4, “Organic Chemistry on the Manufacturing Line,” examines the role of organic chemistry in the production of everyday materials such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.
For this project, Dr. Baird will utilize Penrose, an AI-assisted assessment builder, to create a range of assessment items efficiently. She needs to generate questions that test students’ understanding of the core organic chemistry concepts presented in these chapters while testing their ability to apply that knowledge to the practical scenarios described. The publisher requires a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for quick recall, fill-in-the-blank (cloze) exercises for vocabulary and concept retention, and short-answer questions that will gauge deeper comprehension and problem-solving skills. The assessments must also be designed to cater to different learning styles and levels of understanding.
Benefits:
- Instructional Designer, Lehanna West
Gabriella Baird’s use of the Penrose AI-assisted assessment builder offers valuable advantages to Ms. West’s design process. Penrose’s capacity to generate high-quality, varied assessments streamlines the integration of these materials into the overall course design. This efficiency contributes to a more predictable project timeline, reducing the need for extensive revisions and freeing up Ms. West’s time to concentrate on other critical aspects of the instructional design. This ultimately helps the publisher stay within budget and deliver a superior product. - Subject Matter Expert, Dr. Gabriella Baird
The Penrose AI-assisted assessment builder offers significant advantages to Dr. Baird in her contracted work. She can create customized assessments readily for training programs, educational materials, or research evaluations. Penrose’s ability to generate question variations quickly and adapt to different learning levels allows her to deliver targeted and effective assessments. This technology streamlines the assessment creation process and allows Dr. Baird to concentrate on the core scientific content, ultimately enhancing the quality of her contribution. - Editor, Oliver Winslow
Dr. Baird’s use of an AI-assisted assessment builder offers substantial benefits to Mr. Winslow’s workflow. The technology expedites the assessment development process, reducing the time typically spent on revisions and quality checks. This efficiency translates to significant cost savings for the publisher, allowing Mr. Winslow to allocate resources more strategically across other projects. By receiving well-structured, comprehensive assessment materials from Dr. Baird, Mr. Winslow can focus on the broader editorial vision, leading to a more timely and cost-effective publication cycle.
Conclusion:
Penrose touches many aspects of the the publishing process, creating efficiencies all along the way. What once would have taken a month or more to create the assessment items and their associated rejoinders for single chapter, with Penrose now takes substantially less time, therefore costing less money. In this scenario, incorporating Penrose touched the roles of the instructional designer, the editor and the contractor, creating time savings for each.
Contact us and learn more about what Penrose can do for your content creation cycle.
