Dudley College of Technology, established in 1862 in Dudley, England, serves over 14,000 learners and 1,500 employers. Known for its diverse vocational and technical programs, the college emphasizes practical skills and supports students aged 16-18, including those in resit courses.
As part of its ongoing efforts to leverage educational technology, Dudley College initiated a six-month trial of Edcafe AI, an advanced AI-powered teaching assistant designed to streamline lesson planning, assessments, and adaptive teaching.
Embracing learning with AI, the college aimed to support learners at different stages by providing differentiated instruction, while also comparing Edcafe AI to existing tools like CoPilot and Quizizz. The trial sought to assess its impact on student learning, engagement, and overall effectiveness for long-term adoption.
Challenges & Objectives of Learning with AI
Challenges at Dudley College Before Edcafe AI
- Low GCSE resit pass rates (~22%).
- Difficulty adapting lessons for mixed-ability groups.
- Limited real-time tools to support struggling students.
- High teacher workload due to manual resource creation.
- Need for differentiated lesson plans tailored to diverse learners.
- Desire to evaluate Edcafe AI’s advantages compared to existing tools like CoPilot and Quizizz.
Objectives for Edcafe AI Trial
- Enhance adaptive teaching and differentiated instruction.
- Reduce teacher workload and content customization time.
- Compare student engagement and learning outcomes using Edcafe AI versus other tools.
How Dudley College Used Edcafe AI
1. Lesson Planning & Adaptive Teaching
Tutors at Dudley College leveraged Edcafe AI to quickly generate lesson plans with differentiated activities, reducing preparation time while ensuring content was tailored to students’ needs. The ability to adapt content in real time allowed them to better support students at varying academic levels. This was particularly beneficial when new learners joined a class mid-lesson, as tutors could create relevant materials on the spot to ensure these students felt included and engaged.
“I have used it for PowerPoint, lesson planning, and creating worksheets linked to the lesson plan,” said Kristie Harrington, emphasizing how Edcafe AI streamlined lesson preparation, allowing her to focus more on student interaction rather than spending excessive time creating materials.
For individualized instruction, tutors found Edcafe AI especially helpful in adjusting tasks to different ability levels. “I use Edcafe to create tasks individualized to learners’ levels,” noted Stacey Allen, highlighting how the tool enables more personalized learning experiences.
Similarly, Donna shared that she uses Edcafe AI for “extension tasks and building in levels of adaptive teaching,” reinforcing its role in supporting differentiated instruction.
2. Assessments & Student Engagement
Edcafe AI’s quiz generator was frequently used for assessments, with many tutors printing AI-generated quizzes for classroom observations. These quizzes provided instant feedback, helping students reinforce their learning by reviewing answer explanations. While tutors valued the built-in reasoning for each answer, some noted that students were more focused on quiz results than on engaging with the explanations.
“Love it! Edcafe AI helps me to make quiz resources for my groups,” said Simon Howes, emphasizing the convenience and efficiency of the platform in generating quizzes for classroom use. The ability to quickly generate and adapt assessments ensured that students had access to structured learning tools without requiring excessive preparation time from teachers.
Among the most frequently used tools besides quizzes, were Flashcards and Teaching Resources, demonstrating that tutors relied on Edcafe AI not just for lesson planning but also for reinforcing student learning with AI through engaging assessment formats.
3. Structuring Learning with AI Beyond Gamification
While some students enjoyed the competitive aspects of tools like Quizizz, tutors at Dudley College found that Edcafe AI provided a more structured and adaptable approach to assessment and learning. Rather than focusing solely on engagement through competition, Edcafe AI prioritized deeper learning by allowing teachers to scaffold assessments, provide detailed answer rationales, and customize quizzes to fit different learning levels.
Tutors valued the ability to adjust difficulty levels, create adaptive learning experiences, and use multiple assessment formats such as flashcards and structured worksheets. This flexibility made Edcafe AI particularly effective for supporting students in resit programs who needed scaffolded reinforcement rather than quick-recall games.
“It cuts down hours’ worth of work in the development of resources,” said Charlotte, emphasizing how much time she saved in lesson planning and content creation. The platform’s ease of use was another major advantage, with Stacey Allen describing it as “really great—easy and quick to use.” Charlotte further reinforced this sentiment, stating, “Easy to use, quick, and cuts down the time I need to spend making resources.”
By reducing the administrative burden on educators, Edcafe AI allowed tutors to spend more time refining their instructional approach, ensuring each student received the level of support they needed. Instead of relying on a one-size-fits-all gamification model, tutors used Edcafe AI to create personalized learning pathways, making it a more effective tool for differentiated instruction and long-term academic success.
Key Findings & Impact
1. Differentiated Instruction & Adaptive Learning with AI
Tutors found Edcafe AI particularly beneficial in personalizing learning experiences and adapting lesson plans to diverse student needs. However, some tutors noted that content recommendations were sometimes too advanced for their Entry Level students.
2. Impact on Teaching Workload & Time Efficiency
Tutors reported that Edcafe AI significantly reduced planning time, allowing them to generate lesson materials and quizzes in minutes. However, some tutors wanted the ability to generate longer quizzes without manual adjustments.
3. Student Engagement & Classroom Experience
Students responded well to the structured quizzes and instant feedback, but preferred the gamification elements in Quizizz. The absence of interactive elements like leaderboards or team-based quizzes made Edcafe AI feel more suited for formal assessments rather than quick knowledge checks.
Is Edcafe AI a Fit?
- 80% of tutors reported that Edcafe AI improved lesson planning efficiency.
- 65% would recommend Edcafe AI to colleagues, particularly for structured assessments and differentiated instruction.
- Tutors preferred Edcafe AI for formal lesson planning and assessment creation, but highlighted areas for improvement in engagement tools and accessibility features.
Conclusion
The Edcafe AI trial at Dudley College demonstrated the platform’s potential to support adaptive teaching, reduce workload, and improve lesson planning efficiency.
Dudley College’s experience underscores the importance of ongoing AI development tailored to the real-world needs of educators. As Edcafe AI continues to evolve, it presents a promising solution for institutions looking to enhance personalized learning with AI, teacher collaboration, and efficiency in modern classrooms. For more information about Edcafe AI, visit www.edcafe.ai.
