Meeting the "Conversation" Mandate: How AInterview Supports Ontario English Teachers

Since 2010, the Ontario curriculum document Growing Success has been reshaping how teachers assess their students—notably within the English curriculum. From the revised 2023 Grade 9 English curriculum (ENL1W) to the senior Workplace and University streams, students are now required to demonstrate their learning through oral communication as part of "triangulating" evidence using Observations, Products, and Conversations. 

Specifically, the new Strand B: Foundations of Language mandates that students apply listening and speaking skills to communicate meaning in formal and informal contexts. While focusing on these "Conversations" is the right move for student equity, the logistical challenge is staggering. How do you find the time for a meaningful 1-on-1 conversation with 30+ students while still managing a classroom?

The solution? 

Introducing AInterview, a streamlined AI app that takes a teacher's PDF of interview questions and interviews each student, creating a transcript for the teacher to download and review. 

The idea for a Generative AI interview tool came from a colleague. But when I looked for a solution, I realized there were not many AI interview tools out there. They either did not allow students under 18 to use the platform or they simply didn't offer the right functionality for a structured academic interview. If teachers were going to meet the requirements of Growing Success, they needed a tool built specifically for the educational context that respects privacy.

The Journey? 

It has been a year since I last blogged. Rather than reflecting and sharing, I became increasingly curious about development again—especially with the resurgence of Generative AI. This app is my latest dive into the power of AI in the development process. I used Google Cloud tools and Visual Studio (VS) Code with Google Gemini as an excellerant.

I started with a proof of concept in Google AI Studio to refine the logic through various prompts. Once the idea was working, I transitioned to VS Code with Gemini as my co-pilot. My confidence and speed increased significantly; it caught errors I would have overlooked and suggested ideas I hadn't considered.

When ideating a project this large, you have to slow things down and "chunk" the work. I found that Gemini sometimes tried to run ahead of my design, so breaking things into small pieces kept us both focused. And it worked! When I hit walls, especially during the transition from AI Studio to VS Code, I actually used a second AI assistant to "chat" with Gemini. Acting as a moderator between the two helped identify which parts of the code could be ported over and which required a fresh approach.

While I am pleased with the product, the process gave me further insight into how Generative AI will reshape how we do things. Which brings me back to the application, AInterview. It does not replace the teacher; rather, it "magnifies" the teacher's productivity. It engages students in structured dialogue, providing them a space to demonstrate learning while freeing the teacher to focus on high-impact support.

How are you navigating the challenge of class sizes and authentic assessment in your school? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments.