Leveling Up Revision: Engineering Autonomy for Mock Season

The "Mock Season" for Year 2 IBDP Applications and Interpretations (AI) SL students is a unique kind of pressure cooker. They are transitioning from learning new content to synthesizing everything they know under timed conditions.

I noticed a recurring theme in my classroom: students weren't getting stuck because they didn't know the math; they were getting stuck because they were missing some of the technicalities. Which hypothesis test do I use? How do I find the p-value on my GDC again? To solve this, I used Gemini Pro to build a bespoke revision game that provides just-in-time support when I’m not there to answer the "quick question."

The TPACK of Game Design

This project was a deep dive into TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge). My Pedagogical goal was to lower the "affective filter"—reducing the anxiety that comes with Paper 2 long-answer questions. My Content focus was the distinction between different hypothesis tests and sampling techniques. The Technology—Gemini Pro—allowed me to code a solution that acts as a 24/7 teaching assistant.

Features That Bridge the Gap

To move this beyond simple "Substitution" on the SAMR scale, I integrated three specific scaffolds that redefine how students interact with revision:

• The Topic Teleport: If a student is confused by a Chi-Squared test for Independence vs. a Goodness of Fit test, a button takes them directly to a curated YouTube tutorial.

• The GDC Safety Net: A drop-down menu provides step-by-step calculator instructions. This removes the "technical barrier," allowing students to focus on the analysis of the result rather than the button-pressing.

• The Hint Engine: Instead of giving the answer, the game offers a scaffolded hint to nudge them into the first step of the problem.

  
  

Steps for building:

I didn’t just ask Gemini to "make a game." I treated the AI as a co-designer. The breakthrough came from a "Super-Prompt" where I uploaded the IB Teacher Support Manual and a Calculator Guide.

By feeding the AI the actual curriculum documents, I ensured that:

1. Context was King: The "real-life scenarios" generated were actually aligned with IB-style questions (finance, health, and social sciences).

2. GDC Accuracy: The calculator hints matched the exact menus on the students' TI-84 or Nspire models.

3. Specific SL Constraints: It knew to focus on hypothesis testing and functions while strictly avoiding integration, which my students haven't covered yet.

   
   

The Impact: Autonomy Over Dependency

The most significant shift was the change in student agency. By having access to these supports, students didn't have to wait until the next school day to move past a hurdle.

They began to realize that they had the tools to help themselves. In a blended learning environment, the best tech doesn't replace the teacher; it extends the teacher’s support into those late-night revision sessions where it’s needed most.

Reflection for My Masters Portfolio

In my current studies on Blended Learning Design, I’m looking at how we can support students "out of the classroom." This game addresses the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) perfectly. The "Hints" and "GDC menus" provide the necessary scaffolding to help students move from "what they can do with help" to "what they can do independently" in time for their final exams.