“It helps give insightful feedback in my writing. One of the most tedious parts of writing papers is making sure it feels "perfect" but Studiosity allows me to write freely and submit the rough draft into the system to help with the tedious revision process.”
- Student, University of Toronto
Introduction:
In collaboration with Studiosity, Dr. Kyle Danielson, at the University of Toronto, implemented a pilot study to demonstrate the efficacy of Studiosity’s AI writing feedback and study assistant tools. The study took place over the 2025 winter term, across two psychology courses:
- First-year introductory psychology (~2000 students)
- Third-year developmental psychology (100 students)
Studiosity was integrated into multiple assignments:
- Introductory psychology: Reflection/idea paper (~1000 words)
- Third-year psychology: Case study (~2000 words)
- Students wrote a reflection on their Studiosity feedback at final submission
Assignments throughout the term had one or two marks tied to Studiosity use. By the end of the term, students had turned in at least one draft to Studiosity, with many submitting more than one draft for writing feedback. Student feedback was collected via a survey to evaluate the helpfulness and effectiveness of Studiosity. Students’ confidence and motivation were improved through use of Studiosity, while also bolstering their autonomy and critical thinking skills.
“Having a low-stakes draft deadline specifically is helpful for getting started and oriented on an assignment, and helps curb some procrastination.”
- Student, University of Toronto
Immediate Impact of Studiosity:
Increased Student Confidence and Motivation:
- 82% of students accessing Studiosity said they felt more confident
- Confidence in analysis and critical thinking skills was markedly increased after using Studiosity. Before Studiosity, the majority of students rated their confidence average (59%) or low (11%). After Studiosity, most students rated their confidence in their skills as high (56%) or very high (9%).
- Before Studiosity, students rated their motivation as very low (2%) or low (12%) to average (63%). After Studiosity, student motivation increased significantly, with 41% declaring high motivation, and 13% rating very high motivation.
- “It helps me feel more confident when I hand in assignments, also it makes me feel like I'm getting a peer-review which is helpful.” - Student, University of Toronto
Empowering Responsibility:
- 71% of students said they “mostly” or “always” feel more encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning
Academic Integrity:
- 61% of students “agree” or “strongly agree” that having access to Studiosity makes them less likely to use AI tools to generate writing (7% said this was not applicable, implying they were not using AI tools in general).
- 71% “agree” or “strongly agree” that Studiosity has improved their awareness of and adherence to academic integrity
Increased Willingness to Seek Help:
- 62% of students “agree” or “strongly agree” that, after using Studiosity, they are more likely to seek out help when struggling with their studies
- 54% “agree” or “strongly agree” that they are now more willing to use other student services on campus to receive support
Overall Learning:
- 42% said they learned “a moderate amount” from their Studiosity use. 33% said they learned “a lot,” and 9% said they learned “a great deal.”
- 70% found the ethical AI feedback to be “mostly” or “always” relevant.
- “Studiosity is excellent in giving feedback when I feel like my professors/instructors have not given enough information or support.” - Student, University of Toronto
Study Habits and Impact:
- 5529 student interactions (> 1606 hours) delivered to 1872 students
- 34 second feedback return time (i.e., time between when students submitted their work and when they received feedback)
- The majority of students submitted 2 days before or closer to the deadline, indicating a high need for feedback with a fast turnaround time (2 days before, 31%; 1 day, 26%; the day it is due, 12%)
- Sunday was the highest day for Writing Feedback+ engagement and 11PM was the busiest time for students seeking feedback
“I think it is a good tool to get detailed feedback specific to your writing and although using it made the editing process longer, I think my final product was very much improved in the end.”
- Student, University of Toronto
Feedback on the Service:
- 90% of students found the service easy to use
- 81% of students said they were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘extremely satisfied’ with their interaction
- 87% of students accessing Studiosity said they got the help they needed
“I think it is a good tool to get detailed feedback specific to your writing and although using it made the editing process longer, I think my final product was very much improved in the end.”
- Student, University of Toronto
Conclusion:
In conclusion, Studiosity's partnership with the University of Toronto, Scarborough has yielded positive outcomes, including greatly improved confidence and motivation, study habits, and a stronger awareness of academic integrity rules. With the busiest day being Sunday, and the busiest time being 11PM, this pilot highlights the importance of providing 24/7 support to cater to students' diverse schedules, which is a contributor to student satisfaction and retention. Overall, with an impressive 81% satisfaction rate, Studiosity has made a meaningful impact on the academic journey of University of Toronto, Scarborough, students, fostering a culture of learning and support.
