Free Text

The Free Text tool is a graded open-response assignment. Learners write a free-form answer, which can be graded manually by an instructor, automatically by AI, or both. It also offers an optional AI check that estimates how likely a response was AI-generated.

Authoring a Free Text assignment

  1. Add a Free Text activity to a course via Deep Linking.

  2. Compose the prompt with the TinyMCE rich-text editor (math notation supported). Free Text prompts are localized, so you can provide the prompt in each supported language.

  3. Set the maximum number of attempts. Leave it blank for unlimited retries — when retries are unlimited, bounded attempt labels are hidden from learners.

  4. Optionally configure AI features (see below).

  5. Save and publish. See Editing Activities In Place.

AI-assisted authoring

You can generate an assignment from a selected AI knowledge base, using your own source material as the basis for the prompt.

AI grading

  • AI grading can be enabled only when a knowledge base is configured for the activity.

  • When enabled, each submission is queued for grading by a background worker and moves through pending AI grading to AI graded.

  • AI-graded learners see a pass/fail result, a numeric grade, and feedback, and can rate the AI grade with a thumbs up/down.

  • A learner cannot submit another attempt while their latest attempt is pending an AI grade.

AI submission-likelihood scoring

You can optionally enable AI submission-likelihood scoring, which estimates how likely a response was AI-generated. The authoring checkbox is enabled by default for new activities. When enabled, each submission is scored in the background and the activity record stores an instructor-facing AI score percentage and a short scorer note.

The learner experience

  1. A learner launches the activity and submits a written response, consuming one attempt.

  2. If AI grading is enabled, the response is queued and graded automatically; the learner sees the result and feedback when grading completes.

  3. If manual grading is used, the learner sees the result once an instructor reviews it.

Instructor review and grading

From the instructor view you can filter, order, inspect, approve, fail, cancel, and review free-text submissions, including the AI score and scorer feedback when available. When you grade a submission, Blocks records your instructor launch identity alongside the grade and feedback for accountability.

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