Sparky's behavior and safetySparky's behaviour and safety
The rules Sparky teaches by, what it checks and cites, and the moderation and access controls behind it.
Hints first
Sparky guides students with questions and hints first, and your guidelines shape how much help it gives.Sparky guides pupils with questions and hints first, and your guidelines shape how much help it gives.
With students, Sparky starts by finding out where they are: what have you tried so far? From there it guides with questions, worked examples that use different numbers, and nudges when a student is close. The teacher shapes how far that help goes in the activity's guidelines.With pupils, Sparky starts by finding out where they are: what have you tried so far? From there it guides with questions, worked examples that use different numbers, and nudges when a pupil is close. The teacher shapes how far that help goes in the activity's guidelines.
A question before an explanation
Sparky opens by asking what the student has tried, so its help starts from their thinking.Sparky opens by asking what the pupil has tried, so its help starts from their thinking.
Examples that transfer
It works a similar problem with different numbers, so the student still solves their own.It works a similar problem with different numbers, so the pupil still solves their own.
Shaped by the teacher
Guidelines for Sparky and the response style set how much help an activity gives.
Full support for staff
The guiding approach is for students. Teachers and admins get direct answers.The guiding approach is for pupils. Teachers and admins get direct answers.
Per-activity guidelines, greeting, role, and response style. Schools add their mission and grade-level guidance.Per-activity guidelines, greeting, role, and response style. Schools add their mission and guidance for each year group.
The Behavior panel is where a teacher tells Sparky how to act in an activity: who it is, how much to say, how to open, and the rules to follow, written in plain language. The school adds its own layer on top, and Sparky follows both.The Behaviour panel is where a teacher tells Sparky how to act in an activity: who it is, how much to say, how to open, and the rules to follow, written in plain language. The school adds its own layer on top, and Sparky follows both.
Per activity
Grade level, Sparky's role, response style from concise to thorough, guidelines, and a greeting message.Year group, Sparky's role, response style from concise to thorough, guidelines, and a greeting message.
For the whole school
Admins write the school's mission and background, and prompts for specific grade levels.Admins write the school's mission and background, and prompts for specific year groups.
For each class
A class can carry its own learning goals and background.
Memories students controlMemories pupils control
Each user can see what Sparky remembers about them and remove it.
Sparky cites your uploaded materials and web results with numbered markers that show the excerpt and its source.
When Sparky draws on something you uploaded or something it found on the web, it marks the claim with a number. Hover over the number to read the quoted excerpt and see the source, without leaving the conversation.
Your materials and the web
Citations point to uploaded content as well as web results.
Numbers that stay put
A source keeps the same number each time Sparky comes back to it.
Cited before it is used
Sparky is instructed to cite a web result before it relies on it.
Cite the session itself
A Cite button produces APA, MLA, and Chicago citations for a Flint chat or session.
Sparky runs its calculations in sandboxed Python, so the math is right, not just plausible.Sparky runs its calculations in sandboxed Python, so the maths is right, not just plausible.
AI is good with words and less reliable with arithmetic. So when Sparky needs a number, it runs the calculation as Python in a sandbox and reports the result, and it uses the same tool to check a student's answer.AI is good with words and less reliable with arithmetic. So when Sparky needs a number, it runs the calculation as Python in a sandbox and reports the result, and it uses the same tool to check a pupil's answer.
More than arithmetic
Trigonometry, derivatives, integrals, limits, statistics, and combinatorics.
Exact where it matters
Fractions and roots are kept exact in preference to rounded decimals.
Math that reads like mathMaths that reads like maths
Equations are typeset, not typed out in plain text.
Messages about self-harm, violence, harassment, and other flagged topics are caught and emailed to your moderators.
Every student message is checked against the school's moderation categories. When one is flagged, the moderators responsible for that grade level and category get an email that links to the message. The student is not told, and Sparky answers with care in line with the guidance your school has written.Every pupil message is checked against the school's moderation categories. When one is flagged, the moderators responsible for that year group and category get an email that links to the message. The pupil is not told, and Sparky answers with care in line with the guidance your school has written.
Seven categories
Harassment, hate, illicit, sexual, violence, self-harm, and relationship building, which catches a student treating Sparky as a confidant.Harassment, hate, illicit, sexual, violence, self-harm, and relationship building, which catches a pupil treating Sparky as a confidant.
The right people
Each moderator, a teacher or an admin, chooses the grade levels and categories they cover.Each moderator, a teacher or an admin, chooses the year groups and categories they cover.
Your guidance
Write moderation guidelines, such as who a student should go to, and Sparky uses them.Write moderation guidelines, such as who a pupil should go to, and Sparky uses them.
On the record
Flagged messages are listed in Analytics and can be exported. Self-harm alerts cannot be switched off.
Limit when and where students can use Flint: by hours, days, and allowed networks.Limit when and where pupils can use Flint: by hours, days, and allowed networks.
School admins decide when and where students can use Flint. Limit it to school hours, to school days, or to the school's own network, and a student who tries outside those limits sees a message that explains why.School admins decide when and where pupils can use Flint. Limit it to school hours, to school days, or to the school's own network, and a pupil who tries outside those limits sees a message that explains why.
Limit access hours
Set a timezone, a start time, an end time, and the days of the week.
Allowed networks
List your school's IP ranges, and Flint works for students only from those networks.List your school's IP ranges, and Flint works for pupils only from those networks.
Students onlyPupils only
The limits apply to students, so teachers can still plan in the evening.The limits apply to pupils, so teachers can still plan in the evening.
Who can find the school
Keep the school private or open it to anyone with the link.
