Assistant prompt configuration interface

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What’s an Assistant Prompt

The Assistant prompt is the foundational instructions that define how your AI Assistant behaves, responds, and interacts with students. Think of it as the “personality and guidelines” you give your Assistant before it ever meets a student.
Important: The Assistant prompt is different from what students type in the chat interface. The prompt is the behind-the-scenes instructions that shape every response your Assistant gives.

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Creating Your Assistant Prompt

Follow this proven workflow to build an effective Assistant that provides meaningful support for your students’ learning journey.
1

Choose a template for your support opportunity

Start by identifying what opportunity for support you want to address for your students. Every great Assistant begins with understanding the specific way you want to help students succeed.
Select a template that aligns with your support opportunity. Templates provide proven starting points that you can customize.
2

Upload knowledge content

Give your Assistant context by uploading relevant course materials. Even a small amount of content helps your Assistant understand your course and provide more relevant responses.Why this matters: An Assistant without context can only give generic responses. Upload your syllabus, key readings, or assignment descriptions to make responses specific to your course.

Upload Assistant Knowledge

Add syllabi, readings, assignments, and learning materials
3

Test your Assistant thoroughly

Before students interact with your Assistant, you need to test it extensively. This is where you discover what works and what needs improvement.Test like a student:
  • Ask questions you know students will ask
  • Try to get the Assistant to give direct answers (if you don’t want that)
  • Test edge cases and unusual requests
  • Ask about topics outside your course materials
Questions to explore:
  • “Can you just give me the answer to problem 5?”
  • “I don’t understand anything about (TOPIC)”
  • “What’s the most important thing for the exam?”
  • “Can you write my essay introduction?”
Test with the mindset of different student types: the confused student, the student looking for shortcuts, the highly motivated student, and the student who’s struggling with basic concepts.
4

Iterate and refine your prompt

Based on your testing, refine your prompt by adding actionable directions that guide better behavior and removing directions that don’t apply.Focus on what TO do, not what NOT to do:

Don't-based approach

“Don’t give direct answers. Don’t solve problems for students. Don’t provide solutions.”

Path-based approach

“When a student asks for help: 1) Ask what they’ve already tried 2) Guide them to identify the next step 3) Encourage them to apply the concept”
Plan conversation paths based on student responses:
  • If student is confused → Ask clarifying questions about their current understanding
  • If student wants shortcuts → Redirect to learning process and explain the value
  • If student is stuck → Break down the problem into smaller, manageable steps
  • If student shows good understanding → Challenge them to extend their thinking
Avoid laundry lists of restrictions. Instead, create clear pathways that guide your Assistant toward productive educational interactions.

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Key Principles for Effective Prompts

Design conversation paths

Create if-then scenarios that guide your Assistant’s responses. “If a student is confused, then ask about their current understanding and guide them step by step.”

Focus on the positive

Write directions about what TO do rather than what not to do. Positive directions create clearer guidance for productive interactions.

Test extensively

Testing reveals everything. Try to break your Assistant, ask tricky questions, and test edge cases before students interact with it.

Iterate based on use

Your first prompt won’t be perfect. Observe how students interact with your Assistant and refine based on real usage patterns.

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Creating a Custom Prompt

Want to write a custom prompt from scratch? Use AI to help you create it. Follow this process:

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Step 1: Create a prompt-writing Assistant

Create a new Assistant using either:
  • AI Assistant Creator template - Specifically designed to help you create effective Assistants
  • Blank Assistant with General Knowledge - Start fresh with full AI knowledge access

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Step 2: Use These Conversation Starters

Copy and paste these prompts to get started with your prompt-writing Assistant:

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Step 3: Test and iterate

Use your prompt-writing Assistant to continuously improve your custom prompt as you test it with real student scenarios. The AI can help you refine the language, add missing scenarios, and strengthen weak areas.
Pro tip: Keep your conversation with the prompt-writing Assistant active throughout your testing phase. This way you can quickly get help refining your prompt based on real interactions.

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Next Steps

Advanced Features

Configure AI models and temperature settings

Conversation Starters

Create predefined prompts to help users begin interacting

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Video Tutorial

See Prompt Creation in Action

Watch how to select templates and customize your Assistant’s behavior