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Flux

Long-form writing with a target word count — Socrates expands or truncates toward high-quality exam answers using structure, Bloom’s, and They Say / I Say.

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What Flux is for

Flux is for sustained writing. Use Spark when you want short answers; use Flux when structure, argument, and exam-length stamina matter.

The target word count is central to Flux. It helps two kinds of student at once: those who need to expand and fill a whole exam paper with enough knowledge and detail, and those who need to distill what they know into the time allowed — succinct, high-quality answers rather than sprawl.

A simple way to set the target: write flat out for five minutes, count the words, multiply by ten. That estimates how much they can write in about fifty minutes (for example, 120 words × 10 → ~1200 words). That figure becomes their target word count in Flux — a realistic personal ceiling for exam-length practice, not an arbitrary quota.

Expand to fill the paper when they under-write; distill to fit the clock when they over-write. Same tool, same target — different coaching pressure depending on the student.
Setup — title, question, and links for Socrates context· click to enlarge

Socrates is how Flux turns word-count practice into writing training. When a student needs to grow the piece, Socrates coaches expansion; when they are over length or rambling, Socrates helps them truncate and tighten — always toward the target, not just “write more” or “write less.”

Coaching is anchored in designated structural requirements for the task, and in established frameworks for academic quality — including Bloom’s taxonomy (depth of thinking) and They Say / I Say (voice, response, and argument moves). The aim is the highest-quality answer that fits the time and the target word count.

Flux + Socrates = exam-length stamina with structure, thinking level, and argument craft — not a word counter alone.
Setup — PETAL / They Say I Say, and Socrates asks per essay· click to enlarge
Session (teacher preview) — target word count, Mastery Meter, and Socrates coaching on structure· click to enlarge

Create from Module → Lab → Flux create. Same Practice / assessment and Allow Oracle pattern as Spark. Ground Socrates with studied texts (links and optional reference works), turn on Bloom’s for argument depth, pick paragraph patterns (e.g. PETAL) and They Say / I Say, then set Socrates asks per essay.

Large pastes on a Flux essay get the same authenticity treatment as Spark: a student nudge, Socrates ownership questions, and a staff paste signal — without accusing cheating.

How you use it

  1. Open your Module → Lab → Create Flux activity.
  2. Set brief, structural expectations, task type, Oracle (including polish limits on Flux), coaching, and optional due date.
  3. Publish → Module Workroom.
  4. Students set or use a target word count (often from a five-minute flat-out sample × 10), draft with Socrates expanding or truncating toward that target, and submit.
  5. Review on the gradebook.