With AI on every teacher’s mind, it can feel overwhelming to figure out how to use it safely and responsibly with students. This is where the Lincoln AI Learning Coach (Linc) comes in. This simple, student-friendly tool guides kids without a second thought.
The Linc offers both animated and personable instructors who keep students engaged, supported, and thinking independently. It makes tasks like critical writing, science, and social studies feel more accessible—and less intimidating. We asked Amanda Davies, a middle school teacher-turned-librarian with over 25 years of experience, to try it out with her students.
Here’s his Teacher’s Choice review and why he believes the Lincoln AI Learning Coach deserves a place in your classroom toolkit.
What grade levels and subject areas do you think the Lincoln AI Learning Coach (Linc) is best suited for?
The content and learning level of the help provided by Linc was perfect for middle school or high school students. When my students used it to get help writing an argumentative essay, they found that the feedback was helpful and improved their writing. My students loved that they didn’t feel talked down to and that the guidance and support was at their level. The coaches, James and Lily, were the perfect mentors for my middle school students who needed to review the concepts we discussed in class, using more examples and giving constructive suggestions. They were also able to interact with Linc independently to get the level of support they needed. As a current middle school teacher and former high school teacher, I also like that the interface is simple, with clean lines and muted colors; it shows the maturity of these older students.
Has using Linc helped you align your lessons with any specific standards or curriculum guidelines you know?
Because the Linc is responsive to student needs, it has a curriculum across all disciplines and age groups. For example, when my students and I use it to provide guidance in argumentative writing, the tasks and responses reflect the following Common Core Standards for English Language Arts:
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.a: Present the claims and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.b: Support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using reliable sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.c: Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationship between claims and reasons.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.d: Establish and maintain a formal style.
- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.e: Provide a concluding statement or the next paragraph from the argument presented.
How have you used Linc in your classroom?
As a former English language arts teacher, I really enjoyed the interactive video that went through the process of creating an argument. The video was especially helpful because it provided some examples from a historical text (Kennedy’s State of the Union). I printed out copies of the speech to use as a mentor text and had the students follow along with the video to identify the different elements of argument that Kennedy used. They also debated whether using a counterargument would have made Kennedy’s argument stronger.
I love that as a tool, I can use Linc for both whole class instruction, especially using the “Learn Anything” option, and give individual guidance on writing.
Was Linc easy to use and use?
The interface was easy to use with a few quick clicks. I found it easy to use for whole class teaching, and my middle school students quickly figured out how to use it for independent work.
How are your students responding to Linc?
My middle schoolers really liked that they could add a real task to the “Homework Helper” chat and get help with a particular handout they were working on. They love this for their science and social studies assignments. They can do this independently and receive personalized support based on their individual needs. They are attracted to humanoid trainers, James and Lily. Several students indicated that they could see using tutors to help them complete their assignments at home when they needed to refresh content delivered in class.
How would you summarize your overall experience with Lincoln AI Learning Coach (Linc)?
As a librarian who spends a lot of time explaining when it’s OK for students to use AI and helping teachers use it in their classrooms, what I really liked about Linc was that the instructors didn’t just give students feedback but asked them to reassess and revise their work. Many of my colleagues are concerned about students using AI to do work for them and the resulting deterioration of critical thinking skills. Coaches really work with jobs as coaches, providing guidance and feedback without directly answering questions or doing the work for them.
I also really appreciated the care Linc has taken in keeping students safe through the interface, both in terms of the program itself and the interactions between students and instructors. Even when I tried to direct the discussion to other topics or non-academic content, the instructors quickly redirected the discussion.
On a scale of 1 to 5, how easy was it to use Lincoln AI Learning Coach in your classroom and/or course (1 = very difficult, 5 = very easy)? And why did you give it that rating?
I would rate it a 4. With some testing and previewing, many of the activities can be used for whole-class, teacher-led instruction. But the real benefit of this tool is that students can use it independently to teach it again, review it, and support it.
What two features did you like best about the Lincoln AI Learning Coach?
The top two features of this kit in my opinion are:
- Built-in security tools and support provided by students (without providing answers)
- How Linc encouraged independent thinking in my students
More than any other AI tool I’ve used or tested first-hand with my students, I found that Linc Trainers provided opportunities for students to review and learn content without having to think for them. Students often see AI as an answer generator, and Linc helps ensure that students still have to draw their own conclusions and make connections themselves. When I told students to enter an algebraic equation to solve, for example, it saw a small error and guided them how to fix it instead of just giving them the correct answer.
Planning to use the Lincoln AI Learning Coach again in the future?
As a librarian, a large part of my job is to evaluate and recommend resources to families, students, and teachers. I would recommend it to families who want extra support for their children, to students who need personalized feedback and guidance, and to teachers who want to provide extra help to their students.
Watch Amanda’s review of the Lincoln AI Learning Coach below:
Teacher Picks is a sponsored program from We Are Teachers. All opinions shared in the review are honest and based on the teacher’s direct experience. To learn more about our guidelines and review process, click here.
