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AI Prompting Made Simple: The Educator’s Guide to the RODES Framework


As an MYP expert, I know your time is one of your most valuable, and often scarcest, resources. We champion inquiry-based learning, conceptual understanding, and the integration of Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills, but the practical demands of creating high-quality, relevant resources- like engaging subject presentations- can be overwhelming.

Generic AI tools often deliver generic, low-effort content that doesn't align with the rigor and philosophy of the IB Middle Years Programme. The solution isn't to reject AI; it's to master the art of asking.

Welcome the RODES Framework: a simple, five-step blueprint for crafting AI prompts that turn a general chatbot into a specialized MYP co-planner, ready to help you design impactful, concept-driven presentations for any subject.

The RODES Framework: Your Pedagogical Co-Pilot

The RODES acronym breaks down the process of prompt engineering into essential, sequential components, ensuring your AI output is precise, focused, and—most importantly—aligned with your MYP unit objectives.

ElementFocusMYP Application for Presentations
R – RoleDefine the AI’s persona and expertise.“Act as an IB MYP Individuals & Societies teacher specializing in Global Contexts.”
O – ObjectiveState the clear, specific goal.“Generate a 12-slide presentation outline on the relationship between ‘Globalization and Sustainability’ for a Grade 8 class.”
D – DetailsProvide constraints, context, and key content.“Ensure slides focus on the Key Concept of ‘Change’ and integrate the ATL skill of ‘Information Literacy.’ Must include 3 formative assessment points.”
E – ExamplesOffer a model for the desired style or format.“For each slide, use this format: Title, Key Question, 3-5 bullet points. See the model slide below for the tone and complexity level.”
S – Sense CheckInstruct the AI to review or refine its output.“Review the 12-slide outline. Is there clear evidence of interdisciplinary connections with Design? If not, suggest a link.”

How to Use RODES to Design MYP Presentations

1. R: Set the Role (MYP Persona)

The first step is critical for avoiding generic content. If you simply ask AI to "create a history presentation," you’ll get a textbook regurgitation. By assigning a specific MYP role, you frame the response within the programme’s standards.

  • Example Prompt Segment: "You are an experienced MYP Science teacher focusing on Conceptual Understanding and Formative Assessment for Grade 7."

2. O: Define the Objective (Inquiry Goal)

Your objective should be an actionable task directly related to the presentation resource you need. Be precise about the type of output.

  • Example Prompt Segment: "Your task is to create a detailed script for a 5-minute screencast presentation that introduces the Key Concept of Relationships in a visual arts context."

3. D: Inject the Details (Conceptual Blueprint)

This is where you weave in the threads of the MYP framework. Include the Global Context, Key and Related Concepts, and specific ATL skills you want the presentation to model or highlight. This ensures the output is academically rigorous and structurally sound.

  • Example Prompt Segment: "The presentation must be framed by the Global Context of Scientific and Technical Innovation and include the Related Concept of Function. The tone should be engaging and accessible for students with diverse learning needs. The script must pause three times to ask a higher-order, open-ended question."

4. E: Offer Examples (Guiding the Quality)

To ensure the presentation material meets your quality standard, provide an example of what success looks like. This is especially helpful for controlling the format, complexity, and tone.

  • Example Prompt Segment: "Use the following bulleted points as a model for the depth of content: '1. The design cycle is a recursive process, not linear. 2. Failure is simply data for the next iteration. 3. Documentation (process journal) is as critical as the final product.'"

5. S: Conduct a Sense Check (MYP Alignment Review)

This final, often-skipped step forces the AI to reflect on its own output, which significantly improves the quality. You are asking it to validate the work against your core MYP requirements.

  • Example Prompt Segment: "Before finalizing, check the entire script and confirm that the terminology used is consistent with the MYP Command Terms (e.g., Explain, Compare, Justify). If any slide contains a simple fact, rewrite the prompt for that slide to be a guiding question."

By adopting the RODES Framework, you transform AI from a time-wasting distraction into a highly structured, standards-aligned resource generator. This intentional approach to prompting is a key ATL skill in itself- Information Literacy and Media Literacy- that we model for our students, and one that allows you to reclaim your planning time for the truly human work of teaching.

This video provides an introduction and examples of the RODES Framework in action.- AI Prompting Made Simple The Educator's Guide to the RODES Framework



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