Generative AI as a Coach to Help Students Enhance Proficiency in Question Formulation.

The article focuses on the development and evaluation of Ask.SMILE, a generative AI web application designed to assess and improve the cognitive complexity of questions posed by educators, based on Bloom's Taxonomy. Over a three-month period, 2,559 educators submitted 25,973 questions, with analyses showing a statistically significant progression from lower-order (recall) to higher-order (creative and evaluative) questions, indicating enhanced inquiry skills. Using a Linear Mixed Model and ANOVA, the study confirmed the effectiveness of Ask.SMILE in fostering deeper cognitive engagement, while participant surveys highlighted both appreciation for the tool's potential and suggestions for further refinement. The findings suggest that AI-driven platforms like Ask.SMILE can support inquiry-based learning and critical thinking development across diverse educational settings, though future research is needed to explore broader applications and address limitations such as user identification and subject-specific adaptations.