LLM Prompt Evaluation for Educational Applications

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2601.16134v1
• Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:31:25 GMT
• Title: LLM Prompt Evaluation for Educational Applications
• Authors: Langdon Holmes, Adam Coscia, Scott Crossley, Joon Suh Choi, Wesley Morris,
• Abstract summary: Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly common in educational applications.<n>There is a growing need for evidence-based methods to design and evaluate LLM prompts.<n>This study presents a generalizable, systematic approach for evaluating prompts.
• Score: 2.1883807277376754
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: As large language models (LLMs) become increasingly common in educational applications, there is a growing need for evidence-based methods to design and evaluate LLM prompts that produce personalized and pedagogically aligned out-puts. This study presents a generalizable, systematic approach for evaluating prompts, demonstrated through an analysis of LLM-generated follow-up questions in a structured dialogue activity. Six prompt templates were designed and tested. The templates incorporated established prompt engineering patterns, with each prompt emphasizing distinct pedagogical strategies. The prompt templates were compared through a tournament-style evaluation framework that can be adapted for other educational applications. The tournament employed the Glicko2 rating system with eight judges evaluating question pairs across three dimensions: format, dialogue support, and appropriateness for learners. Data was sourced from 120 authentic user interactions across three distinct educational deployments. Results showed that a single prompt related to strategic reading out-performed other templates with win probabilities ranging from 81% to 100% in pairwise comparisons. This prompt combined persona and context manager pat-terns and was designed to support metacognitive learning strategies such as self-directed learning. The methodology showcases how educational technology re- searchers can systematically evaluate and improve prompt designs, moving beyond ad-hoc prompt engineering toward evidence-based prompt development for educational applications.

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