About PCRR
Four phases, one goal: to shape collaboration with generative AI in education competently, reflectively and sustainably.
The PCRR framework is a process-oriented model for collaborating with generative AI in educational contexts. It was developed as part of a Hochschullehrgang (continuing-education programme) at the Pädagogische Hochschule Tirol (Tyrol University College of Teacher Education), tested in practice and published scientifically.
While many existing frameworks limit themselves to the formulation of individual prompts, PCRR covers the entire process: from strategic planning through the actual AI collaboration and its critical review to reflection on the learning process. The four phases are not to be understood as strictly linear, but as iterative and interlinked.
The PCRR framework: the four phases Plan, Create, Review and Reflect are iterative and interlinked. Create and Review form a close feedback cycle, the Reflect phase feeds insights back into new Plan phases.
Plan
Strategic preparation
Before collaboration with the AI begins, goals are defined, suitable tools are selected and a strategy for the collaboration is established. This phase involves thinking through what information and sources will be needed, what role the AI should take on and in what format the result should be delivered. The quality of the planning largely determines the quality of the entire process.
Create
Collaborative creation
The actual collaboration with the AI takes place in the Create phase. Prompts are formulated, results reviewed and further developed through targeted follow-up prompting. Various techniques are used in the process – from role assignment to providing examples to structuring the task into sub-steps. Create is not a one-off act but an iterative process closely interlinked with the Review phase.
Review
Critical review
The Review phase accompanies the entire AI collaboration as a continuous evaluation process. Results are checked for subject-matter accuracy, quality, ethical soundness and legal compliance. The review takes place on three levels: after individual outputs (micro), after sub-tasks (meso) and as an overall assessment at the end (macro). This allows errors, hallucinations and biases to be systematically identified and addressed.
Reflect
Metacognitive reflection
While Review evaluates the product, the Reflect phase turns attention to the process and one’s own learning gain. What worked well, what didn’t? Which strategies were effective? What would one do differently next time? This reflection fosters metacognitive competences and turns individual AI experiences into transferable knowledge. The insights feed into the next Plan phase – creating a spiral of continuous competence development.
Documentation as a core principle
A central element of the PCRR framework is the systematic documentation of all phases: from planning decisions through the course of the collaboration to reflective insights. This transparency serves not only assessment purposes but also fosters awareness of one’s own working process. The depth of documentation can be adapted to experience level and learning objective – from structured templates for beginners to open reflection formats for advanced learners.