Google Gemini,, formerly Google Bard, is the alternative to using ChatGPT, a generative AI tool. As teachers we can get a lot out of using this tool. Here are 10 ways teachers will need to adjust to Google Gemini.
Google Bard is an alternative to ChatGPT. You can find out more at teq.otis.com and searching for Google Bard. I did live session about Google Bard on August 10th, 2023. Catch the recording here.
Enable Google Bard on Google Workspace for Education
You can access Google Gemini for free on your personal Gmail accounts by going to gemini.google.com. If you want to use it on your school account you can request it be enabled in the “Additional Google services” by your Workspace admin.
Schools can add Gemini to Google Workspace on a user by user basis. Gemini in the sidebar is truly a game changer for teachers.
10 Ways Teachers Will Need to Adjust to Google Gemini
🤖 Below are the suggested ways that Google Gemini thinks that teachers will need to adjust. I have added my own commentary with my teacher emoji 👩🏼🏫 .
Here are 10 ways teachers will need to adapt their teaching in response to having access to generative AI:
1. Become more familiar with Google Gemini’s capabilities.
Teachers need to understand what Google Gemini can do and how it can be used in the classroom. This includes understanding its strengths and limitations, as well as its potential impact on student learning.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
The first way to effectively use Google Gemini is to use it. Become familiar with what it can and can not do. Go to gemini.google.com and ask it to do some common teacher tasks or student assignments. Check out my post on 100 ChatGPT prompts. They can also be used in Google Gemini.
2. Use Google Gemini to personalize instruction.
Google Gemini can be used to personalize instruction by providing students with customized feedback and support. Teachers can use Google Gemini to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, and then use this information to create targeted learning activities.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
Nearly as long as I have been a teacher (I started teaching in 1999) I have heard about “personalized learning.” The challenge is that there is one teacher and a class(es) of student. This is really hard! Suggestion that for each student you survey them with a Google Form and keep this information together with notes and observations about a student. You can enter some details about your student into Google Gemini to ask it to create a personalized plan that addresses the things that you listed. Personalized learning should actually be personal about the student!
3. Use Google Gemini to differentiate instruction.
Google Gemini can be used to differentiate instruction by providing students with different levels of challenge. Teachers can use Google Gemini to create activities that are tailored to the individual needs of each student.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
On the fly, use Google Gemini to change up your lesson and lesson materials. As you need to scaffold or provide a different approach, prompt Gemini as you need to differentiate during a lesson.
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4. Use Google Gemini to promote student-led learning.
Google Gemini can be used to promote student-led learning by providing students with the tools they need to explore and learn independently. Teachers can use Google Gemini to create activities that allow students to set their own learning goals and track their own progress.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
I’m all about student centered classrooms. If we provide the learning objective instead of the assignment it allows for students to have control over how they show you they have learned. Gemini can help you work with students to design their own learning activities.
5. Use Google Gemini to encourage creativity and innovation.
Google Gemini can be used to encourage creativity and innovation by providing students with the tools they need to generate new ideas and solve problems. Teachers can use Google Gemini to create activities that challenge students to think outside the box and come up with new solutions.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
Honestly, so far I have been unimpressed with generative AI’s ability to come up with actual creative activities. I get a lot of suggestions for a worksheet 🤦♀️. Don’t take anything generative AI provides as gospel, some of the creative critical thinking comes from the analysis of Google Gemini (or ChatGPT).
6. Use Google Gemini to assess student learning.
Google Gemini can be used to assess student learning by providing teachers with data on student progress. Teachers can use Google Gemini to track student progress over time, and to identify areas where students need additional support.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
STRONGLY I REMIND YOU THAT GENERATIVE AI IS NOT SMARTER THAN YOU!!
I absolutely use Gemini and ChatGPT to give me some suggestions for feedback. HOWEVER, I do not defer to it.
Technology does not build relationships with your students.
7. Use Google Gemini to provide feedback to students.
Google Gemini can be used to provide feedback to students by giving them personalized feedback on their work. Teachers can use Google Gemini to provide students with specific feedback on their strengths and weaknesses, and to help them improve their work.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
I always have every intention to give highly detailed quality feedback to my students. However… life. It’s really time consuming obviously so sometimes “good job” is what I can muster. Prompting generative AI to provide 2 specific suggestions for improvement helps me to quickly provide more meaningful feedback to students. Again, I always check the response and do not think that it is accurate by default. I, not technology, am responsible for what I provide to students.
8. Use Google Gemini to collaborate with other teachers.
Google Gemini can be used to collaborate with other teachers by sharing resources and ideas. Teachers can use Google Gemini to create shared lesson plans, assessments, and resources.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
Google Gemini will export to Google Docs, so that makes it nice to be able to create a collaborative lesson planning document.
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9. Use Google Gemini to stay up-to-date on the latest research.
Google Gemini can be used to stay up-to-date on the latest research in education. Teachers can use Google Gemini to access research articles, educational blogs, and other resources.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
I asked Google Gemini to give me 10 research articles that are recent. Google Bard has the capability of searching the Internet. Generative AI hallucinates. This means it makes stuff up. ALWAYS find the source documents on anything. Google searching the first article found zero results on Google Search. However, Gemini did allow me to “Google It” and gave me search results for research articles.
10. Use Google Gemini to create professional development opportunities.
Google Gemini can be used to create professional development opportunities by providing teachers with access to online courses, webinars, and other resources. Teachers can use Google Gemini to learn new teaching strategies and techniques.
👩🏼🏫Alice’s Commentary
I’m really not sure how Gemini provides teachers with access to online courses. HOWEVER, teaching is full of jargon. Use Google Gemini to explain to you, in the context of what you want to teach, what that PD jargon means.
It’s important to note that generative AI models are trained on a wide spectrum of information about teaching. This includes not only best practices and expert advice but also the abundance of inaccurate, incomplete, or even harmful material available online.
Gemini’s Conclusion
These are just a few of the ways teachers will need to adapt their teaching in response to students having access to Google Gemini. As Google Gemini continues to develop, teachers will need to be creative and innovative in their use of this technology. By doing so, they can ensure that their students are getting the best possible education.
Here are some additional ways teachers might need to adapt their teaching in response to students having access to Google Gemini:
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- Be prepared to answer questions about Google Gemii. Students will likely have questions about Google Gemini, such as how it works, what it can do, and how it can be used in the classroom. Teachers should be prepared to answer these questions in a clear and concise way.
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- Be aware of the potential misuse of Google Gemini. Students may try to misuse Google Gemini, such as by using it to cheat on assignments or to plagiarize work. Teachers should be aware of the potential for misuse and take steps to prevent it.
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- Be open to feedback from students. Students may have feedback on how Google Gemini can be used in the classroom. Teachers should be open to this feedback and use it to improve their teaching.
Overall, Google Gemini has the potential to revolutionize education. By adapting their teaching, teachers can ensure that their students are getting the most out of this powerful technology.
10 Ways Teachers Will Need to Adjust to Google Gemini is created by Google Bard (before the rebrand) with some commentary by Alice Keeler.
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