Gemini DEEP RESEARCH
It Can Do The Work, YOU Have To Do The Learning

@LisaBerghoff

I understand that for many educators, AI has put us in a state of existential crisis. At a recent conference, I learned about something called the Gartner Hype Cycle. This is designed to help investors think about whether new technology is worth investing in and supporting.  I found it fascinating as it relates to AI in Education. It seems that we are currently somewhere between phase 2 (the peak of inflated expectations) and phase 3 (the trough of disillusionment). See the video below for a 3 minute overview. 

 

Having this information has made me more and more curious about what it will look like when we are in the plateau of productivity and also how long it will take for us to get there. I continue to ask questions related to how these new technologies can help students to learn and realize their potential while mitigating the risks involved with offering up something that can potentially remove much of the "work" involved in producing something, but not the learning, such as a research paper. 

That's why I got excited when I learned about Gemini's Deep Research.

I will let Senior Product Manager, Aarush Selvan explan how it works. Check out the 2 minute video below.

What Does Deep Research Do?

This tool is built into Gemini, Google's generative AI tool, that will take your prompt and turn it into a personalized multi-point research plan that you can adjust. It will then search the web to find relevant and up to date information. It will even show its methods of reasoning as it reviews information gathered and thinks about next steps. It provides comprehensive custom research reports for you with even more detail and insights that are created for you in minutes. 

How Do I Access Deep Research?

Just go to Gemini.google.com and in the prompt box you will see the icon for Deep Research. Click it to make it blue and it will be activated. You can also turn it on in the upper left corner, click the dropdown where it says Gemini and click Deep Research.

What Happens When I Use It?

Enter your prompt, and then you will see a research plan for your topic. You have an opportunity to edit and update it before the actual research begins.

Here, I asked it to help analyze the impact of cell phone use and policies on high school students' wellbeing, academic performance, and success after high school. This is the research plan it gave me.

When you click on Start Research, it does it's magic. It takes a few minutes, as opposed to the many hours it would take me on my own.

When the research is complete, you can ask follow up questions, request changes, and have the report sent to your Google drive in Google docs format.

If you would like to see the full report it gave me, click here

When Will We Have Access To Deep Research?

NOW! This is included as part of our Google For Education Workspace account.

Just go to https://gemini.google.com/app.

Are you ready to give Deep Research a try?

How about introducing it to your students? 

Want a wing-woman? 

I'm here for you! Reach out via email or just book a time with me.

 Ready, Set, Record!

Recording in Google Slides

@LisaBerghoff

My mom has been a real estate agent for over 40 years. One of the things that often comes up when she is listing a house is whether or not it has "built-ins". These are kind of polarizing because people either really want them or they don't. I love built-ins in a house because it means you don't need extra furniture. The same is true when functionality is built into an application. Over time, we have seen more and more types of built-ins added to Google products. I love these because many of them are tools that you want to use but in the past you had to add an extension or go to another site. 

Slides recordings in Google slides is a perfect example of a relatively recent built-in that is so simple and can be used in many different instances. 

What is Recording In Google Slides?

Recording in Google Slides is a feature that is available with our school Google license. It gives you the ability to record your slides without using an external recording app. You can include your webcam so you are also seen on the video in addition to your slides. You have a 30 minute time limit for each recording you create. Also, you must have edit access to the slides in order to create a new recording. If you or your students like to use other browsers, please note that you can only record your presentations in Chrome and Edge browsers. However, you can view, share, and delete recordings from any browser. 

How Do I Use Recordings In Google Slides?

To record, open your slides presentation and click where it says "Rec" and then click "Record new Video". The controls are very simple and easy to use.

• To start the recording, click the red record button.
• To start over, click the red button to pause and click re-record.
• To save it, click the red button to pause and click save to drive.
• You can blur your background by clicking turn on camera blur.
• You can open your speaker notes while you are recording.
• You can also change the size of your webcam window, or move your camera from the lower right corner to the middle, or any other corners. 

How Do I Find And Share My Recording?

To find your recording, open your slides presentation and click the Rec icon. You will see a list of recordings you have made of these slides. The recordings are also saved into a folder on your Google drive called Slides Recordings.

To share, open the presentation where you made the recording and click the Rec icon. Click the title of the recording you want to share. It will open in full-screen view and there will be a share button in the upper right corner. 

If you want to remove a recording from a presentation, click Rec. For the recording you want to remove, click the three vertical dots (more menu) and click remove. 

When Would I Want To Use Google Slides Recordings?

Here are a few times where this could be helpful. I am sure you can think of many more.

• Sub plans. Send the slides to your students and include your video that walks them through what they need to get done while you are gone.
• Student presentations. If you have students that get easily distracted by bells and whistles that come with other screen recorders, or who struggle to toggle between applications, this is a great option.
• For students who are absent or need more scaffolding and support. Create the video and post it on Schoology.
• Flipped lesson- give the information using Google Slides Recordings and then when they come to class you can do a deeper dive, answer questions, and let them wrestle with the material.
• Training style presentations for showing students how to access materials. This can just live on your Schoology page.

Ready to try Google Slides Recordings?

Let me know how you decide to use it.

As always, reach out if you would like some help.

How, When and Why To Use AI 

@LisaBerghoff

The whirlwind of artificial intelligence tools for learning can seem overwhelming. I'm having fun. I love to learn and try new things and there's no shortage of new things to try right now. However, as I have been teaching staff members about some of our new AI tools and listening to their questions, I realize that I have not done a great job at explaining the reasoning behind why an AI tool might be preferred, or how or when to use in the classroom. While many of us have been experimenting with generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, when it comes to using AI for learning, there is a little bit of head scratching going on. We all agree that we don't wan the AI to be doing the thinking instead of the students. We also agree that we don't want students using AI tools to generate work that they will then turn in as their own. This post is designed to give you some simple recommendations for why, when, and how to use AI with students.

WHY- Embracing AI For Enhanced Learning

When AI is used thoughtfully, it can be used for-

• Personalized learning- AI can analyze student data to help identify strengths and weaknesses, tailoring learning experiences to individual needs. We also now have chatbots that are designed to work like tutors for students. This can lead to increased student engagement. The students who are not going to raise their hands in class just might ask the chatbot to explain content to them.
• Faster feedback- AI powered tools can offer immediate feedback on assignments, it's especially good with writing. This faster feedback loop can help students improve their writing skills because they are not waiting to get their papers back for days or weeks.
• Foster creativity and critical thinking- This seems counterintuitive but if used correctly, the AI tools can help generate creative prompts, simulate real-world scenarios, and will go places with students that we (I) don't really have the patience for. 

WHEN- Strategic Integration

Please don't just let students decide when it's best to employ the use of AI tools. When placed strategically, AI will add value to the learning process.

Scenarios when AI could be utilized-

• Accessibility- AI tools can provide closed captioning, text to speech, speech to text, and more for students who benefit from these tools.
• STEM activities- AI simulations can model complex scientific concepts or can be used to help test engineering solutions.
• Personalized study guides- AI can analyze student performance and create study guides that focus on areas where they need the most support.
• Language learning- Personalized practice, feedback on pronunciation, and grammar.
• Research- AI powered search engines can help students gather and analyze information.
• During parts of the writing process- can help with brainstorming, outlining, editing
• Providing exemplars for students to evaluate

HOW- Practical Applications

We have many AI tools and general digital tools that now have integrated AI capabilities.  To make a blanket statement of "no AI use" is no longer a real possibility in many circumstances.

However,  it is critically important that we educate ourselves, our students, and our parents. We also need to be having ongoing conversations. 

• Please do not wait until you think you are an "expert". That day will not come. Model what learning looks like to your students by trying new things with AI and see how it goes. 
• Consider assigning AI use for part of an assignment. By making it ok. you will likely make it less appealing for students to try and be sneaky. 
• Let AI take some things off your plate. The quick automation is designed to help you. Find a tool or two that works well for you and allow it to do some of the time consuming, mind-numbing parts of being a teacher that are less than fun.
• Utilize the student chat-bot feature to provide each student with an AI tutor. They don't have to sit and do nothing while they wait for you! An added bonus is that you have access to the chat logs so you can see where they need more help.

I hope this clarifies and demystifies some of the edtech AI landscape for you. Want a thought partner that doesn't have a screen? Reach out to me. I'm happy to help!

Deck.Toys

Learning Paths For Lesson Adventures

@LisaBerghoff

I learned about Universal Design For Learning in 2015 when I read a blog post explaining the brain science behind the framework. The post explained that UDL was about removing barriers and providing options for students. This really changed my way of thinking. As a special education teacher, I was writing IEPs where I had to list all of the students' deficits and reasons why they were not meeting learning expectations. 

Today, I use the UDL framework as a lens for looking at instructional technology tools. I look at a digital resource and think- Is this something that could be an option for students to engage with learning?, Is this an option for how students take in information?, or Is this an option for students to demonstrate their learning? 

That is why I was so thrilled to learn about Deck.Toys, it can really fit into all three of the UDL learning networks. The name Deck.Toys comes from the idea that a lesson is made up of 50% serious learning (the deck) and 50% having fun (the toys) by making it a fully engaging experience for students. 

What Is Deck.Toys?

Deck.Toys is an online platform that allows teachers to create self-managed interactive lessons for students. You can build a learning path filled with interactive activities for your students to learn, respond, and engage with. A learning path is a sequential path that your students take in order to complete a lesson journey. The path can be linear, divergent for a more challenging or less challenging path. Students might not be able to unlock certain paths until they unlock a previous path with a key. I like to think of these learning paths as treasure maps that students follow. Here is an example: 

How do I get started with Deck.Toys?

According to the quick start guide which can be accessed here, there are 3 options for ways creating in Deck.Toys. 

1. You can use the Learning Paths and Activities Wizard

2. You can make a copy and edit a pre-made deck that someone shared with you or from the public deck gallery.

3. Create from scratch.

Here's what I suggest:

1. Using the wizard, you will first enter your details such as grade level, topic/standards, and language. There is an AI button there to help you out if you want it.

2. Next, choose the learning path. You can choose from linear, forked, merged, spiral, web, and board game. Don't worry, there are examples to help you choose.

3. Add study sets. Again, you can create with AI, start with a blank set, import from other decks, spreadsheets, and more. Think of this as your vocabulary list or concepts.

I love the accessibility features built in here. You can record your voice and add images. These really help our struggling readers. 

4. The next step is to customize your activities. To me, this is the most important and fun step. You choose from many different activities. There is also an AI button that will build for you.

You now have your deck made! You can preview the deck so you can experience it as a student. I love that you also see the teacher view in a side by side layout. This is a simple civics lesson I created: 

As students work through the learning path, they earn points. In my simple example, students unlock activities sequentially. As you test out your learning path, you are able to edit and make changes to any of the activities.

How Do I Share With Students?

Sharing with students is simple. 

1. Create a Deck.Toys classroom

2. Assign the deck to the classroom

3. Share the classroom url on Schoology so your students can access it

Students can log in using their school Google account

On the dashboard you can view student progress

Deck.Toys is a wonderful activity idea for in-class time. You can enable certain activities for multi-player mode. This also works beautifully as an out of class assignment where students can move at their own pace.

Are you ready to try Deck.Toys? Want some help getting started? Feel free to reach out.

Have fun!

 

 

Unbiased News Doesn't Exist

@LisaBerghoff

When I was a student, I can remember taking classes that had a recurring current events assignment. We were instructed to find a news article and summarize it at regular intervals.  At times, those current events would be shared with the class. The purpose of the assignment was to help us understand the importance of awareness of current events, as well as reading comprehension and making connections. The news came from the newspaper. There was no social media. Nor was there the ability to comment on everything that is put out into the world in a very public way. Today, the way we get our news is very different and we often seem to exist in an echo chamber with the way news feeds and algorithms are filtered to give us more of what we already agree with. 

As educators, we all understand the importance of relevance and practical application in learning. The Universal Design For Learning framework explains that there are three main learning networks in the brain. The affective network deals with the "why" of learning. This is when I always think about that student who likes to say- when will I ever need to know this? The recognition network speaks to the "what" of learning, or how students take in and make meaning out of new information. Finally, the strategic network is around the "how" of learning. This network is all about how students show us what they know and understand. The Universal Design for Learning guidelines, which were updated over the summer of 2024, explain the importance in offering options for each of these networks. The recognition and strategic networks are often pretty easy to figure out in terms of providing choices for students. If a student is struggling with decoding, perhaps they can listen to an audio version of text. A student who has difficulty giving a live presentation could be prompted to record. The affective network is sometimes trickier and arguably the most important. 

It is that motivation and spark of interest that often propels students from just taking in information to actually shaping their understanding and making connections that will expand their learning in the future.

In my quest for searching for ways to help us all make real world connections, I was thrilled to find Allsides.com and Allsides For Schools. 

Allsides aims to provide diverse perspectives and a balanced take on news. They do not publish any news stories of their own. Allsides takes a look at what is out there from about 600 media outlets and creates a media bias rating on the news stories. News items are rated as being left, lean left, center, lean right, or right of the political spectrum. You have the ability to do a search by topic or do what they refer to as a balanced search, which will give you results that are rated. Take a look at their Media Bias Chart below. 

The site exposes people to information and ideas from all sides of the political spectrum so we can better understand the world.  It also includes a "Red Blue Dictionary" because sometimes when we disagree it's like we're not speaking the same language. this dictionary reveals how people across the political spectrum define, think and feel differently about the same term or issue. 

Watch the 90 second video below to learn more about how Allsides works.  

The Allsides For Schools sight provides tools, resources, information, and lesson plans with the goal of teaching students how to critically evaluate news, media content, as well as other information and to participate in thoughtful conversation. This is targeted for middle school, high school, and college classrooms. Allsides for schools is a joint nonprofit initiative of Allsides, Living Room Conversations, and the Mediators Foundation. This education site was created in 2019 when it became clear that teachers were using both Allsides and Living Room Conversation guides. 

Here is a short video explaining three ways to use Allsides in classrooms.

Also on the site you will find Mismatch, which is an online conversation platform built to cultivate skills and offer practice in civil dialogue between middle school, high school, and college students in different parts of the United States. This is amazing because you sign up as a class, not as individuals, and you get to decide what conversation you are going to have. The whole point is to help get students out of their bubble and have meaningful conversations.  This site has so many fantastic features designed to get teachers and students out of their filter bubbles and looking at the news through critical thinking, not social media. There are multiple tools available or you can just use the Allsides website. 

Here is a short video demonstration explaining how Mismatch works.

There are many practical uses for this in the classroom, whether or not you are teaching current events. Think about how many times we want our students to research what is currently happening in our world and to be exposed to balanced viewpoints.

I hope you will give Allsides a look. Let's keep conversations open and help teach our students how to do it in a positive way. 

Want some help using Allsides or any other edtech product? Let me know. I'm here for you!

 

AI:

Which Is Best?

*image created with Canva's Magic Media

@LisaBerghoff

As educators, the AI landscape has absolutely exploded since November of 2022 when OpenAI (ChatGPT) became available to the public. For many, just mentioning the term AI only brings to mind ChatGPT and the ways it can be used by students to do their writing for them. In reality, AI has been around since the 1950s and in the past decade has been built in to many of the tools that we use on a daily basis. We now have access to numerous AI tools that are designed specifically for education. Even the edtech tools that we have been using for years now have been infused with AI features. 

I get asked on a regular basis which generative AI tool is the best. While most people still default to ChatGPT, there are other generative AI tools worth exploring for your own personal use. It is good to understand the various tools and explore to see the differences. Since they are all a little different under the hood, they will perform differently so I always suggest trying the same prompt on each tool and see what type of response you get. 

Here is a quick primer.

ChatGPT:

Created by OpenAI, the GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. This is an ai chatbot that can create new things, is trained on a large amount of data to learn patterns, predict the most logical sequence of text based on a prompt, and then respond based on its prediction. 

Claude:

According to my sources, Claude, which is created by Anthropic, is the one that is doing the best at removing bias and decreasing hallucinations. This is the generative AI model that is most widely used in the healthcare industry. It is known for its great writing quality. It has a larger text window and tends to respond more empathically than ChatCPT. Claude operates on technology called Claude Opus.

Gemini:

This generative chatbot is owned by Google (Alphabet) and uses a combination of models, LaMDA- stands for Language Model For Dialogue Applications. It also uses PaLM 2, which, according to Google, is their "next generation language model". Since Google has access to massive amounts of search data, Gemini is going to be a little different from the others. Since Gemini is a Google product, it will export responses to a google doc and draft in gmail if you choose. 

Please note!

• All generative AI tools come with a disclaimer that their responses may be inaccurate. 
• All generative AI tools will require finessing of prompts and iteration to get to a place where you are consistently getting helpful responses.
• All generative AI tools' FREE versions will use your data to help train their models. Free may not cost you money but you will always pay in some way.

I asked each of these tools the same prompt: 

*What are three important things for educators to know about artificial intelligence.

ChatGPT Response:

Here are the three most important things for educators to know about artificial intelligence:

1. AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement

AI can enhance teaching and learning, but it won’t replace educators. It’s a powerful tool to:

• Personalize instruction (adaptive learning tools)
• Save time with tasks like grading or generating resources
• Support student writing, research, and creativity
  Educators remain essential for building relationships, guiding students, and fostering critical thinking and ethical use of AI.

2. Ethics, Equity, and Accuracy Matter

AI can be biased, produce inaccurate information, or exclude certain groups. It's important for educators to:

• Teach students to verify and fact-check AI-generated content.
• Promote equitable access to AI tools.
• Discuss the ethical use of AI, including privacy, bias, and intellectual property.

3. AI Literacy is Key

Educators should develop a basic understanding of how AI works to effectively integrate it into their classrooms. This includes:

• Knowing how to use AI tools for productivity (e.g., generating lesson plans, differentiating instruction).
• Helping students become responsible AI users and creators.
• Staying updated on how AI is evolving and how it affects education and society.

Would you like this framed more specifically for teachers, counselors, or administrators? 😊

Claude Response:

Let me share three crucial insights that educators should understand about artificial intelligence:

First, AI is already transforming education through tools like intelligent tutoring systems, automated grading, and personalized learning paths. However, AI should augment rather than replace teachers - its real power lies in handling routine tasks so educators can focus on what they do best: providing human connection, emotional support, and nuanced guidance that AI cannot replicate. Understanding this complementary relationship helps educators integrate AI thoughtfully.

Second, students need to develop AI literacy - not just how to use AI tools, but how to think critically about them. This includes understanding AI's capabilities and limitations, recognizing potential biases, and developing skills that will remain valuable alongside AI (like creativity, emotional intelligence, and complex problem-solving). Educators play a vital role in helping students become informed and ethical users of AI technology.

Third, AI tools raise important questions about academic integrity and assessment. Rather than trying to prevent AI use entirely, educators need to rethink assignment design and assessment methods to emphasize skills like analysis, synthesis, and original thinking. This might mean shifting from traditional essays to projects that demonstrate process and creativity, or using AI tools openly as part of the learning process while being clear about appropriate boundaries.

Would you like me to elaborate on any of these points or discuss other important considerations for educators regarding AI?

Gemini Response:

Here are 3 important things for educators to know about artificial intelligence:

1. AI is rapidly changing education. AI-powered tools can personalize learning, automate tasks, and provide data-driven insights. Educators need to understand how these tools work and how to use them effectively to improve student outcomes.

2. AI raises ethical concerns. Bias in AI algorithms can perpetuate inequalities. Educators must be aware of these risks and advocate for the responsible development and use of AI in education.

3. AI requires new skills. Students need to develop skills in areas like data literacy, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making to thrive in an AI-driven world. Educators need to adapt their teaching to prepare students for this future.

I think the key takeaway here is to be aware. There are many tools out there and you should be experimenting with multiple tools instead of just using one. Also, an awareness that they are not all the same is helpful when you are choosing which tool to use for various tasks. 

Want to talk more about AI?

Come and chat with me! 

Emoji Kitchen

There's An Emoji For That!

 @LisaBerghoff

It's February. The days are still short, the weather is still unpredictable at best. We are tired. Our students are tired. All around us life feels serious. In an effort to counter balance the weight I feel around me, I like to find a little something that doesn't take much effort but will consistently yield a moment of happy. Often, these are found in obscure corners of the internet. My current go-to has been Google's Emoji Kitchen.

What Is Emoji Kitchen?

Emoji Kitchen is part of Google's dev lab and it allows you to create over 14,000 creative stickers by mixing emojis. You can also search for emojis to remix.

How To Use Emoji Kitchen.

Go to emojikitchen.dev to start searching or search Emoji Kitchen and click where it says "Get Cooking". 

From there, choose 2 emojis and click "combine" to get your emoji mashup.

If you go to emojikitchen.dev, you get a slightly different interface in which you can search for emojis. Click on one to see all of the possibilities. Do this twice and you can then combine the two.

That's it!

Have fun.

Want to connect? I'm here for you. Feel free to reach out to me.