If Coding Is NOT Your Vibe:
Using Gemini Canvas

@LisaBerghoff

You may be surprised to learn that I am somewhat of a technology skeptic. I don't run out and get the newest latest version of every technology tool. I like to wait until everyone else updates their phones and hopefully the bugs get worked out before I update. I am especially leery of anything that claims to make your life instantly better with the click of a button. I can remember getting my first email address and thinking- Wow, this is going to save me soooo much time. Ha! Now I just spend more time being buried in my inbox.  

I am someone who is curious though and I enjoy watching from the sidelines and taking it all in. Does it work? How does it work? Why would I want to use that? Is this something our staff needs to know about? 

So when I first heard of vibe coding I definitely did not think it was for me. First of all, I don't know how to code because I never thought I needed it. Building websites is not something I am particularly interested in and those that I have built were created with drag and drop software that works just fine.

Until...

I have been doing a lot of my own professional learning lately recently attended a session where vibe coding was one of 4 different AI capabilities that were demonstrated. As I watched, listened, and paid attention to those who were chiming in I realized that using Gemini Canvas was something I needed to experiment with. Through that experimentation, I have found that this goes way beyond websites and answers a lot of questions. 

Here are a few: 

• I have this spreadsheet full of student cfa data, is there some way to make an interactive dashboard so I can learn and ask questions about the data?
• I want to make a review game for my students using specific curricular information, is there an easy way to do that?
• Is there a way to create a build your own adventure situation where my students can learn the material in whatever order makes sense to them?
• Is there an easy way to create visual simulations and animations for these complex algorithms that my students are learning? 
• Can I take this dense, lengthy text and quickly turn it into an infographic?

The answer to all of these is YES. With the help of the Canvas tool that lives in Google Gemini.

How Do I Use Gemini Canvas?

1. Go to Gemini.google.com to get started.

2. Click the plus button in the dialogue box and choose canvas.

3. Enter your prompt, describe what it is that you want.

4. Look at the preview. You can adjust and edit any part of the output.

5. Share by clicking the share button and share via the drive, copy the contents, or click export to go directly to Google sites.

What Are Some Examples Of Why/How I Would Use This?

Interactive Game:

I made an AI ethics game for high school students to explore the ethical implications of using AI. This game can open up productive discussion beyond just what is good and what is bad. Want to play it? Here is the link. Feel free to share it with your students.

Custom Data Dashboard

I took my class's SLO data and made an interactive data dashboard. I uploaded the spreadsheet with all of the data. Remember, this data is protected by our terms of service with Google so it's safe to use. 

Click here to see how it works. 

Animated Simulation Of A Complex Formula

This is a 3d interactive animated visualiztion of Euler's Formula And Identity. 

Click here to try it out yourself. 

These are just a few. What will you (or your students) create? Want some help getting started? Let me know. I'm happy to help!