Supporting Student Practice with Gemini Gems

Gemini and educator-designed Gems can provide different forms of support as students work toward shared learning outcomes. Gems can create structured opportunities for students to apply knowledge, practice skills, explain their reasoning, and reflect on their learning.

By Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning

Many students already use generative AI tools to support their learning. A student might ask Gemini to explain a difficult concept, review a draft, or help work through a problem. This support can be useful, but it is often generic. The AI response may not use the terminology taught in the course, align with its learning outcomes, or follow the approach demonstrated in class. In some cases, the tool may provide an answer when the goal is for students to practise the thinking process themselves. 

Gemini Gems offer educators an opportunity to create more purposeful support. A Gem is a customized version of Gemini designed to follow instructions provided by its creator. Rather than relying only on a general conversation with Gemini, an educator can create a Gem around a particular learning need, activity, or skill. 

Start with a Learning Need 

Students working toward the same learning outcome may need different kinds of support. 

Imagine three students are preparing for the same clinical assessment: 

Student Learning Need Potential AI Support
Maria Needs help understanding a clinical concept. Gemini explains the concept, provides examples, and answers questions. 
Jordan Understands the concept but struggles to apply it in practice. A Gem guides problem-solving through questions, hints, and feedback. 
Aisha Needs more opportunities to practice communicating with patients. A Gem acts as a simulated patient and responds to the student’s questions. 

The learning goal is the same, but the support required is different. Gemini can help students explore ideas and receive explanations. A Gem allows an educator to shape that support around a more specific learning activity or skill. The learning need comes first, followed by decisions about whether and how a Gem might help. 

What Shapes a Gem? 

Creating a Gem is not simply a matter of choosing a topic. The educator shapes the learning experience through three main inputs: the Gem’s role, its instructions, and any knowledge files provided to it. For example, a simulated-patient Gem might be given a patient role, instructions about what information to reveal, and a patient profile or clinical case file to draw upon. Together, the role, instructions, and knowledge files give educators practical ways to shape the kind of support a Gem provides. 

Supporting Thinking Rather Than Replacing It 

One concern frequently raised about generative AI is whether it may discourage critical thinking. 
A well-designed Gem can help address this concern by asking students to explain their reasoning, justify decisions, evaluate options, and work through problems rather than immediately receiving a solution. The goal is to provide support while keeping the intellectual work with the learner. 

Example: A Simulated Patient 
Consider Aisha from the earlier example. A Gem could be designed to act as a simulated patient, with a defined background, symptoms, and instructions about what information to reveal during an interview. Students must decide what questions to ask, gather relevant information, and determine how to proceed. After the interaction, the Gem can prompt reflection on communication strategies and clinical reasoning. 

Figure 1: Instructions and preview for a Simulated Patient Gem screenshot of a Google Gem set up as instructional support for a simulated patient

Explore Other Possibilities 

The same approach can be adapted across disciplines and learning contexts. 

You might create a Gem that: 

  • guides students through a challenging problem without revealing the final answer; 
  • asks learners to explain a concept in their own words and then provides formative feedback; 
  • supports language learning through a structured conversation; 
  • acts as a client, stakeholder, or community partner in a professional scenario; 
  • gives students opportunities to practise responding to different perspectives; 
  • helps students apply a course framework to a new situation; or 
  • facilitates structured reflection after a project, placement, or simulation. 

In each case, begin by asking what students need to practise. Then consider what role, instructions, and knowledge files would create a useful opportunity for that practice. 

Start Small 

If you are curious about Gemini Gems, begin with one recurring challenge in a course you teach or support: 

  • Where do students commonly get stuck? 
  • What skill would benefit from additional practice? 
  • What questions do students repeatedly bring to office hours? 
  • What kind of formative support is difficult to provide consistently?

A Gem does not need to replace existing teaching practices. It can simply provide another opportunity for students to practise skills that matter. 

Getting Started with Gemini and Gems 

Gemini is approved for use by faculty, administrative staff, and students.  It is accessible via PAWS under the channel name ‘AI Tools’. (USask NSID login required) 
 
For practical guidance on creating Gems, see this Guide to Google Gems (University of Alberta). 

Title image credit: Zulfugar Karimov | Unsplash.com
This article was created with the assistance of AI tools, as described in the GMCTL AI Disclosure Statement.
This resource is shared by the Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning (GMCTL), University of Saskatchewan, under a CC BY-NC-SA license.