Edtech ThrowdownEpisode 200: Is Google Gemini the Ultimate Educational AI?

Welcome to the EdTech Throwdown.  This is Episode 200 called Is Google Gemini the Ultimate Educational AI?  In this episode, we will discuss the good and the bad of Google Gemini as we try to answer the question - is this the ultimate educational AI tool?  This is another episode you don’t want to miss, check it out.

Segment 1: 

Congrats on episode 200 - we had a plan but scheduling conflicts and a busy schedule pushes us back.

We’ve been presenting like crazy and Google Gemini keeps popping up.  It does what school ai does.  It does what magic school does.  It’s “safe”.  This raises the question … is it the ultimate tool?

100 Ways to Use Google Gemini

Segment 2:

Where is it?

• Find it by clicking the waffle icon of any Chrome account, it is sitting there amongst your other google apps

Why use it?

• Easy to find part of the google platform your school is already used to
• Follows the same privacy and security guidelines as other google products.  This means that if your school is already a google school, they can turn it on for both staff and students with less concern about how info is shared
• Exports directly into Google Docs

General features as of 2025

• Flash vs. Pro
• Guided Learning Mode
• Canvas Mode
• Image Generation
• Adding files, documents and pictures
• Gems!
• Combats some downsides of AI withLearnLM

Downsides:

• AI just became easier to access and use - the downsides are many (brain health, environmental concerns, cheating, the loss of struggle, etc)
• Not all students are ready and Gemini makes it so easy
• Google is a behemoth and we are feeding it (in the words of matt miller).  Remember that Google is offering this for free so they hook us all in to their world.  Is this inherently bad … im not sure.

Our favorite Use Cases:

• Creating fun images or image alterations for class (nicks chemistry superhero)
• Creating personalized digital stickers (gemstickers)
• Google Classroom toolsare pretty cool, even if your school doesn’t use Google Classroom for it’s full LMS functionality
• Canvas can code websites and apps just like Canva Code!
• Gems can make personalized AI tutors just like SchoolAI or Magic School
• PHONE STUFF

Edtech Throwdown: 

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Music Credits:

• Intro and Outro Music-American Idle - RKVC
• Segment Identifiers-Duck in the Alley - TrackTribe
• Edtech Throwdown-Born a Rockstar (Instrumental) - NEFEX

Need a Presenter?

As experienced presenters and content creators, you can contact Nick and Guise to speak at your school, event, or conference. They can customize a workshop that meets your organization’s unique time and content needs. While no topic is out of bounds, we are best known for sessions on:

• AI For Teachers, Admin, and Parents
• 1:1 Chromebook Integration
• EdTech Throwdown
• TargetED Learning
• Gamification (Badge Systems)
• Game-Based Learning (Escape Rooms, Amazing Race, and more)
• Google apps and extensions
• Personalized learning and Choice Boards
• Teacher productivity (Lesson Planning, Online Grading. and Feedback)
• Digital content creation
• Student Podcasting
• Screencasting
• Flipped Classroom
• Student-Centered Learning