topic Re: Welcome & Introductions in Discussions

Welcome & Introductions

ZC — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 21:53:10 GMT

Hello, and welcome to the Google Higher Education Communities and Google Higher Education Faculty Groups (GFGs). We are thrilled you are here.

This community is a space to move past the "problem" phase and start organizing the world’s information and tools in a way that makes them useful for the scholars and leaders doing the heavy lifting.

The future of the academy will be decided by the architects who are busy building the scaffolds for what comes next.

Finding Your Foothold

We’ve designed this infrastructure to be a lab for the possible, not just a repository for tips and tricks. Here is how you can use this space to move your work forward:

The Main Discussion Forum: This space you're in right now is our "thinking in public" space. Bring your prototypes, your breakthroughs, and the critical questions that lead to better design.
Curriculum Resources: This is where we trade abstract theory for execution. You’ll find Gemini-ready materials designed to move students from passive consumers to critical architects of their own inquiry. It will also be a space for you to share your resources.
Google Faculty Groups: Use the Find Groups tool to connect with peers in your specific discipline. Whether it's Social Sciences, Engineering, or Library & Digital Scholarship, this is where the hyper-local innovations happen. Each of these specialized groups also include Discussion forums, Event spaces, and a Stay Informed blog for specialized resources and information aligned to roles and interests.
Events: Register for regional and global webinars that focus on current issues in higher education "how" of teaching and researching in a Gemini-enabled world.

Introduce Yourself: What are you building?

This is a shared space, which means it thrives on your active curiosity. To get us started, reply to this thread and share:

The Context: Where are you building right now and what is the primary focus of your current work?
The Pivot: Acknowledging the current tensions in the field, what is one possibility you’ve discovered that makes you optimistic about the future of your discipline?
The Strategy: What is one small shift you’ve made in your practice—pedagogical or administrative—that has cleared the path for deeper, more human work?

Overall, the Google Higher Education Communities and GFGs are spaces created by Google to help the world's higher education faculty and leaders thoughtfully connect to re-think scholarship, learning, and teaching in post-secondary education in an AI-enabled world.

Above all else, this is a shared community space guided by our community guidelines and driven by our shared purpose of organizing the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful for scholars across the globe.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

ashiyan — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:27:27 GMT

The Context: I'm a Communication Studies (online) Lecturer at San Jose State University and Cal State East Bay. In the classroom my main use of AI and AI-related work is in my qualitative research methods and communication ethics classes—where students engage in doing research projects related to AI as well as discuss ethical issues related to AI. My own research area is in the field of Digital Media/AI and Peace Innovation, for which I recently completed a summer tour in 2025 in the UK and Spain, based on conversations held with the Executive Director of the Stanford Peace Innovation Lab. I have also enjoyed using NotebookLM to create short videos of my research.
The Pivot: At the moment, extending my 2018 doctoral work at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and some recent research, Im exploring indigenous and decolonized research paradigms including, Talanoa (the Pacific) and Ole Talk (the Caribbean), looking twards understanding the context of AI/Digital Media and Peace Innovation in SIDS (small island -developing- states).
The Strategy: I always greet every student in every zoom room by name at the beginning of class, and also ask them to do a news summary once during the semester and discuss with them the news stories that are taking place.

My full bio is at - www.ashrahmani.info or www.linkedin.com/in/ashrahmani -Thanks

Re: Welcome & Introductions

deepshikha80 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 10:22:42 GMT

Hello everyone,

It’s a pleasure to be part of this forward-looking community. I’m Dr Deepshikha, teaching Chemistry and Materials Science at Queen Mary University of London. My work sits at the intersection of digital education, assessment innovation, and AI integration in higher education.

The Context

I am currently leading the EduMark AI project, which focuses on developing educator-controlled AI systems to support rubric-aligned feedback, enhance assessment quality, and improve student engagement. Alongside teaching, I am working with institutional stakeholders to explore how AI can be meaningfully integrated into learning environments and assessment policies at scale.

The Pivot

One possibility that genuinely excites me is the shift from viewing AI as a threat to academic integrity to recognising it as a catalyst for rethinking assessment design. I am optimistic about a future where assessments become more authentic, process-driven, and reflective of real-world problem-solving, with AI serving as a support for deeper learning rather than a shortcut.

The Strategy

A small but impactful shift I have implemented is embedding AI within a human-in-the-loop assessment model. Instead of replacing academic judgement, AI is used to generate structured, rubric-aligned draft feedback, which educators critically review and refine. This has not only reduced the marking workload but also created more time for meaningful student interaction and personalised support.

I am particularly interested in connecting with others who are building scalable, ethical, and pedagogically sound AI practices, especially within assessment, feedback, and curriculum design.

Looking forward to learning from and contributing to this community.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

Jennypham2110 — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:41:45 GMT

This sounds amazing. I am also exploring the same topic to be implemented at my school. Hope to be connected with you to share and learn

Re: Welcome & Introductions

deepshikha80 — Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:57:59 GMT

Thanks so much, Jenny! That’s great to hear. I’d love to connect and exchange ideas.Looking forward to learning from your experience as well!

Re: Welcome & Introductions

V_MontielR — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:58:44 GMT

Hola a todos! Es un honor sumarme a este espacio. Soy Vanessa Montiel Ruiz, CEO de MGSA, Google CERTIFICATE AI/ML. Aquí les comparto lo que estoy construyendo:

Contexto: Actualmente estoy centrada en el desarrollo del framework Vanguardia y Vanguardia OS en Zapopan, Jalisco. Mi enfoque principal es la Sovereign AI (IA Soberana) y la gobernanza de IA centrada en el ser humano, aplicada específicamente a ecosistemas de educación superior y alta escala.

El punto de inflexión: Ante la tensión entre la automatización masiva y la pérdida de identidad académica, he descubierto que la IA no debe ser un sustituto, sino un "aumento" de las capacidades humanas. Me hace optimista ver cómo, mediante el uso ético de herramientas como Gemini, podemos devolverle al docente y al investigador el tiempo para lo que realmente importa: la chispa creativa y el pensamiento crítico.

La estrategia: El cambio que he introducido es el concepto de "Crea sin límites". Estoy implementando flujos de trabajo donde la IA se encarga de la estructura técnica y el análisis de datos masivos (como en mis colaboraciones con la NASA), permitiendo que la pedagogía se vuelva más profunda, humana y personalizada.

Estoy aquí para colaborar como ELP Facilitator y conectar con otros arquitectos que estén listos para diseñar lo que viene después. ¡Sigamos construyendo! Seamos universalmente accesibles 🌎

Re: Welcome & Introductions

profgauna — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:41:23 GMT

Hola me presento! Mi nombre es Gastón Gauna, soy profesor de nivel secundario de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Trabajo en escuelas bilingües (Castellano/inglés) con certificaciones internacionales. Tengo 21 años de experiencia en la profesión docente, y siempre aplique invocaciones tecnológicas en mis clases.

Contexto: Estoy construyendo en mis cursos de secundarias asistentes personalizados de Gem, para poder hacer frente a la gran diversidad de perfiles de los alumnos. El enfoque es generar un asistente tutor de mis clases personalizado para cada alumno, con fuentes provistas por mi, con seguimiento de las consultas del alumno, con adaptaciones de acuerdo a su perfil.
El punto de inflexión: En las instituciones escolares los cambios e innovaciones son muy lentas, pero mi desafío es romper con el esquema mental de que la IA hace a los alumnos pasivos receptivos y poder demostrar que con el uso de asistentes con motor de IA el alumno pasa a ser protagonista de su aprendizaje.
La estrategia: Introduje el cambio que el alumno ahora no es pasivo, que cuanto más usa su asistente de clases más se perfila a sus necesidades, las primeras evaluaciones dieron excelente notas en general, y sobre todo a los alumnos con dificultades de aprendizaje, administrativamente para mi fue un gran cambio en sistematizar la elaboración de contenidos, evaluaciones, y rúbricas.
Mi intensión es aplicar a nivel institucional la gestión a través de GEM y ponerme en contacto con profesionales para enriquecer mi experiencia

Re: Welcome & Introductions

Dr_Rocco — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 21:21:11 GMT

Hello everyone!

My name is Dr. Rocco Catrone and I am faculty at the University of Illinois Chicago (see links below to relevant sites). Much of my work operates around AI, accessibility, and disability stigma reduction. As a person with learning and cognitive disabilities myself, this topic is very near and dear to my heart as well as the communities I serve.

The Context

I am creating materials and coding supports for students with disabilities around WCAG requirements and cognitive offloading.

The Pivot

AI is a VERY powerful TOOL that can help close the gap of support. People are scared of AI (rightfully so) but instead of teaching people to be critical of it, theya re policing it which does not feel like an adaptive solution.

The Strategy

Ask students how they are using AI. Then, after you understand how folx are using this, ask students their PROCESS behind how they use the tools. Simply asking these two questions heps the educator build better supports and teacher strategies to alter their own assignments knowing the AI will be used - if we know, t hen we can adjust. If we police, then we are only reinforcing compliance.

These are just some things on my mind the last year or so and would love to connect with folx more on these topics!

Rocco's Websites:
- Lab Website link: https://blend-lab.com/

- Github link (for projects created): https://github.com/Tech-Inclusion-Pro

- Personal Website (current one - working on a new one): https://sites.google.com/view/roccocatrone/overview

Re: Welcome & Introductions

MrZandj — Sun, 03 May 2026 14:49:12 GMT

Hi everyone!!

My name is Michael Stroud and I'm going to keep this short and sweet. I've worked in higher ed for over 20 years, but enamored with technology probably since birth. My College has been with Google Workspace (and the previous iterations) for the past 14 years and I tend to figure things out as they are released. I'd love to connect with anyone in pretty much any context, but my expertise lies in education and technology. Nice to be part of the community!

Re: Welcome & Introductions

fineb — Mon, 04 May 2026 11:02:26 GMT

Hello everyone! My name is Bethann Cole, and I’ve spent the last 26 years navigating the ever-evolving landscape of higher education. My journey started in the mid-1990s as a high school science, English, and Social Studies teacher. For the past decade, my mission has been implementing and integrating Google Tools for Educators with our next generation of teachers. Currently, my students are leveraging the Google Suite, including Sites and Gemini, within North Carolina schools to rethink what is possible in the classroom.

I am building from Greenville, North Carolina, where I serve as a university researcher at East Carolina University focused on IT education and teacher reform. My work sits at the high-tension intersection of instructional technology and authentic pedagogy.

The Moonshot Innovation: The "Portal"

I am currently developing the "Moonshot Portal." This is an AI-driven "Logic Gate" designed to ensure that digital tools serve as essential catalysts for learning, rather than just expensive, high-tech substitutes for paper and pencil.

The Pivot: In a field often anxious about the "threat" of Generative AI, I’ve found a reason for radical optimism: AI as a Mirror for Pedagogical Intentionality. By using AI to analyze the rationale behind tech integration—specifically through the lens of the ISTE Educator Standards—we force a more rigorous, human-centered design process than manual grading ever could. It transforms the AI into a "Critical Friend" that nudges students toward true TPACK Synthesis.
The Strategy: I’ve cleared the path for deeper work by implementing the "Three-Strike Rule" in my prototyping. Instead of accepting endless "fluff" in student rationales, I’ve automated the initial pedagogical audit. This ensures my face-to-face time is reserved for high-stakes, human-to-human consultations with students ready to move from "Substitution" to "Redefinition".

Insight Mining: The "Why"

Tell me more about the specific moments you've seen a digital tool actually hinder a learning objective instead of helping it.
Explain how we can better support pre-service teachers in moving past "educational jargon" to find the actual affordances of the tech they choose.
Describe the "Aha!" moment you want your students to have when they realize a tool has finally made the "impossible" possible in their lesson design.

The "Bias Toward Action" Menu

The Safe Move: I can synthesize the most common "pedagogical fluff" phrases I've encountered into a "Red Flag List" for your own grading.
The Bold Move: I can generate a Python Streamlit script for a prototype of this "Logic Gate" to help you test the Three-Strike Rule in your next session.
The 10X/Moonshot: Let’s design a predictive diagnostic model that identifies exactly which ISTE Standards a student is most likely to struggle with based on their initial lesson brainstorming.

Looking forward to supporting you on the next task.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

Johnr — Mon, 04 May 2026 16:04:40 GMT

Hello Everyone, I am excited to join this community. I bring over 30 years of higher ed community college teaching/authoring/building experience in Math and Computer Science. I’ve seen a lot of shifts over the decades, but this current wave truly feels systemically transformational! (https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-redden/)

The Context: Currently, I am building out edpulse.io (Alpha Testers Code: REDWOOD). It’s a frictionless, modern, real-time audience "check-for-understanding" tool. Basically, a reimagining of the old "iClicker" product using Google's Firebase infrastructure. While the lecture-level analytics are the initial selling point, my testers are actually rating the AI-generated lesson plans very high. Shocker?

The Pivot: Generative AI tools are becoming remarkably capable, and I believe we are oh so very close to providing a personal AI teaching coach/teaching agent for everyone. This allows us to come full circle: pivoting away from the industrial "student assembly line" and returning to the personalized individualized mentorship of the past. To support this, I am currently pivoting my focus toward custom, adaptive, AI-generated content and agentic teaching harnesses. Pearson look out 🙂

The Strategy: If we get this right, offloading the everyday delivery of learning objectives to AI-first adaptive systems, we can free the University as an institution to focus on project based learning, human development of soft skills, and real-world innovation/collaboration. This is my "moonshot": leveraging this once-in-a-millennium systemic change to enable true, quality education for all.

Google has all the components... it might just take us SMEs to pull it all together and image the harness to enable something truly magical. Exciting times!

رد: Welcome & Introductions

Odai_710 — Sun, 10 May 2026 06:28:22 GMT

Context:

I am Odai Abd Alrhman, a university lecturer at Homs University . My current focus is on integrating Generative AI tools into scientific research and the academic process to empower students with essential digital future skills.

Pivot: Despite the current tensions regarding content integrity in the AI era, I am highly optimistic about the potential of Gemini to transform students from passive recipients into critical builders of their own research. This is something I witnessed firsthand during my journey to becoming a Gemini Certified Educator.

Strategy:

A simple shift I’ve made in my practice is replacing traditional assessments with models based on "Public Thinking". In this approach, students use AI as a research companion to generate initial ideas, which they then critically evaluate and develop humanly, making the learning experience deeper and more human-centric.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

Altafsamo — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:21:19 GMT

Thank you, I am Altaf working at Sukkur IBA University with focus AI based mentoring program for youth. Lookng forward to work with colleague further and learn .

Re: Welcome & Introductions

alanyuma — Sun, 17 May 2026 16:56:21 GMT

Hello everyone, I'm Alan Pruitt—a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Adjunct Professor at Arizona Western College, and Generative AI Strategist at The University of Arizona (Yuma Campus).

The Context: I am currently building the Wellness & Physical Education (WPE) Clinical AI Residency. My primary focus right now is to abandon the traditional, fragile LMS design model and rebuild our entire four-course kinesiology and clinical nutrition fleet into a version-controlled Curriculum-as-Code (CaC) architecture. Using automated Python scripts and mobile-first Markdown, we are engineering "born-accessible" course environments that embed CAST's UDL 3.0 standards at the codebase level, bypassing the clunky, reactive accommodations of the past.

The Pivot: The dominant tension in higher ed right now is the fear of Generative AI as a plagiarism engine. The pivot that makes me wildly optimistic is realizing that when we stop fighting AI and start treating it as a diagnostic co-pilot, the ceiling of student capability shatters. In our discipline, we teach the "Centaur Protocol" (Human + AI). Our students don't use the Google Gemini Sandbox to cheat on quizzes; they use it to parse complex cardiovascular contraindications against federal ACSM guidelines, or to map nutritional interventions in local food deserts. AI isn't bypassing their learning; it is forcing them to elevate from passive memorizers to sovereign, high-level clinical auditors.

The Strategy: The administrative shift that cleared the path for deeper, more human work was the implementation of the "Presence Defense." Rather than relying on draconian, ineffective AI-detection software, I mandate the use of AI in our clinical labs, but I changed the submission requirement. Students must submit their exact "Golden Prompt," the raw Gemini transcript, and a 3-sentence human synthesis proving their cognitive ownership (The Pattern, The Rule, The Solve). This small pedagogical shift completely removed the adversarial "catch the cheater" dynamic from my classroom. It freed up my time to focus entirely on mentoring their clinical empathy and critical reasoning.

I am incredibly excited to connect with all of you, share our CaC infrastructure, and rethink what is possible in an AI-enabled post-secondary world!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanpruitt/

GitHub: https://github.com/alanyuma-928/alanyuma-928

Re: Welcome & Introductions

DrRBlevins — Mon, 18 May 2026 15:20:10 GMT

Hello everyone! My name is Ronda Blevins, and I serve as an Assistant Professor of Education and Director of the Job-Embedded Practitioner Program at Carson-Newman University. My work centers on preparing and mentoring future educators while helping practicing teachers earn licensure through a job-embedded pathway. I teach courses in educational technology, assessment and evaluation, classroom management, and AI in education, and I’m especially passionate about helping educators use technology in ways that are practical, ethical, and deeply human-centered.

Beyond the classroom, I’m actively involved in educational technology and teacher preparation work through organizations such as ISTE and ASCD, including collaborations connected to the Alliance for Innovation in Teacher Education and the Federal Office of Educational Technology. I’m also an author, podcast co-host, and advocate for creating learning spaces that balance innovation with authenticity. A lot of my work is grounded in the idea that education can embrace both structure and “perfect chaos,” where creativity, curiosity, and connection can thrive together.

The Context:
Right now, I’m building systems and experiences that help educators feel more confident navigating rapid changes in education, particularly around AI, digital literacy, and instructional technology. My primary focus is supporting both pre-service and in-service educators in using technology not simply for efficiency, but to create more meaningful, accessible, and engaging learning experiences for students.

The Pivot:
One possibility that gives me hope is seeing educators shift from viewing AI and technology as replacements for human work to recognizing them as tools that can create more space for human connection. When used thoughtfully, these tools can reduce administrative overload, personalize learning, and free educators to spend more time mentoring, building relationships, and supporting students in ways that matter most.

The Strategy:
One small but meaningful shift I’ve made is intentionally designing assignments and classroom experiences that emphasize reflection, creativity, and process over compliance. Instead of focusing solely on the finished product, I build in opportunities for students to explain their thinking, reflect on growth, and connect learning to real-world practice. That shift has opened the door for richer conversations, stronger relationships, and more authentic learning experiences, especially in a world where information is instantly accessible.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

中野信盛 — Tue, 19 May 2026 01:22:19 GMT

Answer: I am a faculty member at Kagoshima Acupuncture and Moxibustion College, where I teach students specialized knowledge regarding acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, and medical care.
Answer: In medical-themed classes at vocational schools, harmony between theory and practice is essential. Because students must first build a mental image through lectures before attempting practical techniques, I utilize ICT to facilitate their understanding through videos and images.
Answer: I created portal sites for both faculty and students using Google Sites, establishing a platform that is always openly available to stimulate learning and inspire imagination.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

LDW — Wed, 20 May 2026 13:03:51 GMT

Hello all

I am a school secretary, wanting to upskill myself and have a better understaning of what educators are involved with so I can be more impactful as far as administrative supprt, I live in Cape Town, South Africa. There's little to no admin training available that fill sthe gaps I need, so I pick up bits here and there and see how I can implement what I have learnt, it's been an interetsing journey so far.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

devendra2011 — Sat, 23 May 2026 02:59:59 GMT

I am Devendra Trivedi from India. I am not a classroom teacher, but I have worked closely on the ground with nearly 50,000 Indian teachers since 2021, and these educators are now an active part of my community. After running several campaigns to help them adopt technology, I am a firm believer that the value of human teachers will only grow in this AI age. That is why I want to build something really helpful for them.

1. The Context: I am building from Gujarat, India. My team and I are working on a fully proactive, conversational system for teachers. Most tools out there force you to click through endless menus and clunky dashboards. We are building a system where teachers do not need to do any clicks at all. You just have a natural conversation with the system, and it instantly helps you generate teaching materials and lesson plans etc.. This system will not only generate teaching material, it will behave so proactively that it coach teacher to make teacher's teaching 10x level.

2. The Pivot:
Right now, there is a lot of fear that AI will try to replace human teachers. But after spending 5 years on the ground with 50,000 teachers and scaling our previous AI tool to 150,000 educators, I have realized that you cannot expect a great learning system without a human teacher at its core. This realization is what makes me so optimistic. Instead of replacing teachers, we are building an intelligent system that makes human teachers more valuable and powerful than ever. The teacher simply focuses on the creative vision of what they want to do in class, and the system handles all the execution around it.

3. The Strategy:
As a technology builder, my biggest shift has been moving away from the typical startup approach of building software in an office by ourselves. Instead, my strategy is to build this hand-in-hand with educators. Every workflow and feature we create is based entirely on real teachers' experiences, feedback, and reviews.

I am really looking forward to learning from everyone here and sharing ideas in the Gemini Space. If you are an instructional coach, a tech-forward teacher, or just interested in looking at our early conversational prototype, please feel free to send me a private message or connect with me on LinkedIn at.

Re: Welcome & Introductions

DivyanshuShukla — Sun, 24 May 2026 11:46:26 GMT

Hello everyone,

It’s an honor to be part of this community. I am Divyanshu Shukla, currently pursuing a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering at JIMS Greater Noida (GGSIPU) alongside a BS in Data Science at IIT Madras.

The Context : My work is centered on Agentic AI and the orchestration of multi-agent systems. I am currently building specialized, persona-based agents—such as a tailored Math Tutor Agent—designed to provide personalized pedagogical support. My focus is on how these autonomous agents can adopt specific instructional personas to bridge the gap between complex technical concepts and student understanding, ensuring that AI acts as a relatable and effective educational partner.

The Pivot : Amidst the current debates around AI in the classroom, I am optimistic about the shift toward customized AI personas. I see a future where we don't just use a "general AI," but rather a diverse team of specialized agents that can adapt to different learning styles. This possibility of creating "human-centric" digital mentors makes me excited about the scalability of high-quality, personalized education.

The Strategy : A small shift I’ve made in my practice is prioritizing documentation-as-code and technical communication to ensure these AI systems remain transparent and sustainable. By treating the "persona instructions" and logic as rigorous code, I’ve cleared the path for more intentional development, allowing me to focus on the human impact of the agents rather than just the underlying math.

I look forward to connecting with anyone interested in the intersection of persona-driven AI, agentic reasoning, and the future of student-centric learning.

My full bio is at: Divyanshu Shukla | LinkedIn

Re: Welcome & Introductions

RebeccaJ — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:42:15 GMT

Context
I am a Professor of Communication Studies, specializing in Intercultural Communication and Communication Education. I have 25 years of experience teaching in both the university and community college settings. I am currently working with a small group of instructors at my college to explore discipline-specific use cases of AI in the classroom.

Pivot
I am starting small. I am designing content-specific tools that help multilingual students to better access course materials and instruction, and to more clearly communicate what they are learning with their instructor and peers. As I teach courses in improving face-to-face human interactions and relationships, one pivot is to have students use AI to improve the clarity of their messages, so they have more mental space to focus on in-person nonverbal communication that guides meaning during communication and shapes relationships.

Strategy
As a simple start, I designed a chatbot that students can use to query the course textbook and other course materials (with low variability). The students can interact with the chatbot in the language of their choice and have responses translated back to English. For many students a hurdle to class participation and group discussion is seated in translation.

It's a simple use case of a chatbot, I know. I also know students can build something similar of their own in NotebookLM. However, students are thankful to use a tool that is instructor designed and feel it provides outputs more directly aligned with course output.

Due to my college's adoption of AI platforms and guidelines at the time, I designed the chatbot in Playlab. Given changes in campus guidelines, I may move to NotebookLM soon.