., click here to update your profile and earn points towards a Starbucks gift card

Learn more

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Gemini Guide (2024): What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

., you're logged in!
Enjoy this resource and share our programs with your school district to send these resources to your whole community
Tell Your School District About Our Program
., you're logged in!
Share this resource with a parent at .  (or visit our new sharing center)
Copy Share Link
., you're logged in!
Enjoy this demo pass. Click the button to share access with leaders in your school district (or visit our new sharing center)
Share Your Demo Pass With School District Leaders

Become a member or login to learn more on this topic

Superintendents, Directors and Principals: Request a partnership on this page to unlock our resources for your whole community.
March 20, 2024

Unlock this lesson to learn what you can do to keep kids safe on Gemini

This Gemini app guide will help parents learn:

  • What is Google Gemini?
  • Top concerns of Gemini
  • Student tips for responsible usage

Learn why parents and educators should care about Gemini

Log in or join the VIP membership today to view all SmartSocial.com resources about AI tools!

Become a member or log in to learn more on this topic

Superintendents, Directors and Principals: Request a partnership on this page to unlock our resources for your whole community.
Quotation marks

This is great info, thanks for giving me some ideas on how to start a dialogue with my teen!

StarStarStarStarStar

Sharon M.

Parent VIP Member

Quotation marks

Josh's presentation about social media was unbelievably fantastic. Our students learned so much about what kids should and shouldn't be doing. The fact that it is such a thoughtful process made it all worthwhile.

StarStarStarStarStar

Director of College Advising

Educator Webinar Attendee

Quotation marks

This webinar is a very helpful eye-opener on the apps that are popular with my students.

StarStarStarStarStar

Irene C.

Educator Webinar Attendee

Gemini Guide (2024): What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

., you're logged in!
Enjoy this resource and share our programs with your school district to send these resources to your whole community
Tell Your School District About Our Program
., you're logged in!
Share this resource with a parent at .  (or visit our new sharing center)
Copy Share Link
., you're logged in!
Enjoy this demo pass. Click the button to share access with leaders in your school district (or visit our new sharing center)
Share Your Demo Pass With School District Leaders
., now is your chance to earn 10 points towards a $5 Starbucks gift card by telling us what you learned in this resource!
To earn your gift card, please be specific and write a full sentence that helps us learn what you liked about the topic. Our non-profit uses this information to improve our program.

40 characters remaining to reach minimum

Your submission has been received! You now have additional points added to your account.

If you are in a live event, please comment "I filled out the form!" in the live event chat box!

Otherwise you are free to roam around the site.
Thanks!
-Josh and The SmartSocial Team
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Technology is progressing at an expeditious pace and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of this movement. Gemini by Google is emerging as an alternative to ChatGPT offering advanced features that can assist with online learning, creativity, and information management. 

This SmartSocial guide explores how to use Gemini and the implications it has for digital safety and education. Whether you're a parent looking to guide your child through the digital landscape, an educator seeking innovative teaching tools, or a student eager to leverage the latest technology for academic success, it’s important to stay ahead of the digital curve to ensure safe and responsible online engagement.

Educators and parents: Guide your students' reflection and discussion with this student worksheet. (Log in to your Google account and select File-->Make a Copy)

Top Concerns with Gemini

  • Gemini has recently been criticized in the news for having bias and generating inappropriate and inaccurate information and images (Source: Forbes)
  • AI allows students the opportunity to cheat on school assignments
  • Gemini is not always accurate and information garnered from responses should always be fact checked

Parent & Educator Training Video

What is Google Gemini?

  • Google’s AI tool is built by the Google DeepMind AI research library (replacing Google Bard) and is a direct competitor to ChatGPT by OpenAI
  • Gemini is multimodal which means that it can understand and generate images or text responses based on text, code, audio, video, and image
  • All chatbot conversations with Gemini are reviewed by humans
  • The Gemini homepage offers several suggestions for queries within the program and how to best ask a question
  • Users can access Gemini via Google apps on mobile devices, the web browser, or within various Google Workspace programs
  • The Gemini app can be downloaded from the Google PlayStore to replace the Google Assistant on Android devices.  Google Maps will continue being run by Google Assistant (Source:  Google)
  • There is an option to “double-check responses” in Gemini to access the internet sources for information it provides

There are 3 Different Sizes of Gemini

  • Gemini Pro, the free version that is most widely used, is suited to a broad range of operations
  • Gemini Advanced is available for intricate jobs through a paid subscription ($20 monthly) and is reported to be faster and more advanced than Gemini Pro
  • Gemini Nano is used on certain Android devices

What is prompt engineering?

  • The Gemini AI chatbot (similar to ChatGPT) uses “prompts,” or text-based instructions, to tell it what kind of information the user wants to receive
  • Users can refine the answers they receive by asking follow-up prompts such as, “Make it more professional” or “Can you give me more information?” since Gemini remembers previous requests
  • Prompt engineering is a new term for a field that is made up of people who are experts at creating the perfect prompt to get the best information from AI

How can teens use Gemini for school?

  • Research Assistant: Students can use Gemini as a search engine, provided they double-check all information (we recommend students verify the information with at least two valid sources)
  • Planning: Brainstorming ideas for essays and project ideas, organizing tasks, and time management
  • Language Tutor: Gemini can be used for conversational practice for students who need help with a foreign language. Tell Gemini which language you want to practice and it will generate text that you can respond to in a conversational format
  • Formulas: Gemini can provide spreadsheet formulas, check programming code, and provide grammatical help
  • Quizzes:  Students can tell Gemini to quiz them on specific topics such as history or math problems

Is Gemini better than ChatGPT?

  • Gemini is directly connected to the internet, provides real-time information, and makes it easy to check the sources
  • Gemini offers users the opportunity to rate the responses with either a thumb up or thumb down
  • Because Gemini is a Google product, there are more limitations for iOS users
  • ChatGPT is more established that Gemini and is embedded in many third party applications

Examples of Gemini in the News

Google left in terrible bind by pulling AI feature after right-wing backlash
Gemini is built as a creativity and productivity tool, and it may not always be accurate or reliable...We’re continuing to quickly address instances in which the product isn’t responding appropriately. - Google spokesperson, Time Magazine
google ceo pichai says gemini's ai image results "offended our users"
What Gemini, and early versions of ChatGPT, have illustrated is that the tools can produce unforeseeable and sometimes unsettling results that even the engineers working on the advanced technology cannot always predict ahead of a tool's public launch. - NPR

More Resources for Parents, Students, & Educators

ChatGPT Guide: What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

Positive Ways to Use ChatGPT for Students

AI Writing Tools for Students: What You Need to Know About Jasper AI, ChatGPT, and More

How to Use AI for College Prep

Conclusion

As Google Gemini continues to develop, it has the potential to be a valuable asset in classrooms and homes alike. By fostering open communication and responsible use, parents and educators can guide students toward leveraging Gemini's capabilities for learning, creativity, and critical thinking. Remember, AI is a tool, and with the right approach, Google Gemini can empower students to become independent learners and responsible digital citizens.

School Districts: Request a partnership on this page to unlock our resources for your whole community.

Unlock this lesson to learn what you can do to keep kids safe on Gemini

This Gemini app guide will help parents learn:

  • What is Google Gemini?
  • Top concerns of Gemini
  • Student tips for responsible usage

Learn why parents and educators should care about Gemini

Log in or join the VIP membership today to view all SmartSocial.com resources about AI tools!

Become a member or log in to learn more on this topic

Superintendents, Directors and Principals: Request a partnership on this page to unlock our resources for your whole community.
Quotation marks

This is great info, thanks for giving me some ideas on how to start a dialogue with my teen!

StarStarStarStarStar

Sharon M.

Parent VIP Member

Quotation marks

Josh's presentation about social media was unbelievably fantastic. Our students learned so much about what kids should and shouldn't be doing. The fact that it is such a thoughtful process made it all worthwhile.

StarStarStarStarStar

Director of College Advising

Educator Webinar Attendee

Quotation marks

This webinar is a very helpful eye-opener on the apps that are popular with my students.

StarStarStarStarStar

Irene C.

Educator Webinar Attendee

Learn more

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Join Our Next Live Parent Q&A Events (and earn a $5 Starbucks gift card)*

Dec
10
Register

Optimize Parental Controls: Balancing Safety & Privacy for Families

Understand how to set up parental controls and monitor your students without being intrusive.

Dec
12
Register

Protecting Your Family With A Social Media Agreement

Learn how to set up a Family Media Agreement for your entire family in order to keep your family safer with technology and social media.

Dec
17
Register

AI for Student Success: Being Productive & Learning Future Skills

This virtual parent night event will explore the fascinating world of AI and the role it can have in every student's educational journey and future career paths.

Jan
14
Register

How To Shine Online With Your Social Media Accounts

Learn how students can use their social media accounts to help them Shine Online and better their future.

Jan
21
Register

How To Shine Online With Your Social Media Accounts

Learn how students can use their social media accounts to help them Shine Online and better their future.

Jan
28
Register

How To Shine Online With Your Social Media Accounts

Learn how students can use their social media accounts to help them Shine Online and better their future.

*Only for families in partner school districts or individual paid VIP members: to receive a gift card, simply attend the live event, join in the activities, and your family will be eligible to earn one gift card per year (while supplies last).

Become a Very Informed Parent (VIP) to get our social media suggestions in your email every Tuesday & Thursday.

Dotted arrow to right
Learn about our
"Very Informed Parent" 
VIP Program
Right arrow
Hello, I'm Josh, the founder of SmartSocial.com. Protect your family by taking my 1 minute quiz

This quiz will help you understand how safe your family is

Take Josh's 1 Min Quiz
Right arrow
Smart Social Logo

Schools & Districts: Partner with us to protect your community online

Our remote presentations (and website) teach over a million students each year how to shine online. We teach students how their accounts can be used to create a portfolio of positive accomplishments that impress colleges and employers.

Partner with SmartSocial.com
Right arrow
Smart Social Logo
Join Our Smart Social Podcast
each week on iTunes

With over 240 episodes, Josh Ochs interviews psychologists, therapists, counselors, teachers, and parents while showing you how to navigate social media to someday shine online.

Listen on: