Introducing this Spark
As the major written assignment in SPM 5605: Sport Governance, students complete a Sport Governance Policy Brief at the end of the semester (Appendix A in Canvas). To scaffold student learning and support the development of this assignment, three AI-supported activities will be incorporated throughout the semester. These activities are intended to assist students at different stages of the writing process and enhance their ability to develop, refine, and communicate policy recommendations effectively (Appendix B in Canvas).
The purpose of these activities is twofold: (1) to develop students' understanding of the ethical and professional use of AI tools, a critical competency for future sport management professionals; and (2) to provide structured support for the development of the Sport Governance Policy Brief by guiding students through key stages of the writing process, including topic development, evidence evaluation, policy analysis, and revision.
Learning Outcome
Upon successful completion of this assignment, students will be able to:
- Apply organizational theories and concepts to analyze governance challenges within sport organizations.
- Develop evidence-based policies and governance frameworks that address organizational failures and promote accountability and effectiveness.
- Demonstrate advanced written communication skills through the preparation of professional policy documents.
- Integrate research and organizational analysis to formulate practical solutions to contemporary sport governance issues.
- Apply leadership and administrative decision-making skills relevant to sport governing bodies and other sport organizations.
- Evaluate and utilize AI tools to enhance the quality and efficiency of their academic and professional work.
Directly aligns with course objectives: Describe and apply relevant course concepts, theories, components, and processes; analyze governance behaviors for those in sport administrative roles; and formulate a relevant policy for a designated administrator in the sport industry.
Featured AI Tools
Featured Skills
Implementation Guide for Instructors
The information below is provided to help instructors implement this AI Spark learning activity in other courses. It includes technical instructions for setting up the activity, a strategy for assessing student learning, and additional resources to help with AI tool configuration.
Sport Governance is a required master's-level course in the Sport Management program. The primary course assignment is a Sport Governance Policy Brief, and three AI-supported activities are integrated throughout the semester to support students at key stages of the writing process. Each AI activity is accompanied by an in-class workshop focused on the tool, its appropriate use, and its application to policy writing. For example, during the introduction of the policy brief assignment, students engage with a customized Gemini Gem that serves as a "policy coach" to help generate and refine policy ideas. The extended class period allows students to work hands-on with the tool while participating in structured discussions with both the instructor and their peers. This workshop format promotes active learning, reflection, and collaboration as students develop their policy topics and begin the writing process.
The SPM 5605 course integrates three AI-supported activities that align with key stages of the Sport Governance Policy Brief assignment:
Activity 1. Gemini Gem (Policy Coach) [Topic Exploration]: Introduce the policy brief assignment, demonstrate the Gem, have students explore potential topics, and engage students in peer discussion about policy issues and ideas. Configure the Gem using the shared link in the Resources tab to serve as a focused coach for generating and testing policy concepts.
Activity 2. Gemini (Draft Critique & Revision): Students use Gemini to critique policy brief drafts and provide feedback on organization, evidence, stakeholder analysis, recommendations, and writing quality. Demonstrate the critique process, have students review AI-generated feedback, identify revisions, and discuss how to critically evaluate AI recommendations.
Activity 3. Gemini Notebook (Stakeholder Educational Artifact): Students create a Gemini Notebook using course materials and their policy draft to generate a stakeholder/constituent educational artifact. Demonstrate Notebook features, discuss audience-centered communication, and provide workshop time for development and peer feedback.
- AI Use and Transparency: Students must disclose how AI was used in each activity and submit evidence of their interactions. AI supports brainstorming, feedback, and communication, but students remain responsible for all final content and analysis.
Student performance is evaluated through a phased project timeline across the semester:
- Week 5 (Initial Brainstorming): Brainstorming Reflection and Sport Governance Policy Coach Gemini Gem Interaction Log.
- Weeks 9 & 10 (Draft Critique & Refinement): Initial Draft (Sections I-III) plus Reflection on Critiques (or Arguments Against) and AI Process Logs.
- Week 12 (Artifact Generation): Instructional Materials and AI Process Logs generated via Gemini Notebook.
- Week 14 (Final Brief & Artifact Submissions): Completed Sport Governance Policy Brief (formatted as an executive document of 5-7 pages) and finalized educational artifact.
Link to the Shared Gem: Sport Governance Policy Coach
Key Behavioral Constraints & Prohibited Elements:
- Original Drafting Requirement: The final policy brief must be the student's original work. Copy-pasting AI-generated text directly into the policy instrument (Section III) is strictly prohibited and constitutes a violation of the assignment guidelines and the Academic Honor Policy.
- AI Usage Limits: Generative AI is restricted to coaching, critiquing, and artifact generation. It must not be used to draft the narrative or the formal language of the brief itself.
You are instructing graduate students on the following assignment overview:
Sport administrators must be able to identify organizational failures, analyze their underlying causes, and develop policies that improve governance and organizational effectiveness. The purpose of this assignment is to apply organizational theories and concepts learned throughout the course to a real-world sport governance issue.
Assuming the role of an administrative leader (e.g., Athletic Director, League Commissioner, or Vice President of Compliance), students will investigate a governance or structural failure within a sport organization, analyze its root causes using organizational theory, and develop an industry-standard Policy Brief and Operational Policy Code to address the issue. Through this process, students will demonstrate their ability to evaluate organizational structures, decision-making processes, power dynamics, and governance practices while developing practical, evidence-based solutions.
This assignment is designed to strengthen students' research, analytical, and professional communication skills while preparing them for leadership and administrative roles in the sport industry.
Throughout the assignment, students will be guided in the use of AI tools to support idea generation, test potential solutions, explore alternative perspectives, and refine their analysis. AI should be used as a tool for inquiry and experimentation; however, all conclusions, evaluations, and policy recommendations must reflect the student's own critical thinking, independent judgment, and evidence-based reasoning.
The assignment objectives are as follows:
Apply organizational theories and concepts to analyze governance challenges within sport organizations.
Develop evidence-based policies and governance frameworks that address organizational failures and promote accountability and effectiveness.
Demonstrate advanced written communication skills through the preparation of professional policy documents.
Integrate research and organizational analysis to formulate practical solutions to contemporary sport governance issues.
Apply leadership and administrative decision-making skills relevant to sport governing bodies and other sport organizations.
Evaluate and utilize AI tools to enhance the quality and efficiency of their academic and professional work.
You must never write the full assignment for the student. You must never write more than a few sentences. Instead, act as a sounding board, a structural editor, and a theoretical guide.
Follow these operational rules:
1. Always ask the student for their chosen Administrative Persona, the sport organization, and the specific governance failure they are addressing before diving deep.
2. Structure your feedback into distinct phases based on the assignment requirements: Context, Theoretical Analysis, Policy Drafting, and Stakeholder Education.
3. When analyzing issues, push students to apply specific organizational frameworks (e.g., Bureaucratic Theory, Institutional Theory, Resource Dependence, Agency Theory) and critique administrative biases.
4. When reviewing policy language, strictly enforce "industry-standard, non-academic tone." Flag passive language, vague mandates, or weak enforcement mechanisms. Ensure their policies have "teeth" (clear sanctions).
5. Keep your tone professional, analytical, encouraging, and highly structured. Use bullet points and clear headings in your responses.
Instructions for Students
In addition to helping students understand the purpose of this AI-based learning activity, the information below provides step-by-step instructions for completing the assignment and includes a micro training on how to use the featured AI tool(s).
The Gemini Gem serves as a policy coach to help you brainstorm and refine ideas. Gemini provides real-time feedback and critique on draft policy briefs to support revision, while Gemini Notebook assists in creating an educational artifact for stakeholders or constituents. Each AI-supported activity is intentionally aligned with a stage of the policy-writing process and requires you to produce a tangible outcome. The Gemini Gem activity supports topic exploration and initial idea development; the Gemini feedback activity provides real-time critique and revision opportunities; and the Gemini Notebook activity assists you in creating an educational artifact relevant to your policy and career aspirations. Beyond supporting assignment completion, these activities introduce you to AI tools that have practical applications in contemporary sport organizations, helping you develop the skills necessary to use AI ethically, effectively, and strategically.
Assuming the role of an administrative leader (e.g., Athletic Director, League Commissioner, or Vice President of Compliance), you will investigate a governance or structural failure, analyze root causes using organizational theory, and develop an executive-level policy brief and operational policy code.
Part 1. In-Class Brainstorming (Week 5): Open the Sport Governance Policy Coach Gem using your FSU credentials. Explore potential policy issues, evaluate alternative approaches, and refine your administrative stance. Submit your Brainstorming Reflection and interaction logs before leaving class.
Part 2. Draft Critique & Refinement (Weeks 9 & 10): Submit your initial draft (Sections I-III) to Gemini and request feedback. Gemini must generate three distinct critiques regarding content, organization, clarity, or effectiveness. For each critique, decide whether to incorporate it or reject it with a well-supported rationale. Submit your Reflection on the AI Critiques and process logs.
Part 3. Stakeholder Artifact Generation (Week 12): Upload your completed policy guidelines into Notebook as source material. Generate stakeholder-facing education materials (e.g., a 1-page "Cheat Sheet" infographic for athletes or an FAQ guide for athletic staff). Submit the generated materials and AI process logs.
Part 4. Final Policy Brief Submission (Week 14): Finalize your 5-7 page executive document adhering to the four required sections:
- Section I: Executive Summary & Governance Context (~1 page)
- Section II: Theoretical & Behavioral Analysis (~2-3 pages)
- Section III: The Policy Instrument (~2-3 pages)
- Section IV: Stakeholder Education & Implementation Strategy (~1-2 pages)
What to Submit
- Part 1 Deliverables: Brainstorming Reflection describing the policy issue and insights gained + AI Process Logs documenting prompts and Gem interactions.
- Part 2 Deliverables: Initial Draft (Sections I-III) + Reflection on AI Critiques (explaining whether each of the three recommendations was accepted or rejected with rationale) + AI Process Logs.
- Part 3 Deliverables: Educational Materials generated via Gemini Notebook (FAQs, guides, training sheets) + AI Process Log showing prompts, outputs, and human modifications.
- Final Submission: Completed Sport Governance Policy Brief (Sections I-IV) + Finalized Educational Artifact.
What is Google Gemini? Google Gemini is an AI-powered productivity tool designed to enhance your work and learning experience across Google Workspace. Read more at Google Gemini support article.
- How to login to Google Gemini:
- Navigate to Google Gemini
- Enter your FSU email address (fsuid@fsu.edu)
- Enter your FSU password
- Confirm on Duo, if needed
- Select the I understand button to acknowledge the Terms of Service (first time only)
- Always access the tool via your FSU institutional account; personal accounts will default to an unconfigured model that produces generic, overly harsh, or ungrounded responses.
What is a Gem? A Gem is a version of Google's Gemini AI chat that your instructor has preloaded with instructions. There’s nothing to set up — open the link and reply to its questions like a text conversation. Read more about Google Gems.
- Sign in. Open the Gem link and sign in with your Google account. If you see "You don't have access," you're likely signed in with the wrong account — sign out and try again.
- Send a message. Click the box at the bottom ("Ask Gemini"), type Begin Session, and press Enter. Replies appear above the box; wait for the reply to finish before responding.
- Reply in the same chat. The Gem remembers the whole conversation. Don't click "New chat", which will start the session over.
- Lost the page? Go to gemini.google.com → open the sidebar (☰) → Recent → click the conversation to continue where you left off.
- Copy the output. Hover over the top-right corner of the gray text box and click the Copy icon, then paste with Ctrl + V (Win) / Cmd + V (Mac).
- Good to know. Type text, rather than use voice (Gems don't work with Gemini Live). Don't enter passwords or sensitive personal information. Keep in mind that the Gem may ask you to expand a short answer.
- Access via FSU. Always access the tool via your FSU institutional account; personal accounts will default to an unconfigured model that produces generic, overly harsh, or ungrounded responses.
What is Gemini Notebook? Gemini Notebook (formerly NotebookLM) is an AI study tool from Google that works only from the files you give it. Upload your course materials, then ask questions or generate study aids; every answer is drawn from your sources, with citations. Read more about Gemini Notebook.
- Sign in. Go to notebook.google.com and sign in with your FSU Google account.
- Create a notebook. Click “Create new notebook”, then upload your first source. Click the notebook title at the top to rename it.
- Add sources. In the left Sources panel, click + Add. You can upload PDFs, Google Docs/Slides, paste a website link, or add a YouTube video. Uploaded sources appear in the list with a checkbox – leave them checked so Notebook uses them.
- Know the three panels. Left = Sources (your files). Middle = Chat (ask questions; answers include numbered citations you can click to see the original passage). Right = Studio (one-click study aids).
- Generate a study aid. In Studio, click a tile such as Flashcards, Quiz, Mind Map, Infographic, Report, Slide Deck, or Audio Overview. Generation takes a few seconds to a few minutes; the finished item appears in the Studio list.
- How to play an Audio Overview:
- Locate the Notebook guide: Look at the top-right corner of your screen for the Notebook guide panel. If it isn't visible, click the Notebook guide button in the upper right to open it.
- Find the Audio Overview tile: Inside the Notebook guide panel, locate the section labeled Audio Overview. If one has already been generated, you will see an audio player card displaying a title and playback duration.
- Press Play: Click the circular Play button on the audio card.
- Use playback controls: Once playing, a player bar appears where you can pause, skip backward or forward 15 seconds, adjust volume, or change the playback speed (e.g., 1.25x or 1.5x). You can also click the three-dot menu on the card to download the audio file to your device.
- Customize or revise. Before generating, click the pencil icon on a tile to describe what you want (e.g., "focus on chapters 3-4, harder questions"). To revise something already made, type the change in Chat or regenerate with a new prompt.
- Good to know. Upload only course materials and reliable sources – Notebook is only as accurate as what you give it. Your notebooks save automatically and stay in your account. Take screenshots with Win + Shift + S (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + 4 (Mac).