Introducing this Spark
Students enrolled in the Evaluation of Training in Human Performance Technology course form groups to lead an instructional session on a real case from the textbook, learning to apply human performance evaluation concepts in authentic organizational contexts. This Spark helps students synthesize source materials and iteratively create multi-modal learning artifacts to support their student-led online class discussions.
Learning Outcome
After completing this activity, students will be able to organize theoretical concepts covered in the text, gain a contextual understanding of evaluation in organizational environments, and deliver AI-supported instructional artifacts to facilitate peer-led online discussions.
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.
This AI Spark supplements a group project where students lead an online instructional session on a textbook case study in Human Performance Technology (HPT) evaluation. Using Gemini Notebook, student groups upload their assigned case study and supplementary literature, explore different Studio output formats (e.g., study guides, podcasts, summaries), and iteratively prompt the tool to generate tailored learning artifacts that facilitate weekly peer discussions.
Tool Access: Instructors and students navigate to notebooklm.google.com (or access via their institutional Google for Education environment) using their FSU credentials.
Notebook Creation: Click Create new notebook and upload the core case study readings and supplementary resources.
Studio Testing: Test the available Studio output types (audio overviews, study guides, FAQs) to understand generation capabilities prior to launching the student assignment.
Canvas Setup: Create a group discussion assignment requiring student facilitator groups to:
- Share their final Notebook-generated learning artifact.
- Lead the weekly class discussion using the artifact.
- Submit a shareable link to their working Notebook and a written reflection documenting their iterative prompting and fact-checking process.
Student learning is assessed on two components:
- Artifact Quality & Accuracy: The final generated artifact is evaluated for accuracy, coherence, and how effectively it communicates key evaluation/HPT concepts to the class.
- Iterative Reflection (500 words): Assessed for depth of the group's iterative design process—how they critically evaluated initial AI drafts, applied follow-up prompts to fix gaps or inaccuracies, and selected the optimal modality for their peers.
Instructor Tips & Constraints:
- Gemini Notebook provides rapid synthesis but cannot always be fine-tuned at a micro level (e.g., direct slide editing). Students must be guided to iteratively prompt the tool and verify factual accuracy against the source text.
- Students must use their institutional FSU Google accounts to comply with data privacy policies.
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).
In this group activity, your team will use Google’s Gemini Notebook to analyze an assigned Human Performance Technology case study and transform it into an engaging instructional artifact (e.g., summary guide, FAQ, podcast overview) to lead our weekly class discussion. You will learn how to ground AI directly in authoritative source texts, critically verify AI outputs, and iteratively refine prompts to create high-quality learning materials.
Step 1. Read & Pre-Summarize: Read the assigned textbook case study at least twice. Summarize the key problems and evaluation concepts in your own words before opening the AI tool.
Step 2 . Create Notebook: Sign in to Gemini Notebook using your FSU Google account and create a new Notebook.
Step 3. Upload Sources: Add the assigned case study document and any supplementary readings as your Notebook sources.
Step 4. Generate Artifact in Studio: Use the Studio feature to generate a learning artifact format of your choice (e.g., audio podcast, study guide, FAQ document).
Step 5. Review & Iteratively Refine: Critically evaluate the initial generated output:
- Is the content factually accurate according to the case?
- Does it cover all core performance evaluation concepts?
- Is it clear and engaging for your classmates?
- Use follow-up prompts in the Chat/Studio to refine and correct the output.
Step 6. Discussion Facilitation & Submission: Share the deliverables to the Canvas discussion board to facilitate your group's weekly session.
What to Submit:
- Gemini Notebook Link: Working link to your group's shared Notebook.
- Final Artifact: The exported/downloaded learning material generated from the Notebook.
- Reflection (500 words): An explanation of how the artifact supports peer understanding of the case and a step-by-step description of your iterative prompting and verification process.
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).