Thursday, February 19, 2026

AI As a Studying Coach – BionicOldGuy

I created this with “create picture” in Gemini. The immediate was “I ‘m writing a submit on utilizing AI As a Studying Coach. Please make me a picture to go along with it”

It’s beneficial that us getting old adults hold our brains lively, so individuals learn and play video games like Sudoku. That could be a step in the correct path. However I’ve been utilizing AI as a studying coach on varied matters and it it not simply retaining my mind lively. It’s making it drink from a fireplace hose! I take advantage of Gemini for my AI stuff and it’s wonderful. I selected it as a result of I purchased a Chromebook a bit over a 12 months in the past, and it got here with a free 12 months of all of Google’s superior AI (this advertising ploy was profitable as a result of I bought hooked and just lately paid for an additional 12 months). I’ve mates who get pleasure from utilizing different AIs like CoPilot, ChatGpt, Grok, and Claude and so they love them so I gained’t declare that what I present for Gemini couldn’t even be accomplished with the others. However my recommendation is to choose one, and stick with it. For my first couple of years of wanting into AI I dabbled in a number of variations and didn’t get very deep or proficient. However I made quite a lot of progress on this final 12 months sticking to only one.

One other caveat I have to make is that not the entire options I point out are within the free model of Gemini that anybody with a Google account can use. So far as I do know most are, however I’m particularly unsure about Deep Analysis.

I began out utilizing Gemini for technical analysis, both in my very own discipline or for medical associated questions. I’ve a deep curiosity in any situation I or my mates are troubled with! For this I really like utilizing Deep Analysis. You simply begin a Gemini session and choose “Deep Analysis” from instruments. I goes out and finds a bunch of related web sites and analysis papers to your question after which comes again with an in depth report. An necessary tip is to observe it for a minute or so. It’s going to then inform you its plan and it’s a must to hit begin. I’ve made the error of going away for a number of hours, coming again and anticipating my outcomes, but it surely nonetheless is ready so that you can hit begin. After you begin it might take some time so it’s a good suggestion to go away that window and are available again later. The very first thing I’d level out is you could get superb outcomes extra rapidly in “quick” mode with out utilizing deep analysis. However for extra detailed outcomes and a pleasant report it can save you as a doc, I desire “pondering” mode and deep analysis.

It additionally helps to elucidate what’s your degree of experience, from an newbie hobbyist, which is me in varied areas, or somebody with skilled experience and expertise. So for a technical subject associated to math or engineering I’ll say “I’ve a PhD in mechanical engineering and expertise in numerical strategies, however solely undergraduate degree pc science and electronics background”. However just lately I used to be asking one thing associated to neuroscience, so I mentioned “I’ve no skilled background in neuroscience however am pretty nicely learn in it as a passion”.

I’ve beforehand written weblog posts about a few of my analysis outcomes, corresponding to modifying my coaching to accommodate my leaky coronary heart valve. However just lately I’ve branched into extra “hobbyist” pursuits like neuroscience. I’ll give a selected consequence on that beneath. However first I wish to give an summary of choices. Your first alternative is quick or pondering mode. Quick works nice for many issues, and will get faster outcomes (therefore the title). Pondering continues to be fairly quick, however goes a bit deeper. After setting one among these, which can stay the default for future chats, from the Gemini window, you possibly can simply make a question and get nice outcomes even if you’re utilizing it to study a brand new subject. That’s choice 1. It’s going to discover quite a lot of info so that you can reply your query, and typically make issues like spreadsheets to elucidate ideas.

It’s going to then recommend observe up queries “would you want me to research xxx” and also you simply should say sure if . I’ve discovered rather a lot chasing these. Possibility 2 is to place it particularly in studying mode by choosing the “guided studying” instrument, which I really like. This can behave just like a traditional Gemini question however provides photos and quizzes that can assist you study. Right here is the way it describes itself: “A specialised interactive mode/instrument inside the app. Modular; it breaks matters right into a structured “studying path.” Mechanically integrates diagrams, movies, and pictures. Contains Canvas-based quizzes, flashcards, and research guides. Constructed on LearnLM, a mannequin particularly educated on studying science.” The third choice, which I discussed above, is to activate the deep analysis instrument. However I don’t suggest that for a subject you’re making an attempt to study, as a result of it’s a lot slower. Use deep analysis for stuff you’re already accustomed to however to dive deeper in a selected space. Typically I’ll observe up a studying session with a deep analysis session then save the report from deep analysis.

A easy instance: the well being advantages of pickleball

Your Mind on Pickleball: https://www.empowerpickleball.com/blogs/your-brain-on-pickleball-focus-flow-training

I used to be afraid the neuroplasticity instance I give beneath would possibly scare individuals away as a result of it nonetheless bought technical though I mentioned I used to be an newbie in that discipline. Neuroscience is a reasonably technical discipline, in any case. So let’s begin with a easy instance the place I advised it to remain nontechnical. This can be a question in Gemini with guided studying turned on: “Assume I’m an grownup layman on this discipline, please hold the reply much less technical. Is it true that pickleball has some well being benefits for seniors”. The reply continues to be very informative together with a quiz and strategies for additional research. Be aware I stored this chat quick, however I can return to it chat later and continue learning. Outcomes are right here.

The Dalai Lama at one among his many conferences with Scientists. https://www.forbes.com/websites/fernandezelizabeth/2020/05/20/dalai-lama-and-science-his-holiness-scientific-side-now-streaming/

One other Instance: The historical past of Neuroplasticity

This question began from a enjoyable anecdote I’d examine. Within the final Nineteen Nineties the Dalai Lama requested visiting scientists an fascinating query alongside these strains: Western science assume the consciousness and our minds emerge from our brains, which might be considered the thoughts is the software program working on the mind, the {hardware}. Can something the thoughts does change the mind? He was particularly pondering of whether or not meditation can change the mind. The present paradigm in neuroscience was that our brains are solely malleable in childhood, little or no neuroplasticity exists in maturity. So the neuroscientists all mentioned the reply was no. However we now know they had been improper, spectacularly improper, and neuroplasticity and the way consciousness can have an effect on it’s now a scorching subject in neuroscience. And among the greatest proof comes from imaging the brains of superior meditators, together with the Dalai Lama’s Tibetan colleagues.

So I queried “I’ve no skilled background in neuroscience however am pretty nicely learn in it as a passion. I wish to know the historical past of developments within the understanding of neuroplasticity for the reason that Nineteen Nineties:. This led to a pleasant interchange by which I discovered fairly a bit, which I’ve shared right here.

I might be following up with weekly posts on areas related to wholesome getting old, each bodily and psychological, that I’ve investigated with Gemini. I’ll at all times ensure I give the AI credit score. I don’t prefer it when individuals create weblog posts or youtube movies with AI and don’t acknowledge it. I believe that’s like dishonest in your homework!

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