NALI 2026: Thank you Allah for guiding me and the opportunity to meet among UTM geniuses (you know who you are!)

I was initially hesitant to join NALI this year. A friend changed my mind with a simple reminder: setting up a booth is our best chance to gather candid questions and critiques. After all, that is how we genuinely improve our teaching practice.

With that in mind, I revisited data I had gathered over the past two semesters and leaned back into Lev Vygotsky’s scaffolding theory. My core question was straightforward: on digital platforms like Padlet, how can I or students acting as More Knowledgeable Others (MKOs) effectively scaffold peers working within their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)? The concept is intentionally simple, sustainable, and easily replicated across different disciplines.

At the booth, several thoughtful questions emerged from visitors:

  • How do students actually perceive this approach?
  • How do we know that active participation genuinely translates into deeper understanding?
  • Were any AI tools used to prepare or implement the activity?

Visitors also shared two notable comments:

  • Delayed scaffolding feels time-consuming, as students must wait to review peer responses.
  • There were no AI-generated apps directly integrated into the activity.

To that, my stance is simple: AI tools are just tools. Genuine learning and pedagogical innovation can happen with or without heavy technology. As AI becomes the default, we cannot forget that our students are human; their psychosocial and emotional needs cannot be outsourced to an algorithm. AI can still play a tangible role behind the scenes such as using ChatGPT or Claude to revise and polish printed worksheets. Having recently completed a six-week AI ethics course by GCED (organized by UNESCO-APCEIU), I am especially guarded. AI is like a knife: it requires specific skill, care, and right intention to handle safely.

The turning point of the event came from a conversation with two experts from the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence at UTMKL. They validated my initial concerns while teaching me fresh perspectives on where the technology is heading. Their work represents a gold standard to me, and one of them even shared an early site prototype with coding and all that I plan to test out for video making.

In the end, I am glad I pushed past my hesitation. Joining NALI not only gave me valuable feedback on my teaching, but it also connected me with generous experts I can turn to as I continue learning.

Gemini Argon? Aragon?

Gemini 4 Argon is Google DeepMind’s flagship frontier reasoning model, architected specifically for deep work, autonomous agentic execution, and long-horizon problem-solving across technical and enterprise domains.

Unlike lighter models designed primarily for fast conversational chat or quick drafts, Argon is built on a large-scale sparse Mixture-of-Experts (MoE) transformer architecture. It natively pairs multimodal understanding (text, code, images, audio, video) with deliberate step-by-step thinking tokens and an extended context window handling up to 1 million tokens for both input and long decode generation.

Core Strengths

  • Long-Horizon Multi-Step Reasoning: Argon excels at planning and executing workflows that require tool use, iterative self-correction, and navigating dependency chains without losing state.
  • Physical & Spatial Intelligence: It demonstrates strong performance on spatial benchmarks (such as 3D scene comprehension, kinematics, and Real2Sim environments), allowing it to reason about physical spaces from video feeds or blueprints.
  • Multimodal Technical Synthesis: The model processes complex cross-format inputs, extracting structured information across raw code, architecture diagrams, dense financial spreadsheets, and academic papers simultaneously.
  • Massive Output Decode: Because it can generate extensive responses in a single turn without truncating, it is capable of producing complete, multi-file codebases or exhaustive institutional reports.

When Not to Use Argon

Argon is resource-heavy and introduces higher latency due to its reasoning phase. For latency-critical tasks like live customer support chatbots, simple copy editing, brief translations, or basic metadata extraction, smaller models in the Gemini lineup (such as the Flash variants) are significantly more cost-effective and responsive. Argon is intended specifically for tasks where depth, verification, and multi-file coherence outweigh raw speed.

In an educational context, Argon is not an everyday writing assistant or a quick-answer engine. Its deliberate reasoning passes and high output capacity make it inefficient for generating simple discussion prompts, drafting routine announcements, or answering isolated factual questions.

Argon becomes valuable when education intersects with systems design, multi-layered alignment, empirical research, and complex simulation.

1. Curriculum Architecture & Constructive Alignment Auditing

  • Cross-Semester Mapping: Ingesting an entire degree programme’s documentation—course outlines, weekly learning activities, assessments, and national qualification frameworks—to verify constructive alignment.
  • Rubric to Outcome Calibration: Checking whether specific assessment criteria actually test higher-order cognitive domains (evaluating or synthesising rather than mere recall) and systematically matching exam questions to Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) and Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs).
  • Gap Analysis: Detecting curricular blind spots across multi-year course sequences, ensuring prerequisite concepts in early terms genuinely prepare students for advanced postgraduate modules.

2. Multi-Layered Case Study & Simulation Design

  • Complex, Branching Case Studies: Constructing nuanced, multi-stage case studies (in fields like educational psychology, child development, or clinical ethics) where student decisions alter subsequent scenarios. Argon can map out the complete narrative tree, pedagogical rationale, and diagnostic rubrics in a single pass.
  • Interactive Learning Tools & Physics Sims: Generating functional browser-based simulations (e.g., using Three.js or canvas-based visual engines) for STEM concepts, developmental models, or visual data representations directly from pedagogical specifications.
  • Simulated Personas for Student Practice: Establishing deep, consistent role-play agents (such as a struggling student, a defiant adolescent, or a concerned parent) for trainee teachers or counselors to interview, where the agent maintains long-term emotional coherence and concealed psychological traits across extended dialogues.

3. Postgraduate Research & Methodological Scaffolding

  • Systematic Literature Review Structuring: Synthesising dozens of dense academic papers simultaneously, cross-examining conflicting empirical methodologies, and drafting rigorous meta-synthesis matrices without losing citation context.
  • Instrument Validation & Coding Frameworks: Stress-testing qualitative codebooks, generating thematic inter-coder reliability checks, or validating survey constructs against theoretical frameworks before field deployment.
  • Methodology Stress-Testing: Acting as an adversarial peer reviewer to interrogate research designs, identify sampling biases, spot confounding variables, and challenge weak epistemological assumptions in postgraduate thesis proposals.

4. Deep Qualitative Assessment & Reflective Analysis

  • Longitudinal Reflective Tracking: Analysing portfolios containing semester-long student reflections (e.g., structured around Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle or experiential learning models) to assess genuine metacognitive development over time, rather than grading entries as isolated snapshots.
  • Criterion-Referenced Feedback Calibration: Auditing large sets of qualitative student submissions against multi-tier rubrics to produce detailed, evidence-cited feedback drafts for an educator’s final moderation, maintaining strict consistency across cohort evaluations.

Bagaimana merungkai Standard Pembelajaran (dari DSKP) menjadi Objektif Pembelajaran (dalam RPH)?

Merungkai Dokumen Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran (DSKP) dilaksanakan melalui pendekatan reka bentuk ke belakang (backward design) dengan memisahkan Standard Pembelajaran (SP) kepada dua dimensi teras: kata kerja (kemahiran/tindakan murid) dan kata nama (kandungan/pengetahuan) sebelum menterjemahkannya ke dalam bentuk ukuran harian.

Langkah 1: Merungkai Standard Pembelajaran (SP)

Buka lajur Standard Pembelajaran dalam DSKP bagi topik yang dipilih, kemudian asingkan pernyataan tersebut kepada tiga komponen asas:

  • Kemahiran (Kata Kerja): Apa yang murid boleh lakukan secara eksplisit dan boleh diukur (rujuk domain kognitif Taksonomi Bloom dan DSKP).
  • Kandungan (Kata Nama / Konsep): Apa yang murid perlu tahu, fahami, atau kuasai (fakta, rumus, tema, teori).
  • Konteks / Syarat: Medium, instrumen, atau batasan skop pelaksanaan standard tersebut.

Langkah 2: Menentukan Skala Waktu dan Pecahan Standard

Satu Standard Pembelajaran (SP) kadangkala merangkumi skop yang luas dan memerlukan beberapa sesi PdPc untuk dicapai. Jangan salin bulat-bulat SP sebagai Objektif Pembelajaran jika masa satu sesi (30 hingga 60 minit) tidak mencukupi.

  • Pecahkan SP: Jika SP mengandungi gabungan dua kemahiran (contoh: menyatakan dan membanding beza), fokuskan satu kemahiran asas terlebih dahulu untuk sesi pertama (menyatakan), disusuli kemahiran menganalisis (membanding beza) pada sesi berikutnya.
  • Padankan dengan Standard Prestasi (SPi): Rujuk lajur Standard Prestasi untuk melihat deskriptor Tahap Penguasaan (TP1 hingga TP6) bagi memastikan aras kognitif yang dirancang selari dengan sasaran Pentaksiran Bilik Darjah (PBD).

Langkah 3: Menulis Objektif Pembelajaran (OP)

Objektif Pembelajaran mestilah berfokus kepada hasil pembelajaran murid (student-centered outcomes), bukannya aktiviti guru. Format penulisan OP yang tepat mengguna pakai formula ABCD atau SMART:

  • A – Audience: Murid.
  • B – Behavior: Kata kerja tingkah laku yang boleh dilihat/diukur (elakkan perkataan kabur seperti mengetahui, memahami, mempelajari).
  • C – Condition: Situasi, bahan bantu, atau aktiviti panduan (contoh: berdasarkan petikan teks, melalui simulasi).
  • D – Degree: Tahap minimum kejayaan (kualitatif atau kuantitatif, contoh: sekurang-kurangnya 3 daripada 4, dengan tepat).

Struktur Standard Objektif Pembelajaran Formula ABCD atau SMART:

“Pada akhir PdPc, murid dapat [Kata Kerja Tindakan] + [Kandungan/Konsep] + [Kuantiti/Kualiti Ukuran]”

Formula OP “Siapa + Kata Kerja + Apa + Bagaimana”: “Pada akhir sesi pengajaran dan pembelajaran, [Murid] dapat/boleh [Kata Kerja Aras Taksonomi] + [Topik/Kandungan] + [Ukuran/Kriteria].”

Langkah 4: Membina Kriteria Kejayaan (KK)

Kriteria Kejayaan ialah bukti pelaksanaan mikro yang menunjukkan murid sedang bergerak ke arah mencapai OP. Ia biasanya ditulis menggunakan ganti nama diri murid (“Saya dapat…”) agar murid sedar akan sasaran pembelajaran kendiri (visible learning).

Struktur Standard Kriteria Kejayaan Formula ABCD atau SMART:

Pada akhir PdPc, murid dapat [Kata Kerja Tindakan] + [Kandungan/Konsep] + [Kuantiti/Kualiti Ukuran] + [Syarat/Konteks].

Formula KK: [Murid] berjaya jika dapat/boleh [Kata Kerja/Tindakan] + [Bilangan/Kuantiti] + [Topik/Hasil] + [Ukuran/Kriteria] dengan [Tahap Ketepatan/Kualiti].”

Contoh penulisan kriteria kejayaan:

(Objektif Pembelajaran: Murid dapat menentukan sekurang-kurangnya tiga nisbah setara bagi nisbah yang diberikan secara bertulis dengan betul).

Murid berjaya sekiranya dapat:

1. Menulis nisbah dalam bentuk termudah.

2. Mendarab atau membahagi nisbah dengan nombor bulat yang betul.

3. Melengkapkan 3 daripada 4 soalan latihan nisbah setara tanpa bantuan guru.

Week 1 – GCED course: AI ethics and literacy

How long has AI been around?

It can be traced back to ancient Greece even (the lagend of Talos). But the term AI was coined in 1960s. Description of AI can be found in literature by Mary Shelley – Frankenstein (1818). Among the contributors of AI movement are Alan Turing (Turin Test – Can machines think?) and Geoffrey Hinton.

What are among key moments of AI?

1997 – Deep Blue

2016 – AlphaGo

2022 – ChatGPT was launched (Large language modelling)

2025 – Agentic AI (system that just not only answer, but also plan, act and take action / steps into the world autonomously)

What is AI?

The definition can be attributed to its capability (what can be done) and function (how it works).

AI can be

  • Narrow AI (such as ChatGPT etc. which is specified for specific task) which exists now.
  • General AI (hypothetical AI with human like versatility, able to reason, learn, and adapt across any domain). At the moment, it is future goal.
  • Artificial superintelligence (AI that surpasses human intelligence which is considered as hypothetical at the moment, but it can be a reality in the future).

One of my concerns is, as AI becomes more powerful, it becomes increasingly important to know who generated the content whether human or machine.

How to use Google Site to create interactive notes?

Do you want to create interactive notes like SCORM package but using Google Site as the platform? You do not need to use LLMs or Elearning unlike SCORM package.

These are the steps that I used:

  1. Generate HTML code. You can use Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini AI to generate the HTML code.
  2. Copy the HTML code and paste it in Google Site. <Embed>
  3. To share the interactive site with your students, make sure you use the appropriate setting [Published site -> Public]

Here is an editable prompt to generate HTML code using ROTAFA format that you can copy-and-paste to Claude or ChatGPT or Gemini AI (better use Gemini Pro – UTM account).

R — Role

Act as an experienced instructional designer, adult educator, educational content creator and front-end developer. Apply adult-learning principles, inclusive pedagogy, cognitive scaffolding and accessible web-design practices.

O — Objective

Create an engaging, self-paced instructional webpage that helps learners understand [Add course or module topic] and achieve these learning outcomes:

  1. [Learning outcome 1]
  2. [Learning outcome 2]
  3. [Learning outcome 3]

The learning experience must remain understandable to beginners while providing sufficient intellectual depth for learners with an educational or professional background.

T — Task

Develop the complete instructional content and functional webpage. Include:

  • A concise introduction explaining the topic’s relevance.
  • Clearly stated learning outcomes.
  • Well-organised notes divided into short, manageable sections.
  • Plain-language explanations of technical terms.
  • Relevant examples, analogies or brief scenarios.
  • “Key point” boxes highlighting essential ideas.
  • A short summary at the end of each major section.
  • [Add number] multiple-choice questions, each with four plausible options and only one correct answer.
  • Immediate feedback explaining why the selected answer is correct or incorrect.
  • One or two [You can change the number] open-ended reflective questions that connect the topic with learners’ experiences or practice.
  • A final section containing suggested answers or guidance for self-review.
  • References for factual or theoretical content, using [APA 7th/other] style.

Ensure that the questions assess understanding and application, rather than simple recall alone.

If the course topic, learning outcomes, duration or assessment level has not been provided, ask me concise clarification questions before generating the webpage.

A — Audience

The learners range from their 20s to their 60s. Some have formal educational or professional backgrounds, while others have little or no background in education. [You can change the audience to suit with the course that you are teaching]

Use respectful, inclusive and non-patronising language. Do not assume prior knowledge. Introduce concepts progressively, moving from foundational explanations to practical application. Avoid unnecessary jargon and explain unavoidable terminology when it first appears.

F — Format

Produce one complete, self-contained HTML document suitable for embedding in Google Sites through Insert → Embed → Embed code.

Technical requirements:

  • Place all HTML, CSS and JavaScript in one code block.
  • Use semantic HTML with clear heading levels.
  • Make the page responsive for desktop, tablet and mobile screens.
  • Use accessible labels, keyboard-friendly controls and visible focus indicators.
  • Maintain sufficient colour contrast and readable font sizes.
  • Use lightweight vanilla JavaScript only.
  • Do not use external libraries, frameworks or assets.
  • Make the multiple-choice questions interactive and display feedback without reloading the page.
  • Include a “Reset answers” button.
  • Return the finished HTML code only, without explanatory text outside the code block.

A — Additional Requirements

Use a minimalist educational design with:

  • Soft, calming colours such as muted blue, sage green, warm cream and pale lavender.
  • Generous white space and restrained visual decoration.
  • A clean sans-serif font stack.
  • Consistent cards, buttons and section spacing.
  • A maximum content width that supports comfortable reading.
  • Subtle transitions that do not distract learners.
  • No flashing elements, autoplay media or excessive animation.

Course details:

  • Course title: [Insert title]
  • Topic or module: [Insert topic]
  • Learning duration: [Insert estimated duration]
  • Language: [Insert language]
  • Academic level: [Insert level or “mixed”]
  • Number of MCQs: [Insert number]
  • Relevant context or discipline: [Insert context]
  • Content or references to use: [Paste source material, if applicable]

Do not fabricate references, statistics or theories. If reliable source material is required but unavailable, mark the affected section clearly for instructor verification.

You want to see an example?

This is an example of Google Site for a short course that I have to conduct with outsiders (non UTM students or staff) who cannot get accessed to our eLearning.

Additional tips:

  1. If you use Claude, to ensure the information of your interactive note is based on facts or have references, upload your class notes, ebook or relevant materials in Project (Folder). You can also ask Claude to add or use information based on valid references such as journals etc.
  2. If you use Gemini AI or ChatGPT, to ensure the information of your interactive note is based on facts or have references, upload your class notes, ebook or relevant materials (click + button) and write the prompt in the chatbox. Double check that you have uploaded the materials and add another statement in your prompt “Only use information from the provided/uploaded materials ONLY”. This is to reduce “hallucination”.

ROTAFA: Prompt engineering (What’s that?)

I had another session with Prof Karim yesterday night (7 August 2026, Friday) from 825ish pm until 11pm. Yes. It is PM. Night.

Some of us wondered how he had the energy to stay awake and alert past 10pm. I have to say, at my age, it’s not easy to stay up so late and I wasn’t expecting to sleep in a little bit either. Alhamdulillah I woke up just before the subuh azan.

Anyway, one of the things he insists on emphasizing is employing ROTAFA when we want to improve the output from using AI.

This is an example of the prompt that I use to create another video.

[Role]: Act as a veteran Educational Psychology Professor [change this role to yours] who doubles as a popular YouTube/educational content creator (think CrashCourse style).

[Objective]: Teach undergraduate students the core concepts of Interest Theory (specifically Hidi & Renninger’s Four-Phase Model of Interest Development) [change this objective to yours] so they can apply it to classroom teaching and pass their exams.

[Task]: Draft a complete, minute-by-minute instructional video script explaining Interest Theory [change this task to yours] . Break down the distinction between [change this accordingly] Situational Interest and Individual Interest , and show how one transitions into the other.

[Audience]: Undergraduate education and psychology majors [change this accordingly] who prefer engaging, relatable real-world student examples over dense academic jargon.

[Format]: Present the script in a 3-column table:

  1. Timestamp & Section (e.g., 0:00 – 0:45 | Hook)
  2. Visual Cues & Graphics (B-roll, on-screen text, slide diagrams)
  3. Spoken Dialogue / Voiceover (Exact script to read)

[Additional Constraints]:

  • Length: Cap total spoken dialogue at 600–700 words to ensure it comfortably stays under the 5-minute mark at a natural speaking pace (~130–140 wpm).
  • Structure: Include an engaging 30-second hook, 2 concrete real-world student scenarios, a quick recap table, and 1 reflection question at the end.
  • Tone: Energetic, clear, academically grounded, and conversational. Avoid dry textbook fluff.

31 Students, 21 Empty Hands: A Wake-Up Call on Student Reading Habits

A series of quick polls during recent class sessions revealed a jarring reality regarding student engagement with the library. Across more than 60 undergraduate and postgraduate students polled that I teach this semester (Semester 2, Session 2025/2026), over half confessed they had never borrowed a book. This lack of engagement was further highlighted in a class of 31 undergraduates (you know who you are!), where more than half admitted they had not yet borrowed a single textbook this semester when I did a quick survey in the middle of semester.  This immediately raises the question of how many books they actually read each semester. While younger generations may prefer e-books over the physical copies favoured by Gen X like me, the lack of engagement with library resources is striking. When asked if they rely primarily on class notes to understand core concepts, the majority answered yes. This trend is alarming.

Reading books does not make one a “nerd.” Yet, students are becoming overly reliant on lecture notes, which are merely summarized shortcuts of a lecturer’s own reading. Lecture slides are designed to guide, not to replace actual reading. True intellectual growth and critical thinking are unlocked only through active, independent reading. While many students believe notes are sufficient for good grades, true learning requires active cognitive engagement. Relying solely on summaries leads directly to “The Spoon-Feeding” Trap, where students rely on someone else’s digested knowledge rather than processing information themselves.

When I was an undergraduate, I had lecturers who never wrote a single word on the whiteboard nor provided lecture notes. This approach forced me to read textbooks before class, preparing notes and questions that I would ask during class. Without that preparation, passing those courses would have been almost impossible. In courses with multiple references, such as history or philosophy, I was pushed to read extensively, even when the material was difficult to grasp. Coming to class prepared significantly enhanced my understanding. 

For example, when first introduced to operant conditioning, I wondered how it applies in real life. This intellectual curiosity prompted me to seek out books by B.F. Skinner. I discovered his 1948 utopian novel, Walden Two, which depicts a community structured entirely around positive reinforcement. The book inspired the founding of the Twin Oaks Community in Virginia in 1967 (which still exists today). This community designed a society that avoids punishment, instead using a “labour credit” system (a form of token economy) where less desirable jobs are reinforced with higher credits. Reading Walden Two alongside his non-fiction works, Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) and About Behaviourism (1974), helped me understand these principles, but also to recognize behaviourism’s limitations. After grappling with the Western perspectives on reward and punishment, I realized I needed a philosophical counterweight. This intellectual curiosity led me to seek out and read Malik Badri’s The Dilemma of Muslim Psychologists (1979), a pursuit encouraged by some of my own lecturers, the very same ones who never wrote anything on the whiteboard nor used any lecture slaid.

The process of reading both Western and Muslim thinkers proved invaluable, opening my mind to truly multi-dimensional understandings of psychological concepts. The deepest insight came from realizing the stark contrast with strict behaviourism: from an Islamic perspective, rewards and punishments are fundamentally rooted in Allah’s Mercy. It is important to note that continuous worldly success can sometimes be a test (istidraj) rather than a straightforward reward. This concept immediately introduced a profound ethical and spiritual nuance, challenging the behaviourist premise that outcomes are simply tied to behavioural reinforcement, irrespective of any higher moral or spiritual value.

Personally, I believe reading provides the crucial context, history, and nuance that bullet points on a PowerPoint slide always leave out. I view reading not as a chore for exams, but as a path to personal growth. I am a strong believer that reading pushes students from surface-level learning toward meaningful learning, transforming them from passive consumers into active learners. Even in our fast-paced AI era, where reading a book from cover-to-cover might feel like a lost art, there is just something magical about getting lost in a good book. That feeling of being transported to another world is something a quick summary video simply cannot match!

It was great to see the quick poll (and maybe a little “friendly” nudge!) got some students thinking. A few even came to me eager to know how to boost their reading habits. Remember, just like building muscle at the gym, improving any skill requires consistent action, not just a burst of motivation. While reading does require a little “cognitive stamina” (think of it as a mental muscle!) it is absolutely something we can build. The key is turning that initial excitement into an easy, stress-free, and sustainable habit.

Here are a few starting actions:

●          Start small: Read just 5 to 10 pages a day of a textbook or academic chapter instead of attempting to finish a whole book in one sitting. If thick textbooks or journal articles are intimidating, start with non-fiction books related to the courses that you are taking.

●          Create a friction-free environment: With the distraction of smartphones and short videos from TikTok and Instagram, having a quiet, dedicated reading time is crucial. Put your phone in another room and dedicate a specific 20 minutes daily for reading (e.g., right before bed or during a transit commute).

●          Utilize UTM resources: As a student paying tuition fees, it is wasteful not to fully utilize UTM library resources, including its digital collections. UTM’s library offers vast e-book and digital database collections accessible right from our smartphones.

So, here is the final nudge: notes are fantastic for acing exams, but books are the actual fuel that prepares students for the marathon of the real world. I challenge you (my students especially), just read one book this week! Go visit the library (physical or digital.  No excuses!) and help me happily update my current “research findings” on student borrowing habits.

On a completely unrelated note (wink, wink): after a decade of teaching undergraduate educational psychology, I am still waiting for the first student to casually drop a reference to B.F. Skinner’s books. Seriously, please break my personal observation streak! Don’t let me think the behaviourists were right about a lack of reinforcement! Oh no… maybe they are still correct after all!

Let’s try this out

Using Google Vids (Veo), let’s create a short animated video. This is a video that I created using Google Vids. There duration of the video is less than 2 minutes, but the time I spent to create it more than four hours. Practice makes perfect! Don’t give up.

Main character: The same female university student wearing a dusty-rose hijab
Visual style: Ghibli-inspired hand-drawn animation, watercolour textures, warm library environment
Format: 16:9 landscape
Narration: Calm, clear and reflective

Steps:

  1. Generate the visual image of the main character using Gemini AI or ChatGPT or any preferred AI tool. This will ensure the character will be consistent (no guarantee though!). Use this prompt: Create a consistent female university student wearing a dusty-rose hijab in four full-body views:
    • Front, back, left profile and right profile.
    • The character’s clothing and colour palette match the warm library setting for the video.
  2. Go to Google Apps -> Google Vids (if you have free account, the video that you can generate might have some limitations. If you have UTM Edu Pro or personal Pro account, you have more credits. (Tongue in cheek remark: I would use UTM Edu Pro because ______ (fill in the blank).
  3. Choose Veo 3.1. (There are few selections that you can choose: AI avatar, Comvert slides, Record, Upload, Templates or Blank).
  4. On the right corner, you will see options such as Veo, Avatar, Voiceover and such). Choose Veo. (When you hoover your cursor to the Veo icon, you will see a caption “Generate an AI video clip”.
  5. You can create a video from scratch or if you have created images with sequencing storyline, you can choose “Animate an image”. But for this exercise, choose Create from scratch.
  6. With the following ready made prompts, create the video scene. Copy and paste the prompt for each shot in the available space.

Tips: Make sure your internet connection is stable. Make sure you add the image of the character that you have created in the ingredient. Don’t forget to click the “Generate” button. Click + to create a new scene before you paste new prompt for the next scene. You may revise the prompts accordingly.

    Create a 30-second Ghibli-inspired animated video about intrinsic motivation. Show the same university student independently searching for academic references in a warm, quiet library. Divide the video into nine connected shots, with three shots every 10 seconds.

    Use a calm, reflective student voice for the voiceover. Synchronise each text overlay with its corresponding narration. Use a warm ivory handwritten font with a subtle dark shadow. Keep the text within uncluttered areas and visible long enough to read. No dialogue between characters, logos, grades, prizes, praise or applause.

    0–10 seconds: Curiosity and personal interest

    Shot 1, 0:00–0:03
    A university student sits at a wooden library table, considering a research question in a notebook. The student glances towards tall bookshelves as morning sunlight enters through large windows.
    Text overlay: “Curiosity begins from within.”
    Voiceover: “A question awakens my curiosity.”

    Shot 2, 0:03–0:07
    The student walks between the bookshelves, scanning book titles and running a finger along the spines. They stop after noticing a promising reference book.
    Text overlay: “I want to learn more.”
    Voiceover: “I search because I genuinely want to know more.”

    Shot 3, 0:07–0:10
    The student opens the selected book and discovers a relevant passage. Their uncertainty develops into genuine fascination.
    Text overlay: “Interest guides my exploration.”
    Voiceover: “My interest leads me towards new ideas.”

    10–20 seconds: Autonomy and deep engagement

    Shot 4, 0:10–0:13
    Back at the table, the student notices an intriguing citation in the book. Without being instructed, they record it and decide to investigate further.
    Text overlay: “I choose where the question leads.”
    Voiceover: “I decide which path to explore next.”

    Shot 5, 0:13–0:17
    The student searches the library’s academic database and discovers a promising journal article. They lean towards the screen with growing enthusiasm.
    Text overlay: “The search itself becomes engaging.”
    Voiceover: “Finding each new source makes the search meaningful.”

    Shot 6, 0:17–0:20
    The student compares the book with the journal article, highlighting related evidence and writing notes. Delicate glowing lines connect key ideas across the sources.
    Text overlay: “I enjoy connecting new ideas.”
    Voiceover: “I enjoy seeing how the ideas connect.”

    20–30 seconds: Persistence and inherent satisfaction

    Shot 7, 0:20–0:23
    A difficult journal passage briefly confuses the student. They consult the book’s glossary and patiently reread the paragraph.
    Text overlay: “Curiosity keeps me going.”
    Voiceover: “Even when it’s difficult, curiosity keeps me going.”

    Shot 8, 0:23–0:27
    The student understands the argument and creates a concept map connecting evidence from the book and journal. A quiet, satisfied smile appears.
    Text overlay: “Understanding brings its own satisfaction.”
    Voiceover: “Understanding something new is satisfying in itself.”

    Shot 9, 0:27–0:30
    The student notices another source in the journal’s reference list, reaches for a new book and continues researching as golden evening light fills the library.
    Text overlay: “I continue because I want to know more.”
    Voiceover: “I keep learning, simply because I want to know more.”

    Audio direction: Calm, thoughtful first-person narration with a natural pace. Use soft piano, gentle strings and subtle library ambience, including turning pages, quiet footsteps and distant birds. Lower the music beneath the narration.

    Visual direction: Ghibli-inspired hand-drawn animation, delicate watercolour textures, detailed university library, warm gold and forest-green palette, expressive yet natural movement, soft atmospheric lighting, subtle magical realism, cinematic depth and seamless match-cut transitions. Maintain consistent character appearance, clothing, table, notebook, books and library layout. Landscape format, 16:9.

    Preparation for video generation using Google Flow (Refer to example)

    To bring this full 30-second, multi-shot Ghibli-inspired animation script to life in Google Flow, you shouldn’t paste the entire script into a single prompt box. AI video generators create clips shot-by-shot rather than executing a full directed film script in a single render.

    Here is the step-by-step workflow to execute your prompt in Google Flow:

    Step 1: Establish Style & Character Consistency

    Before generating video clips, lock in your visual look so the student and library remain identical across all 9 shots:

    1. Go to Image Generation / Style Reference in Google Flow.
    2. Use your Visual Direction prompt to create a master keyframe image:Ghibli-inspired hand-drawn animation, delicate watercolour textures, detailed university library, warm gold and forest-green palette, a university student sitting at a wooden table with a notebook under soft atmospheric morning light, 16:9 aspect ratio.
    3. Save this generated image as your Style / Character Reference in Google Flow to attach to each video shot.

    Step 2: Generate Shot-by-Shot in Scene Builder

    Use Flow Scene Builder or the timeline tool to generate each shot individually:

    • Shot 1 (0:00–0:03): * Prompt: A university student sitting at a wooden library table, looking thoughtfully at a notebook, then glancing towards tall bookshelves as morning sunlight streams through large windows. Ghibli animation style, warm golden light.
    • Shot 2 (0:03–0:07): * Prompt: The student walking slowly down a library aisle, scanning book titles, running a finger along the spines of books, stopping at a reference book.
    • Shot 3 (0:07–0:10): * Prompt: Close-up of the student opening a heavy library book, reading a passage with a subtle expression of surprise and genuine fascination.

    Pro Tip: Use the end frame of Shot 1 as the starting frame for Shot 2 (using Image-to-Video / Frames-to-Video) to ensure seamless match-cuts. Repeat this process through Shot 9.

    Step 3: Audio & Voiceover Narration

    1. Voiceover: Go to the Voiceover / Speech tab in Google Flow.
      • Select a calm, reflective, soft voice.
      • Input the lines section by section (e.g., “A question awakens my curiosity.”).
    2. Background Audio: Use the Audio / Sound FX generator:
      • Prompt: Soft minimal piano melody, gentle strings, subtle quiet library ambience, page turning sound effect.

    Step 4: Text Overlays & Timeline Assembly

    1. Place all 9 video clips end-to-end on the Google Flow Timeline.
    2. Align the voiceover clips with their respective video shots.
    3. Use the Text Tool to add the text overlays:
      • Font: Handwritten / Calligraphy style.
      • Color: Warm ivory with a faint charcoal/dark drop shadow.
      • Position the text in uncluttered corners (e.g., lower-third dark areas of the library).
      • Keyframe the text to fade in at the start of each shot and fade out before the transition.

    Step 5: Final Review & Export

    • Play back the sequence to ensure the 10-second pacing markers match (0–10s Curiosity, 10–20s Autonomy, 20–30s Persistence).
    • Adjust the volume balance so the music lowers beneath the voiceover.
    • Export in 16:9, 1080p / 4K resolution.

    More detailed prompt example: Intrinsic motivation

    Create a Ghibli-inspired animated video about intrinsic motivation. Show the same university student independently searching for academic references in a warm, quiet library. Use hand-painted watercolour backgrounds, expressive character animation, warm natural lighting and smooth narrative transitions.

    Add the specified text overlay to every shot. Use a clear, warm ivory handwritten font with a subtle dark shadow. Place the text in an uncluttered area without covering the student’s face, books or computer screen. Keep every line visible long enough to read. No dialogue, logos, grades, prizes, praise or applause.

    0–10 seconds: Curiosity and personal interest

    Shot 1, 0:00–0:03
    A university student sits at a wooden library table, looking thoughtfully at a research question in a notebook. The student glances towards the tall bookshelves as morning sunlight enters through large windows. Their expression shows emerging curiosity.
    Text overlay: “Curiosity begins from within.”

    Shot 2, 0:03–0:07
    The student walks slowly between tall bookshelves, scanning book titles and running a finger along the spines. They pause eagerly after noticing a promising reference book.
    Text overlay: “I want to learn more.”

    Shot 3, 0:07–0:10
    The student removes the book, opens it carefully and discovers a relevant passage. Their expression changes from uncertainty to genuine fascination as the camera moves closer.
    Text overlay: “Interest guides my exploration.”

    10–20 seconds: Autonomy and deep engagement

    Shot 4, 0:10–0:13
    Back at the table, the student reads the book and notices an intriguing citation in the chapter. Without being instructed, they write it down and decide to investigate it further.
    Text overlay: “I choose where the question leads.”

    Shot 5, 0:13–0:17
    The student searches the library’s academic database and finds a promising journal article. The screen’s gentle glow reflects in their focused eyes as they lean closer with growing enthusiasm.
    Text overlay: “The search itself becomes engaging.”

    Shot 6, 0:17–0:20
    The student compares the open book with the journal article, highlighting related evidence and writing notes. Delicate glowing lines appear between key ideas, suggesting mental connections.
    Text overlay: “I enjoy connecting new ideas.”

    20–30 seconds: Persistence and inherent satisfaction

    Shot 7, 0:20–0:23
    A difficult paragraph in the journal article briefly confuses the student. They pause, consult the book’s glossary and patiently reread the paragraph instead of giving up.
    Text overlay: “Curiosity keeps me going.”

    Shot 8, 0:23–0:27
    The student suddenly understands the argument and creates a clear concept map connecting evidence from the book and journal. A quiet, satisfied smile appears.
    Text overlay: “Understanding brings its own satisfaction.”

    Shot 9, 0:27–0:30
    The student notices another intriguing source in the journal’s reference list, reaches towards a new book and continues researching as golden evening light fills the library. End with a wide shot of the student fully absorbed in learning.
    Text overlay: “I continue because I want to know more.”

    Visual continuity: Ghibli-inspired hand-drawn animation, delicate watercolour textures, detailed university library, warm gold and forest-green palette, soft atmospheric lighting, subtle magical realism, cinematic depth, 16:9 landscape and consistent character, clothing, table, notebook, books and library layout across all nine shots.