Professor Transforms Coding Assessments Using Google Gemini AI Conversations

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A Malaysian professor replaces traditional coding tests with AI-supported interviews, using Google Gemini to evaluate students’ judgment and decision-making in problem solving.

Dr. Nurfadhlina Mohd Sharef, Chief Digital Officer and lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, has pioneered a new approach to assessing her data mining students. Rather than having students complete conventional coding tests, she employs Google’s Gemini AI within Colab notebooks to foster a collaborative learning and evaluation environment.

Students interact with Gemini as a personal coding tutor that offers suggestions and alternative solutions. However, instead of passively accepting AI-generated code, students are required to critically evaluate these recommendations, select appropriate approaches, and justify their modeling decisions. This interaction emphasizes human judgment over mere code production.

To further assess understanding, Dr. Mohd Sharef conducts verbal interviews where students defend their choices, troubleshoot issues, and identify any inaccuracies in the AI’s outputs. The integration of tools like Gemini Canvas and Gemini Notebook allows her to efficiently scale the evaluation process.

This methodology reflects a broader educational philosophy that AI is not meant to replace learning but should be used to redesign it purposefully—building enduring human skills rather than fostering dependency on technology. Dr. Mohd Sharef’s experience demonstrates a meaningful human–AI teaming that shifts the focus from syntax mastery to critical thinking and decision-making, preparing students for a future where AI is a ubiquitous collaborator in technical problem solving.

The initiative represents a step forward in educational technology by leveraging cutting-edge AI tools not only to assist learners but also to transform assessment paradigms, aligning them with real-world demands and cognitive skills development.