The ever-popular NotebookLM from Google has added six new features and upgrades, as well as now being made available in more than 80 languages. The goal of these updates is to make the AI-powered platform more dynamic and useful for active learning, according to Google.
In addition to the recent addition of featured notebooks (which we tried out here), Google has upgraded NotebookLM with:
1. Flashcards and quizzes – Users can now turn notes, research papers, or work reports into customized flashcards and quizzes. You can customize the topic to focus on core concepts and terms, set a level of difficulty, and then share study sets with students with a simple link.
2. New audio overview formats: Users can now select the format of audio overviews, with three choices now available:
- Brief: A single AI host delivers a short summary of core ideas.
- Critique: Two AI hosts review material, offering constructive feedback on an essay or design document.
- Debate: Two AI hosts discuss different perspectives on the topics in the sources.
3. Personalized learning guide – Users can break down complex topics step-by-step with probing, open-ended questions and adaptive explanations. Ideal for providing extra support for students, like having a personalized digital tutor.
4. Trusted academic content – NotebookLM has partnered with OpenStax to provide interactive public Notebooks with high-quality, vetted sources. Subject areas include biology, AP biology, chemistry, psychology, introduction to business, and principles of management.
5. New and customized report formats – NotebookLM users can now create reports in a “blog post” format, which suggest options based on a theme or topic mentioned based on the sources used.
For example, if the source is a scholarly article on economic theory, NotebookLM could be used to create a glossary of key terms or a magazine-style explainer of the paper’s implications. Or if a draft of a student’s short story is uploaded, users could use NotebookLM to generate a character analysis or a detailed critique of the plot.
Users can also create their own format tailored to their specific needs.
6. NotebookLM now offers seamless integration for teachers – Users can now create and assign Notebooks directly in Canvas by Instructure and PowerSchool Schoology Learning using Gemini LTI.
In the near future, educators will also be able to create and assign notebooks in Google Classroom.
For more on NotebookLM, Lisa Nielsen, the Innovative Educator, recently provided an overview for Tech & Learning on how to get started with it.
