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It’s been an odd week in EdTech. Maybe everyone is so focused on the One Big Beautiful Bill getting passed, and all the other political developments, that there’s little bandwidth left for anything else. I’m en route to the UK for the Online Learning Summit in Leeds, with a few days in Scotland beforehand. Which, in practical terms, means I’m spending a lot of time at DFW airport. So, what am I reading while I wait?
Gemini landing
This week, Google announced a raft of updates to its Google for Education products, with a strong focus on integrating Gemini AI into a wide range of learning processes. While Google and Google Classroom are widely used in K–12 settings, they’re less prevalent in higher education. However, I believe we underestimate the extent of Google Classroom’s use in higher ed, especially in regions like Asia, and this latest round of enhancements could present a serious challenge to how the major higher ed LMS players have been thinking about AI integration.
The announcements, made at the K–12 ISTE conference, include more than 30 updates to Google’s education offerings, such as improvements to Google Classroom, expanded access to Google Vids, and new features for Chromebooks. My primary interest, however, lies in the AI enhancements to Google Workspace for Education.
One major highlight is NotebookLM, Google’s “personalized AI research assistant” and even podcast creation tool. Soon, instructors and students will be able to more easily generate interactive study guides and audio summaries of class materials using NotebookLM. Google also plans to roll out video overview capabilities in the coming weeks.
Instructors will also be able to create "Gems," customized versions of Gemini, designed to serve as tailored experts, interactive tools, or simulations based on course materials. These can be used to engage students in new ways, and soon instructors will be able to share these Gems with one another.
