At the ISTE 2024 education conference, Google announced several new features for Chrome and Gemini aimed at enhancing educational tools and resources. These updates are designed to support both students and educators, with a focus on improving accessibility and personalized learning experiences.
Gemini for education
Google’s Gemini, available at gemini.google.com, is now being rolled out to teen students in over 100 countries who use Workspace for Education accounts. This expansion follows its availability to personal users, with Google implementing additional data protection measures for all educational users at no extra cost. The rollout will continue over the coming months.
Gemini is being tested in Google Classroom to assist educators with lesson and content planning. It will also feature Read Along, which helps younger students practice reading skills with real-time AI support. Teachers can assign reading activities tailored to individual students based on Lexile® measures, grade levels, or phonics skills. The platform offers over 800 books from Heggerty, ReadWorks, and other sources, providing insights on reading accuracy, speed, and comprehension.
An upcoming feature will enable teachers to generate personalized stories that cater to individual student needs. Read Along in Google Classroom will initially be available in English, with plans to add other languages, starting with Spanish.
Enhancements in Google Classroom and Google Vids
Google Classroom will soon include Read Aloud in its Reading Mode, a feature already available on the Android app. This text-to-speech capability offers multiple voices, adjustable playback speeds from 0.5x to 4x, and controls for play/pause and navigating sentences. Teachers will also be able to assign activities and view detailed insights into student performance.
Additionally, a version of Google Vids without generative AI will be accessible to students and teachers using Google Workspace for Education Plus, ensuring a safer and more focused learning environment.
Integration with third-party learning management systems
Google is enhancing its integration with third-party learning management systems (LMS) such as Canvas and PowerSchool Schoology Learning. This includes making Google Meet and Assignments available within these platforms, streamlining communication and task management for educators and students.
New Gemini features in desktop Chrome and ChromeOS
The Reading Mode side panel in desktop Chrome is adding a Read Aloud feature, expanding on the text-to-speech capability already present in the Android app. Users can select from multiple voices, adjust playback speeds, and use sentence navigation controls. This feature also allows for the disabling of line-by-line highlights, enhancing the reading experience.
ChromeOS is receiving updates to the Files app, which will now include augmented image labels to assist screen readers in identifying unlabeled images on the Chrome browser. Google Classroom assignments will also be integrated into the shelf calendar, similar to the existing Google Tasks integration, providing a more organized and accessible interface for students.
Future prospects of Google Gemini partnering Meta on AI for education
Looking ahead, Google’s latest announcements at ISTE 2024 demonstrate a strong commitment to enhancing educational tools and resources through advanced AI and improved accessibility features. The potential partnership between Apple and Meta on AI for iOS 18 is a significant step towards providing more diverse and effective AI options for students and educators. By integrating Gemini for students, enhancing capabilities in Google Classroom, and expanding integration with third-party LMS, Google is paving the way for a more personalized and inclusive learning environment. The upcoming features in Chrome and ChromeOS further emphasize Google’s dedication to creating a supportive educational ecosystem for all users, highlighting the promising future of AI in education.
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