NotebookLM: An AI-Powered Digital Notebook that Packs a Punch!

“I can do this all day.”

Superpowers aren’t just for heroes in capes. Meet NotebookLM, the AI sidekick that levels up the learning experience for students.

Note: Users of NotebookLM must be 18+ years old (but teachers can create resources with NotebookLM and make them available to students in Google Drive or Schoology).



What is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is Google’s AI-powered notebook that transforms how you can interact with information. Teachers can upload notes from Google Docs, slides from Google Slides, PDFs, YouTube videos, just about anything into a single, organized space!

Need a summary? A quick Q&A session? A study guide? A downloadable realistic-sounding podcast? NotebookLM has you covered, all while staying teacher-friendly and ridiculously easy to use. (Psst, it’s also FREE.)

Getting Started with NotebookLM 

• To access NotebookLM, head to the NotebookLM website and sign in using your Google account. 
• Upload your content 
• Click the Create Notebook button to start organizing your materials. 
• Add files such as PDFs, Google Docs, Google Slides, or even website URLs. 
• Once your files are uploaded, dive in! 
• You can Ask NotebookLM questions about your documents, such as “What are the main points of this chapter?” or “What’s the connection between these two articles?”
• Generate summaries, making complex materials easier to digest.
• Create customized study guides tailored to the content of your files. 

Explore the AI-Powered Features

• Use the Question Generator to come up with possible discussion or study questions based on your materials.
• Try the Concept Mapper to see how ideas in your content connect visually, helping you or your students grasp relationships between topics.
• Experiment with Audio Summaries to have content read aloud, which can be a game-changer for auditory learners. 

What can You Do for Students do with NotebookLM?

• Boost Understanding: NotebookLM provides instant feedback, helping students connect the dots and clarify confusing concepts. Simply type in the misconception and get a quick response for how to address it.
• Focus on Learning: From summarizing key points to creating custom study guides, NotebookLM helps teachers keep students focused on the learning they experience in class.
• Make It Personal: Whether preparing for a project or breaking down complex ideas, teachers can tailor NotebookLM content to student learning styles. 

Connecting NotebookLM to Our Vision

In Barrington 220, we’re always looking for new tools that support learner agency and enhance learning. NotebookLM fits seamlessly into our Google ecosystem and innovative Apple tools, amplifying how we best meet the needs of our students.

Multimodal Literacy: Adding More Opportunities for Students to Practice Literacy Skills

“Just because something works doesn’t mean it can’t be improved.” 

I couldn’t narrow down the quotes for this article, so here's a second, bonus quote:

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.”

What is Literacy, Anyway?

According to the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE, 2015):

“Literacy involves the ability to read, write, and communicate effectively across a variety of modes and media. This includes not only traditional print but also digital, visual, and multimedia forms of communication, enabling individuals to navigate, interpret, and create meaning in a complex, interconnected world.”

Multimodal literacy refers to engaging with and producing content that integrates technology into literacy allowing for expansion of reading, writing, speaking, and listening to digital media.

Ways to Boost Multimodal Literacy

Interactive Storytelling: Encourage students to create digital stories using videos, images, and text. Tools like Canva and Clips bring student voice to the forefront.

Multimedia Presentations: Students can present their projects using more than Google Slides with photos. Try Keynote and encourage the use of a combination of slides, videos, and audio clips. 

Digital Portfolios: Maximize the unlimited creation space in each tab of a Numbers app document to draw, type, use shapes, add audio, add video, and more!

Want to know more? Email me, Joe Robinson, Director of Innovation, to schedule time for me to visit your team time, department meeting, staff meeting, etc. I'd love to share ideas and templates. 

Why Multimodal Literacy Matters

How do you consume content? Is it only via text on a page? In our interconnected world, information isn’t just text-based. It comes in videos, podcasts, social media posts, and interactive websites. Multimodal literacy refers to the ability to understand and create content that combines different modes of communication. Recent research underscores the importance of developing these skills in students:

“Multimodal literacy allows students to leverage multiple modes of communication, enhancing their ability to understand and create complex ideas.” (Gee, 2007)

“Incorporating digital tools into the classroom fosters an environment where students can engage with content in diverse and meaningful ways.” (Mishra & Koehler, 2006)

These insights highlight that multimodal literacy isn’t just an add-on; it’s an integral component of modern education that prepares students for the complexities of the digital world.

References

Gee, J. P. (2007). What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy. Second Edition, Palgrave Macmillan.

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M.J.. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record, vol. 108, no. 6, pp. 1017-1054. JSTOR.

National Council of Teachers of English. (2015). The NCTE Multimodal Literacy Statement. National Council of Teachers of English, https://ncte.org/statement/multimodal-literacy/ 

New Toshiba Copier/Printers Tutorials and Support

In November 2024 the district rolled out new Toshiba copier/printers at all buildings. Although they're new, many of the devices still look the same and have the features you're used to. Tutorial videos for the larger Toshiba copier/printers can be found in the Barrington 220 Digital Learning Hub.

The Toshiba 409AS is different than the devices we've had in the past. However, you should find that it has the basic functions you are expecting. The first three icons (Copy, Print Release, and PaperCut Scan) will be the functions you likely use the most on the 409AS.

What hasn't changed is how you request service on a Toshiba copier/printer. 

Call the Proven IT service department at 708-614-1915 and give them number in the round Proven IT badge, and they will send a technician out to address the problem.

New Drag to Fill Screen Feature in macOS Sequoia...and How to Turn It OFF

If you have upgraded your district MacBook Air laptop to the newest operating system, macOS Sequoia (version 15), you are definitely benefitting from its built-in increased security, and hopefully you are finding some of the over 200 new features across the upgraded system useful.

As with any major upgrade, Apple sometimes chooses to turn on a new feature to make sure we users are aware it’s available. One feature I noticed immediately is that when I move any window to the top of the screen, the window automatically fills the entire screen.

While I appreciate a new feature possibility, I found this one unhelpful and distracting. If you feel similarly, the feature can be turned off by opening System Settings (in the Dock or Apple menu > System Settings...). In the left column scroll down to and click Desktop & Dock, scroll down in the right column to Windows, and turn off Drag windows to menu bar to fill screen.

Key's Quick Tips - QR Codes to Tutorials Supporting Reading & Writing

Key's quick tips are provided by Kelly Key, Assistive Technology Coordinator for Barrington 220.

This month, I am sharing a resource for you and your students to use to learn about setting up and accessing a variety of tools available on the iPad to support reading and writing!

This visual lists tool is available to support our students paired with a QR code that links to a video demo of the tool. If the tools need to be turned on or set up in advance, there is a second QR code that links to a video tutorial.

You are encouraged to send the poster to the 220 Print Center to have printed on large card stock and hang in your classrooms, offices, and hallways. You can also cut out individual cards for the tools your students use and send home the quick cards to share with parents or place them on students' desks or lockers as reminders.

Please reach out to Kelly Key, AT Coordinator, with any questions or support!

Click here for the poster.