Google Classroom just added AI-powered personal class notebooks — here's how students can make them with NotebookLM

NotebookLM is an excellent AI-powered learning tool for professional researchers, content creators and especially students.

With its ability to summarize information, compile sources from the web, collect user-uploaded sources and even answer questions based on your notebook’s included data, NotebookLM stands out as an effective learning tool.

Initially, only teachers were able to tap into NotebookLM within Google Classroom to generate interactive study guides and other forms of learning aides for their students. Now though, Google has announced an upgrade to that feature which expands it to students, allowing them to produce their own personal class notebooks based on the courses assigned to them in Google Classroom.

Here’s how this new student-led feature works.

AI-generated personal class notebooks for students

In a blog post announcing this new feature, Google explained how easy it is to get started. From within the Gemini tab in Google Classroom, students can craft their own personal class notebooks with the aid of NotebookLM. All theyneed to do is click on “Personal class notebooks” and then “Create class notebook” to create and edit their own AI-generated digital study guides.

NotebookLM’s highly-touted features are now available to students in their new personal class notebooks, such as being able to generate an audio/video overview, create a slide deck and queue up a quiz based on the topic at hand. Up to 50 source documents per notebook can be created for students looking to prep for exams or even just to get a quick refresh on previously covered coursework. Alongside their personal class notebooks, students can still check out their teacher-created notebooks for further reference.

The release of this feature began on April 27 across desktop/laptop devices and is set for a full rollout to all participating students aged 18 years and older over the next few days. The mobile version of this feature is set to follow in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Google Classroom’s expanded usage of NotebookLM for students should be super beneficial to those enrolled in courses tied to higher education. Ultimately, the ability to turn course content into personalized NotebookLM guides offers students a powerful new way to deepen their understanding and retention.

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