Skip to main content
The Keyword

6 ways we supported learning and education in 2024

Dec 04, 2024

[[read-time]] min read

Highlights from 2024 and a sneak peek at what’s to come from Google for Education

Shantanu Sinha
VP, Google for Education
Photo of a man smiling against a brown background
10:25
Get a 2025 preview for Google for Education

2024 saw educators all over the world continue to bring their passion, dedication and creativity to classrooms. At the same time, education institutions focused on solutions for learning gaps, educator wellbeing and retention, and the integration of AI.

To help, Google for Education rolled out more than 65 updates across our products in 2024, based on feedback from millions of educators and students. From taking a learning-first approach to AI built around pedagogical principles, to providing top-requested features for teaching and learning, here are six key ways we supported education organizations with new technology solutions in 2024.

1. Generative AI trainings for leaders, educators and students

To help educators make the most of generative AI confidently, safely and responsibly, we announced programs like Generative AI for Educators and Gemini Academy. For students, we partnered with expert groups — including Connect Safely, the Family Online Safety Institute and the Raspberry Pi Foundation — to design AI literacy content and in-school programs, like Experience AI, that help educators teach students how to use AI responsibly. Find all our generative AI resources and trainings in one place on Education Navigator.

2. AI-powered assistance for every educator and student

Educators and students around the world are now using the Gemini app free of charge to brainstorm ideas, summarize documents, learn confidently with in-the-moment assistance and prepare for an AI-driven future. Taking a responsible approach with new technologies like generative AI, we built a unique Gemini experience for teens, which institutions like Miami-Dade County Public Schools have enabled for 100,000 of their students.

“While Gemini is providing our employees with access to generative AI, Gemini for teens will provide our high school students with the focused support of AI in a safer environment with appropriate safeguards.”
DrDotres_01

Dr. Jose L. Dotres

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent

Common Sense Media noted that Gemini is “the only major platform to create a specific experience for teens, includes additional CSAM (child sexual abuse material) safeguards, content policies and in-product experiences that help teens understand the limitations of generative AI.”

Plus, Gemini for Google Workspace provides access to chat with Gemini Advanced using our most capable models. Gemini is also integrated across popular apps like Docs, Gmail and Classroom to help summarize, analyze and generate content.

We introduced Chromebook Plus, a new set of laptops with twice the performance, displays, memory and storage along with options for touchscreen convertibles and styluses. Built-in Gemini powered AI capabilities for users over 18 help educators and staff maximize their productivity and enhance their creativity.

And in the coming weeks, Gemini LTI will bring the power of Gemini to learning management systems (LMS) — starting with Canvas by Instructure and PowerSchool Schoology Learning — providing AI-driven tools for educators and students that are accessible within their LMS environment.

  • A teenager asks Google’s Gemini a question. Gemini provides a summary and the student expands different parts of the answer to see the source and learn more.

    Teach and learn with Gemini, your AI-powered assistant for education.

  • Video shares several examples of Gems, like brainstorming or helping someone learn a new topic.

    Customize Gemini Advanced with Gems, custom AI experts for any topic. Create a personalized learning coach, writing assistant that’s trained on your tone, and more. Available with Gemini Education.

  • From within Google Drive, Julie opens the Gemini side panel and asks for a summary of the last three staff meetings. Gemini provides a summary.

    Get Gemini right where you need it with Gemini in the side panel of your Workspace apps. Easily summarize, analyze and generate content with insights gathered from your emails, documents and more. Available with Gemini Education.

  • Images representing GenAI features on Chromebook Plus, including Help me write, Help me read, and more, all surround a Chromebook Plus.

    Educators can get their own personal writing assistant with “Help me write” on Chromebook Plus, using Gemini. A right-click is all it takes to add some wit to your words on any website or app. You can also use the built-in “Help me read” feature to quickly get the gist of PDFs, websites or apps.

3. Learning science in action

Since the beginning, Google for Education has worked with experts and researchers as we create our products. For example, this year we announced LearnLM, our family of models fine-tuned for learning and grounded in educational research. LearnLM powers generative AI experiences like Gemini in Classroom, helping educators support learners with things like adapted texts and engaging lesson hooks that spark curiosity and critical thinking.

In August, we celebrated 10 years of Google Classroom, launching more than 800 updates over the last decade — and personal learning tools were at the forefront, like Read Along in Classroom.

  • Within the Gemini Education tab in Google Classroom, an educator gives information around grade level, type of lesson, and duration of lesson in order to have Gemini create a lesson plan draft.

    Make lesson planning easier with Gemini in Classroom. Provide the basics, like grade, subject and topic, and quickly create a plan with an engaging hook, thanks to LearnLM. Available with Gemini Education.

  • Within Read Along in Google Classroom, an educator assigns a reading activity that provides additional support in Spanish to students who are still learning the English language.

    Read Along in Classroom helps create differentiated reading activities based on Lexile® measure, grade level or phonics skills. By tailoring reading materials to each student's needs, Read Along in Classroom helps manage cognitive load and supports students on their way to independent reading. Here, an educator selects a book that provides additional support in Spanish to students who are still learning the English language.

  • Within Google Classroom, a teacher assigns an assignment to a pre-defined group of students who need extra help.

    Differentiate your instruction and adapt to learners' needs with student groups in Classroom. By assigning content based on each group's needs, you can effectively manage cognitive load and optimize learning for every student.

  • Within Google Classroom, an education leader looks at school-wide analytics and navigates to see the analytics for a specific class.

    Classroom analytics help leaders and educators get insights into student progress and engagement.

4. Multimedia tools for teaching and learning

As we developed new tools to help engage students, we listened to educators — and found that video was a clear winner. Google Vids is a new collaborative video creation app in Google Workspace that makes it easy for students and educators to create engaging videos, from instructional content to group projects.

Plus, built-in Chromebook features like Screencast (with new editing tools this year) and the Recorder app provide more ways to create supplemental learning content, recordings and ways to get creative. And millions of users both inside and outside of education used NotebookLM to ask questions and create audio overviews from their documents.

  • A teacher selects a Google Vids template and creates a draft of a video.

    Educators and students can create instructional videos, video assignments, quick explainers and more with Google Vids.

  • A NotebookLM screen is visible showing that there are 12 sources in the notebook. The user can ask for an audio overview summary or ask more questions about the content.

    Once you upload documents, such as Google Docs, Slides, or PDFs, NotebookLM can answer questions about your sources, create study guides and generate audio overviews with one click.

  • A teacher is creating an interactive video activity within Google Classroom. They select a YouTube video about photosynthesis and see questions throughout the video, with multiple choice answer, suggested by AI. The teacher makes an edit and assigns the activity.

    To create interactive video activities right within Classroom, educators can now use AI-suggested questions for select YouTube science videos to inspire active learning.

5. More device options and admin controls

Chromebooks are the #1 device in K-12 education globally while providing 229% return on investment for schools. We’ve rolled out several AI-powered admin tools to control and secure devices at scale, and introduced the centralized Device Hub for even easier device management.

We also announced more than 15 Chromebook devices to meet institutions’ needs. Institutions in Asia and Latin America can now get powerful and affordable Chromebooks with Chrome Education Upgrade included, to provide easier and secure device management. Expanded accessibility tools are now built-in to Chromebooks free of charge, like voice dictation, natural-sounding text to speech and read aloud in Reading mode.

  • Alt text: gif of the device hub in Google Admin console, showing filtering by device type and various insights.

    Provide IT admins with all the info they need about your fleet in the Device Hub. The Hub provides AI-driven recommendations based on potential problems to make fleet management seamless. Available with Chrome Education Upgrade.

  • Images of new Chromebooks for students and educators, including a convertible, and new keys on the keyboard.

    Explore more than 15 new Chromebook devices, in addition to Chromebook Plus with Google AI built-in.

  • A gif showing reading mode in Chrome browser on ChromeOS, using it to help read a website and make it more accessible, including changing the font and reading text aloud.

    Chromebooks are now even more accessible for everyone with built-in tools like more natural-sounding text to speech, voice dictation and read aloud in reading mode. And organizations can reduce costs and hassle with fewer third-party accessibility tools.

  • 5 Chromebook devices are shown against a multi-color background

    Schools in Asia and Latin America can now get powerful and affordable Chromebooks with Chrome Education Upgrade included, to provide more seamless and secure device management. This means focusing less on addressing tech issues and more on student engagement.

6. Tools that work better together

Now, Chromebooks help educators and students stay organized right from their desktop, with integrations for Google Classroom, Google Tasks and Google Calendar. We developed Workspace LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability), bringing Google tools like Meet, Drive and Assignments right into top learning management systems. And to top it off, we made it even easier to set up classes and manage grades and other class settings in Classroom with integrations with OneRoster-supported student information systems, adding PowerSchool SIS to the list.

For easier third-party tool management, we expanded our App Hub library to 10 more languages, plus added new app licensing partners and Classroom add-ons.

  • Alt text: Image of the Task and Calendar integration to help you check and update your to-do lists right from your Chromebook desktop.

    Focus more on students and instruction and less on admin tasks, with quick access to your to-do list – even offline. Educators can access their synced Tasks from their Chromebook desktop, the web, or on mobile.

  • Gemini appears within a learning management system

    Workspace LTI helps bring Google Workspace for Education to your learning management system (LMS). The Gemini app, Meet, Drive and Assignments LTI can all integrate seamlessly with leading LMSs, free of charge.

  • Within the Classwork page in Google Classroom, more students are automatically added to the class list.

    Classroom now integrates more deeply with your student information system (SIS) to save educators’ time on grading, rostering and classroom setup, and give admins more control and oversight. Flexible data import and export options with select SIS providers simplifies management in Classroom.

  • 16 EdTech company logos are shown, then more appear.

    17 new Classroom add-ons launched, making it even easier for educators to use their favorite EdTech tools from right within Classroom.

  • Gif scrolling down the App Hub webpage on edu.google.com showing al of the apps and integrations that work with Google

    The Google for Education App Hub is now available in 10 additional languages and includes ReadWorks, Educaplay, Discovery Education, Lightspeed Systems and many more, to seamlessly connect your favorite teaching and learning apps with your Google tools.

Looking ahead to 2025

Want to dive deeper into all of Google for Education’s new product and feature releases this past year? Learn more in our 2024 Year in Review guide. To give you a sneak peek of what we’re working on in 2025, check out my video at the top of this blog.

To ensure you get the latest updates and invites to our digital events, sign up here.

POSTED IN:

Related stories

Let’s stay in touch. Get the latest news from Google in your inbox.

Subscribe