As usual, there are a good number of updates and new features to share this month. Google has been working hard on some pretty cool Gemini features.

I hope you had a good spring break…let’s check out this month’s updates!

I tested Gemini Audio Summaries on this post…

I typically draft these updates in Google Docs before they become an email and a blog post. One of the big updates this month is the ability to generate an audio summary using Gemini and Google Docs. I was able to use my draft document to generate the audio summary I posted below.

As someone who has sat behind the mic for more than 100 podcast episodes, I have mixed feelings about this new AI feature. Here are some observations and honest thoughts:

1. The quality of the audio summary is shockingly good.
2. Not only did Gemini read my commentary, it also read each of the linked articles that I included, pulling out details that I did NOT highlight in my written summary.
3. The summary isn’t 100% accurate…it did confuse some of the details related to the Google Vids film contest (updated #2 below).
4. It took less than 10 minutes to generate this audio summary.
5. I created a second version of the audio summary and included some personal information so that the AI “hosts” would refer to me directly. This worked well.
6. If I’m going to continue producing a podcast, it needs to focus on my perspective on the news, not just a list of what happened. AI is way too good at explaining facts, but it can’t replicate my personal perspective.

I’d love to know how you feel about the audio summary below. Is this useful to you? Are you willing to listen to an “AI host?” How do you think I should approach my podcast considering the quality of this AI generated audio audio summary?

April 2025 EDU Updates

1. Custom Reading Content for Read Along – Teachers in EDU Plus domains can now upload custom content to Read Along. This means you can provide students with reading support for your own stories, articles, and assignments.
2. Google Vids Education Film Festival – teachers can submit their Google Vid creation to be featured in a Google For Education blog post. Submission deadline is May 15, 2025. Google Vids is available for EDU Plus and Teaching&Learning domains. 
3. New sidebar menu for Google Slides – this handy menu provides quick access to templates, building blocks, and other features, based on your Google license. 
4. Clone yourself in minutes – my latest YouTube video discusses three ways to use video in your classroom. It’s not as hard as you might think!
5. ​5 end of year project ideas – I know it’s hard to believe, but the end of the school year is not far away. Take some time to plan an end-of-year project to help students reflect on their learning.
6. Audio Overview for Gemini (and docs!) – This popular feature first appeared in NotebookLM, but is now available in Gemini as well. It is especially useful when using the “deep research” model. Audio overviews for Google Docs is coming soon. 
7. Canvas for Gemini – When working on longer, complex writing projects, “Canvas” makes it easier to use Gemini as a co-writer. This is a great tool to use when developing lesson plans or assignments. 
8. 5 advanced Gemini features – Google has added a LOT of impressive features to Gemini. If you aren’t using these, you are missing out! 
9. A Classroom Teacher’s take on AI – Blake Harvard, HS social studies teacher from Madison Alabama, shares his honest thoughts on the incursion of AI in education.  
10. uBlock Origin Lite – you may have noticed that some of your Chrome extensions are no longer available including some popular ad-blockers. uBlock Lite is an alternative that will work, although not quite as well as the original. 

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