Latest news with #GoogleClassroom
Axios
6 days ago
- Axios
OpenAI's new Canvas deal pushes AI deeper into schools
OpenAI's tools are coming to Canvas, the learning platform used by more than 8,000 schools worldwide, OpenAI and ed tech company Instructure announced Wednesday. Why it matters: OpenAI — like Apple and Google before it — is taking aim at student users because early exposure can lead to lifelong lock-in. The big picture: The deal lets teachers build custom AI chatbots inside Canvas, using OpenAI's models to assist with instruction, grading and assessing student progress. The collaboration embeds OpenAI's tech directly into Canvas, Instructure's platform designed for K-12 and higher ed. Catch up quick: Canvas, founded in 2008, helps teachers with grading, tracking student progress, course creation and communication with students. Tens of millions of students and teachers worldwide use Canvas to manage course materials, assignments and class discussions, according to Instructure. Think of Canvas as a more robust version of Google Classroom. Anthropic's Claude, Google's Gemini and Perplexity are also available within Instructure's IgniteAI framework, which allows schools to integrate different genAI tools. Between the lines: Educators will be able to create custom chatbots within Canvas. The new Canvas tool lets educators use natural language prompts to specify how the AI interacts with students, similar to creating custom GPTs in ChatGPT. Teachers will be able to set specific learning goals like mastering complex math problems or mastering the proper structure for the four-paragraph essay. The other side: Students are getting mixed messages on AI use. Until recently, using ChatGPT was banned in most schools and widely seen as cheating. Psychiatrists and pediatricians worry about use of genAI by teens or anyone else with a developing brain. Sixty-six percent of educators think generative AI will reduce students' attention spans, according to a survey of university presidents, chancellors, deans and more from the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) and Elon University's Imagining the Digital Future Center. Context: Instructure says the OpenAI integration will give teachers visibility into how students used AI on assignments, including where in the chat students demonstrated key understanding of the material. "Educators can now assess how students think, not just what they produce," Instructure says. This is key to solving educators' and parents' biggest gripe with ChatGPT — that students are using it to cheat on everything. Visibility into how students used AI (or didn't) on their assignments could also solve their biggest pain point — being falsely accused of using ChatGPT to cheat. Zoom out: OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, Perplexity and other AI companies are locked in a mindshare race. Last month, Google announced Gemini Education, a version of its AI app customized for educators and students. Perplexity has partnered with K-12 schools and some colleges and universities to offer free versions designed for educational use. The intrigue: Once users grows comfortable with a product that learns their preferences, they're unlikely to switch. As with previous tech adoption cycles like Windows vs. Mac, iPhone vs. Android or cloud providers, early choices can stick. If you've been training ChatGPT on all the details of your life for years and storing all of your data in its memory, you're unlikely to switch. Yes, but: All the interactions students have with ChatGPT or any other third-party app within Canvas are owned by the educational institution, not Canvas or OpenAI or any other third-party provider.
The Star
13-07-2025
- The Star
Learning with the right tools
I USED to see learning as chipping away at an iceberg – slow, frustrating and often draining. For a long time, I lacked the right tools – like using a plastic spoon when what I really needed was a chisel. Everything changed when the Covid-19 pandemic came along. It introduced resources that made learning easier and forced me to rethink my approach. That was just the beginning of my ongoing journey in this digital world. At the time, students the world over had to learn to use digital tools like Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams and Kahoot! for lessons. Now, they are a staple in many classrooms. Yet, I found these teacher-directed tools somewhat inflexible. I prefer resources that let me take control of my own learning. I have always believed in the power of learner-led platforms. Inspired by an app called Duolingo, I took up French and experienced its gamified approach to language learning. Its founder aimed to make learning as engaging as social media –and it delivers. The app encourages consistency with features like the daily streak system, personalised goals, and even a ranking system to spark friendly competition. And when I started slipping? Its cheeky reminders kept me surprisingly motivated. With apps that work for you, you get a lot more satisfaction and enjoyment from forging your own path. Despite the flashy appeal of online learning tools, traditional methods of learning – with teacher-student connections and well-worn workbooks – are still relevant. I especially appreciate how no other job in the world prioritises the growth of learners quite like teachers do. Their human touch and adaptability matter. Take my rough start with learning a musical instrument. I enjoy big band jazz music and had dreamt of playing the trumpet or saxophone. But when I joined my school's brass band, I was handed a trombone instead. From there, it was a bumpy road. I kept pushing the sliding mechanism out too far, risking breaking a music stand – or somebody's back. Not to mention, my first attempts sounded like an elephant letting out a shaky, warbling toot. Close to giving up, I turned to my band teacher for extra practice. She let me use her music room during lunch, offering guidance as I worked on beginner songs to build my skills. Warm-ups like scales and breathing drills kept me grounded – even during band performances later on. Her willingness to let me practise in her classroom every day showed her dedication to helping me improve. I am grateful for her support – it made all the difference. Of course, not every skill needs to be learnt this way. While tactile skills like playing an instrument or driving a car require real-world practice, many other skills can be learnt online, thanks to the Internet. Online learning expands your pool of teachers beyond the classroom. However, like many, I am often unsure whether to trust man or machine for learning. When it came to improving my Bahasa Malaysia (BM), I used to rely on Google Translate for help with grammar and sentence structure. Before ChatGPT and DeepSeek, Google Translate was one of the first widely accessible artificial intelligence (AI) tools for language learners. However, it often missed the nuances of BM, making my writing sound stiff. Context is key in language, yet AI tools – including Google Translate – still struggle with idioms and slang. It is because they can't grasp culture the way a human can. Digital-age learning now stands at a crossroads: tradition versus technology. But it is important to remember that students have diverse needs and require different tools to succeed. Because of that, teachers are already starting to use more adaptable digital tools. Apps like Anki let students revise online flashcards at their own pace, while AI-powered platforms like Khanmigo support both teachers and students in learning. Ultimately, though, no technology can replace the human desire to learn. Avinash, 15, a student in Kuala Lumpur, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to
Time Business News
11-07-2025
- Time Business News
Colegía: A Unified Educational Hub for Students, Teachers & Parents
In today's digital era, education demands platforms that unify essential academic tools. Colegia rises to meet this need bringing assignments, grades, messages, and virtual classrooms together under one roof. What Is Colegia? Colegía is an integrated digital school system that bridges the gap between students, educators, and parents through a single login portal. With one secure account, users can access Google Classroom, assignment tracking, messaging features, attendance records, and grades—streamlining daily academic interactions. Key Features Centralized Dashboard A well-designed interface grants students quick access to all classroom activities—submissions, feedback, due dates, and communications in one place. A well-designed interface grants students quick access to all classroom activities—submissions, feedback, due dates, and communications in one place. Cross-Platform Accessibility Whether through a web browser, mobile app, or third-party integrations like Clever or Microsoft 365, Colegia ensures seamless access from desktops, smartphones, or tablets. Whether through a web browser, mobile app, or third-party integrations like Clever or Microsoft 365, Colegia ensures seamless access from desktops, smartphones, or tablets. Multi-User Support Designed for diverse users, Colegia supports student/staff logins alongside parent portals, enabling guardians to view their child's academic progress, attendance, and school notifications effortlessly. Designed for diverse users, Colegia supports student/staff logins alongside parent portals, enabling guardians to view their child's academic progress, attendance, and school notifications effortlessly. Secure Privacy Standards The platform prioritizes data safety with encrypted logins and adheres to privacy regulations like FERPA and COPPA—ensuring confidentiality in educational records. How It Works Account Creation Users register with school-issued credentials (email/ColegíaID), then choose their role—student, teacher, or parent. Connecting to School Systems Colegia links with systems like Google Classroom, MaestroSIS, and Zoom. Parents often use a unique code to link their account to their child's profile. Using the Dashboard From a unified dashboard, students view upcoming homework and message teachers; educators post assignments and monitor student metrics; parents receive updates, see attendance, and stay connected. App Integration The mobile app allows users to manage daily tasks on the go—receive alerts, track grades, manage lunch balances, and read school-wide announcements. Benefits Efficiency & Convenience : Multiple tools combined in one platform reduce confusion and increase productivity. : Multiple tools combined in one platform reduce confusion and increase productivity. Enhanced Communication : A built-in messaging system ensures smooth interaction between educators and learners. : A built-in messaging system ensures smooth interaction between educators and learners. Parental Insight : Parents remain informed in real time about academic performance, fostering support at home. : Parents remain informed in real time about academic performance, fostering support at home. Flexibility: Third-party integrations and mobile access make it versatile for different learning environments. Future Enhancements Colegía consistently introduces updates—enhancing UI, adding multilingual options, boosting mobile reliability, and integrating intelligent features like AI-powered study assistants. Conclusion Colegía offers a holistic and user-friendly digital solution that unites key academic functionalities in a secure, accessible environment. By simplifying communication, facilitating learning, and involving parents, it fosters a more connected and effective educational ecosystem. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Economic Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Google rolls out AI tools for Classroom, including NotebookLM for students
Google has introduced over 30 artificial intelligence (AI) tools for its Google Classroom, including free Gemini AI tools for educators and NotebookLM for users under 18 years of is the first time NotebookLM will be available to minors. NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and writing tool that helps you summarise and extract information across dense and complex sources, according to the company's said in a blog post that "Gemini has stricter content policies that help prevent potentially inappropriate or harmful responses for users under 18," and the same will apply to NotebookLM when it's released for younger company is expanding capabilities for educators with a paid Google Workspace with the Gemini add-on. Teachers can now create eight-second videos with sound effects using Veo 3 in Google addition, Gemini in Google Forms can help teachers make assessments and surveys more quickly. It can even generate a form based on a Doc or PDF and use Gemini to summarise form those using the Education Plus Edition, Gemini audio lessons will also be available as an this, teachers can choose class materials and instantly make an interactive study guide and podcast-style Audio Overviews for students. These are based only on the materials teachers can create Gems, which are customised versions of Gemini, for students to talk to. After choosing resources from Classroom, they can make AI 'experts' to support students who need extra help or want to explore topics more addition to this, a new analytics tab will help teachers track student progress, see how they're doing on assignments, and view their improvement over Class Tools feature, announced earlier this year, is now live. It lets teachers manage their students' Chromebooks during lessons through actions including sharing content to their screens and minimising distractions. Teachers can also push a workbook, quiz, video, or presentation straight to students' screens by connecting to their accounts.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- The Hindu
Google rolls out AI tools including NotebookLM for students
Google is enabling access to over 30 AI tools, including NotebookLM, to users under 18 years of age as a part of Google Classroom. Teachers with a Google Workspace account will have a Gemini tab with tools so they can discuss lesson plans, create math problems and write emails. A separate Analytics tab will help teachers track student performance and assignments while showing improvement between them. Subscribers with Education Plus Edition accounts will also be able to access add-ons like Gemini audio lessons. The NotebookLM tool will be made available within the 'coming months,' Google has said so students can generate podcasts on their study material and use interactive study guides. Teachers can build their own custom Gems, mini custom Gemini agents to help students with certain topics. Other tools include Google Vids for generative AI video creation, Google's Class Tools and a new Gemini 'help me create a form' feature will be coming soon to the Google Classroom suite. 'With just a few clicks, educators can create instructional videos that make difficult concepts more digestible. Students can also get creative with Vids and produce their own video book reports and assignments. Vids is integrated with the tools you use every day — like Drive and Classroom — so it's readily accessible,' a blog posted by Google said. The Class Tools feature allows teachers to manage student Chromebooks by sharing videos or other content with them directly.
