Google unveils new AI tools for Australian education sector

Google Australia has announced a range of new artificial intelligence (AI) tools and resources designed to support educators and students. At the EduTech conference in Melbourne, Bryan Lee, Vice President of ChromeOS and Education at Google, introduced several new tools that aim to enhance learning experiences in Australia. The new initiatives include Gemini in Classroom, part of the Gemini Education add-ons, and a dedicated AI skilling program named Gemini Academy.

Gemini in Classroom is an AI-powered tool that allows educators to generate engaging lesson ideas, brainstorm activities, and differentiate content for students. This tool will soon be available in Australia. Furthermore, Google is expanding the AI track of the Google for Education Pilot Program, which will unlock more capabilities this year. This initiative leans into LearnLM, Google's new family of models fine-tuned for learning and grounded in educational research.

In addition to Gemini in Classroom, Google unveiled Gemini Academy, which is designed to educate both teachers and students on how to use generative AI safely. The program aims to elevate creativity and productivity by providing AI skilling resources.

Lee remarked on the significance of these new tools, stating, "For over a decade, we've been partnering with Australian schools, academic and government institutions across the country to empower educators and prepare students for the future. We are thrilled to build on our work to support AI literacy for educators with the rollout of Gemini in Classroom and Gemini Academy."

Lee emphasised the importance of providing safe and secure access to AI tools to help educators save time, create captivating learning experiences, and inspire creativity. "We want to ensure all educators and students have safe, secure access to AI tools that can help them save time, create captivating learning experiences, inspire creativity, and learn with confidence," he said.

Google is also launching Read Along in Classroom, a new feature designed to develop students' reading skills. This tool provides real-time, AI-enabled feedback as students read aloud, making the reading experience more engaging. "Read Along in Classroom is especially designed to create an engaging reading experience for students through eye-catching illustrations and a diverse library of materials," Lee noted. The feature also offers insights into overall class performance, as well as individual students’ reading progress, including data on accuracy, speed, and comprehension.

Another part of the new suite of products makes it easier for educators and institutions to share approved curricula across schools and with other teachers. This initiative includes the added functionality of granting parents and guardians access to assigned work.

Google has also introduced new features that will be piloted soon, allowing educators to implement data-driven instruction and assessments. These features include tagging learning skills and standards to assignments, as well as classroom analytics to track student progress.