If you’ve ever wished your students would actually reread the materials before an exam—or at least do it in a way that helps them retain something beyond the next quiz? NotebookLM might be your new favorite tool.
Available right within your Canvas course site, NotebookLM lets you create “notebooks” of course materials (e.g., readings, slides, lecture notes, whatever you like) that students can then explore with the help of AI. Think of it as a study buddy that doesn’t judge their procrastination habits. Students can ask questions, summarize complex sections, or generate study guides based on your curated materials.
Dr. Zhongmei Yao in Computer Science has been using NotebookLM in her course since the beginning of the semester to help her students dig deeper into her lecture materials and reference documents. “The sources I add to NotebookLM are my slides, my reports and notes, and papers published in conferences and journals,” she explained. “It’s so easy to use! I showed students in class, and they liked it!”
She noted that while she doesn’t expect students to create their own notebooks, she appreciates that the tool allows flexibility for those who want to take that extra step. And she had one piece of advice for her colleagues considering trying it out: “Try it. It’s fun! You don’t need to worry about hallucinations, because the contents generated are solely based on the sources you added.”
Should You Use the Google Gemini Canvas Tool?
So why set up a notebook for your class? Because it gives students a structure for studying well. NotebookLM helps them revisit key concepts, make connections across readings, and engage with content more actively. Instead of just skimming (we all know they skim), they can interact with the material in a way that encourages genuine understanding.
When you introduce it to your students, frame it as a support tool, not a shortcut. Encourage them to:
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Ask it clarifying questions after a tough reading
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Use it to summarize themes or arguments in their own words
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Check their understanding before discussions or exams
By curating a notebook of your own materials, you’re giving students a space to think critically and study confidently without the noise of the wider internet. And, Dr. Yao puts it best: “It’s so easy to use.”
Ready to Try NotebookLM?
If you’re interested in setting up a NotebookLM for your class, simply add the Google Gemini tool to your course site and press the Create New button to begin uploading your course materials.
Or, if you’d like to talk through how this tool could fit your course goals, reach out to the Center for Online Learning; we’re happy to brainstorm ideas, help with setup, or just chat about all the ways AI can support deeper learning.
If you’d like to learn more about the Gemini integration in Canvas, you can read Google’s documentation about the Gemini LTI.
— Written by Julianne Morgan, Senior Instructional Designer at the University of Dayton (with a little input from her AI assistant!)