The Google for Education Community Platform

🚨 Big News Shaking Up the Industry! Say Goodbye to Traditional Image Editing as "Google Pics" Brings Pro-Level AI to Google Workspace! 🎨✨

Hello everyone! Today, I have some truly "exciting" news to share! Anyone who struggles with finding illustrations, creating slides, or editing photos needs to hear this right now. Google has just launched a new feature called "Google Pics" that will revolutionize image creation and editing with pro-level AI—made super easy. Plus, you can use it directly within your everyday Google Workspace workflow!

What is Google Pics and Why is it Awesome? 🤩 Imagine just typing a text prompt telling the AI what kind of image you want, and Google's best AI image model conjures it up instantly. Or, if you already have a photo, simply import it from your computer, Google Drive, or Google Photos to edit it further with AI. The coolest part is that it comes packed with advanced AI tools, such as:

• Create or refine images with text: Pics offers a variety of image options to ensure you always get the perfect shot.

• Precise, pinpoint editing: Just hover and select specific parts of an image for highly accurate, localized edits.

• Manage text within images: You can edit, format, or even "translate" individual text elements right inside the picture!

• Crop and upscale images: Crop your images for the web, social media, or digital print. 

• Seamless integration in your current apps: Working on Google Docs or Slides? With a single click on an image, you can edit it using Pics' AI tool suite without ever switching apps or tabs!

• Collaboration and version history: The system saves your edit history, so you can always revert to a previous version to undo changes. You can also invite teammates to collaborate or share images via a link, just like other Workspace apps.

💡 Transforming Education: How Can Students and Teachers Apply This? Of course, this feature is available for the education sector through the Google AI Pro for Education add-on. Let's see how it can make classrooms more fun and save a ton of time!

🎓 For Students: Unlock Imagination and Ace Your Reports

• No more struggling to find the right image: When making presentations on Slides, students can simply type a prompt to generate AI images that perfectly match their report's content.

• Group work is more fun: With features supporting real-time collaboration and link sharing, group members can jump in to help edit and tweak project images together.

👩‍🏫 For Teachers: Pro-Level Teaching Materials to Wow the Class

• Make learning materials visually engaging: Teachers can create fresh illustrations or upscale older visuals to 2K or 4K, making presentations beautiful and captivating on the big screen.

• Instant translation on teaching materials: This is a game-changer! If a teacher has a diagram or infographic in a foreign language, they can use the feature to translate the text directly on the image, helping students understand instantly without having to redesign the graphic.

• Faster lesson prep: Teachers can click on images in Google Docs or Slides and use Google Pics' tools to tweak their materials right there, no extra tabs needed.

Bottom Line 🚀 I can confidently say that "Google Pics" will become an essential assistant, making both learning and teaching much more vibrant and seamless! Having pro-level AI at your fingertips and being able to edit images straight from Google Drive with a single click really opens up endless ideas and saves a massive amount of time.

What about you? How do you plan to use Google Pics? Drop a comment and share your ideas below! 👇

Hey everyone! Below are the 10 new Gemini Gems that I added to my EduGems website - https://www.edugems.ai/ - during the month of September (bringing the current total to 160 Gems in all):

• ✅ Check for Understanding Generator - Design formative assessment checks before, during, or after instruction to gauge the level of your learners' understanding
• 🎯 Educator SMART Goals - Help educators create professional, instructionally impactful, SMART goals and ready-to-use companion files for themselves
• ❓ Jeopardy Game (updated) - Generate an interactive, playable Jeopardy-style review game for any topic and grade level
• 🤝 Kagan Strategy Planner - Transform any lesson, topic, or learning target into an active, collaborative experience using structured Kagan Cooperative Learning strategies
• 🔠 Multiple Perspectives - Help students explore diverse viewpoints by speaking with a dynamic panel of 5 tailored stakeholders and then synthesizing their own understanding
• 📝 OST ELA Generators - Generate practice items and text-based writing prompts that mirror the Ohio’s State Tests (OST) for Grades 3 through HS ELA II
• ❓ Quiz Me - Help students master academic concepts for any topic with an encouraging, patient, and adaptive personal quiz tutor
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Simple Terms for Parents - Translate policies, guidelines, test results, curriculum concepts & more into clear, engaging, and parent-friendly communications
• 🤷 When Will I Use This? - Answer the question of "When will I EVER use this?" by connecting your lessons to real-world scenarios and classroom-ready tasks
• ⚖️ Would You Rather? - Design high-impact, standard-aligned "Would You Rather?" learning activities for any grade level and subject area

Feel free to share with others and please consider submitting your own Gems to the site.

Also, Google has announced that Gems will be transitioning to Skills. Over the next few months I will be converting all of the EduGems on the site to Skills. Everyone will continue to be able to use all of the prompts on this site as Gems (through this school year), as Skills (going forward), and always as copyable prompts that can be used anywhere. I will also continue to add many more prompts to the site.

Take care!

Eric

This past July 20th, my team and I were honored by the Computer Center at Mahasarakham University to share our knowledge on a topic I believe is incredibly relevant in today's working world: "Connecting AI, Apps Script, and Google Workspace."

The atmosphere at the workshop that day was filled with enthusiasm from the 40-plus attendees who dedicated their time to learn and get hands-on experience in room B414. Our goal was clear: to demonstrate how to integrate the power of AI with familiar tools like Google Sheets, Docs, and Gmail, using Apps Script as the essential bridge.

I was impressed to see staff from various departments show such keen interest and ask excellent questions throughout the session. We workshopped everything from calling AI via an API to building simple workflow automations that help reduce repetitive daily tasks, such as generating summary reports or managing data automatically.

As someone who works in technology, I’ve always believed that the best tools are the ones that are actually put to use. Seeing the look in the attendees' eyes as they understood and could envision how to apply this knowledge to their own work was a great joy and the biggest encouragement for our instructor team.

Finally, I must thank the Computer Center at Mahasarakham University for giving us the opportunity to be part of enhancing the digital skills of their personnel. I also want to thank all the attendees for their wonderful energy throughout the day. I hope the knowledge you gained will be a starting point for creating innovation and sustainably improving your work efficiency.

The era of spending days coding executive dashboards or relying on complex, expensive software is over. Today, we can use a smart assistant like Gemini to design and write HTML code for an interactive dashboard that fetches data from Google Sheets in real-time, complete with a data update button. Plus, it can be shared as a link for immediate team use.

Let's look at how to magically create an executive dashboard in just 4 simple steps:

1. Access the Gemini App Getting started is easy. Simply open your browser and go to gemini.google.com (make sure you are logged in with your Google account). Have your ideas or the analytical goals of your desired dashboard ready in your mind.

2. Enter a Masterful Prompt The key is to write a prompt that covers both the "requirement context" and the "technical outcome." You can copy and adapt the prompt below:

Prompt Example: "Please design an Interactive Dashboard showing the results of implementing the Canvas Feature in our workflow, aimed at executives/program heads. Analytical goals: track trends, compare faculties/departments, and identify areas for improvement. Please propose:

• 4 key KPIs

• 4 suitable types of charts

• 3 filters

• Expected insights

What I need: HTML code along with CSS/JS that can connect data between Google Sheets and the dashboard in real-time (fetching data via a Published CSV). Also, please include an 'Update Data' button on the dashboard interface."

Once you submit the prompt, Gemini will analyze your needs and immediately draft a structure for you. It will provide the complete HTML code, embedding charting libraries and scripts to fetch data from Google Sheets perfectly. Sample Data: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-xxhMU2eX9ioQBst6nhZobttoeae6Lx4j5RAZ1XbjnM/copy

3. Review and Refine with Follow-up Prompts The first version of the code might not be 100% perfect, or you might want to tweak the design further. This is the main advantage of using AI; you can ask for revisions just like talking to your own personal programmer. For example:

• "Please change the color of the faculty comparison bar chart to a light-blue and dark-blue tone."

• "I want the 'Update Data' button to have a refresh icon and be moved to the top right corner."

• "The provided code doesn't load the Google Sheets data. Please check the data fetching section (Fetch API) for me."

Gemini will modify and update the code for you until you are satisfied with the interface and functionality.

4. Test and Share as a Link for Others to Use Once you have refined it to a satisfactory result, there's no need to go through the hassle of hosting the code on a web server because you can share it directly from the Gemini window.

• Set up Google Sheets: Put your data into Google Sheets, then go to File > Share > Publish to web. Choose CSV and give the resulting link to Gemini to update the HTML code.

• Create a share link from Gemini: On the Gemini chat screen, click the "Share & export" button below the response and select "Share" (to create a public link).

• Send to executives: Copy the generated URL and send it to your executives or team members. They can click it to view the dashboard in action and see the code running directly on the web page.

Using Gemini not only cuts down the working time from days to just a few minutes, but it also professionally guides your ideas in selecting the right KPIs and charts suited for an executive's perspective. Give this method a try and apply it to your data tasks!

🚀 ¡La generación de música con IA acaba de subir de nivel! Google anunció la llegada de Lyria 3.5 a Gemini y su API.

🎶 Esta actualización trae voces mucho más expresivas y arreglos musicales de mayor fidelidad.

Ya sea para explorar nuevos géneros (desde electrónica hasta ritmos regionales), integrarlo en aplicaciones web o potenciar proyectos de tecnología educativa (ámbito en el que me desenvuelvo), las nuevas opciones de personalización abren muchísimas posibilidades.

Ahora podemos:

✅ Elegir estilos vocales o instrumentales.

✅ Usar plantillas para agilizar el proceso creativo.

✅ Ajustar la duración exacta de nuestras pistas. Disponible ya en la app, y para desarrolladores en Google AI Studio. ¿Listos para probarlo? 🤖🎧

🔗 Conoce más sobre la actualización aquí https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/products/gemini-app/better-tracks-lyria-gemini

#InteligenciaArtificial  #Gemini  #Lyria  #EdTech  #DesarrolloWeb  #Innovación 

I have a principal that wants teachers to use the "listen to tab" feature that is in Google Docs.  It should be under Insert>Audio>Listen to Tab.  I believe I've enabled everything in the Google Admin console, but I am wondering if it's not covered in the Google Workspace for Education Plus accounts.  I struggle to understand what's included in which plans.  I'm assuming this feature is only available with the AI Pro for Education accounts?  Can anyone confirm?

https://support.google.com/docs/answer/16386234?hl=en_ZA

Hello everyone,

I teach technology classes to upper elementary students. My primary focus with this age group is on establishing a solid foundation for computational thinking. We do a fair amount of offline work before they dive into working with code blocks, and our projects generally do not extend beyond 3-4 weeks (2 sessions/week). AI is definitely a powerful coding partner for professionals, and I do address that with students as a mini lesson on AI literacy; however, my students are still developing their foundational problem-solving and algorithmic thinking, so I don't see AI as having any direct role within my computer science curriculum. I'm curious about a few things, though:

1. Am I completely wrong? Is there a valid role that AI could play when coding with 3rd-5th-grade students?

2. At what grade level or level of coding skill mastery should AI-assisted coding tools be introduced?

3. What guardrails could be put into place to ensure that AI is not getting in the way of students' understanding of coding concepts?

4. What about vibe coding? I could actually see the use of this that isn't necessarily tied to the coding unit. There is a lot of critical thinking and problem solving that goes into creating and refining something via Gemini Canvas. I'd still be hesitant with my youngest students because of how they perceive the role of AI; however, there could be some merit in using this process with my oldest group.

I'd love to hear insights, classroom guidelines, or lesson experiences as I think through my coding curriculum (and beyond).

We’ve all felt that sinking feeling when a student turns in an assignment that sounds more like a corporate press release than their own wonderfully unique voice. With generative AI so accessible, the standard "assign a report, grade the final product" loop is feeling a lot of friction lately.

But here’s the good news: we don't need to put our younger students in front of chatbots to teach digital literacy.

Instead, we can use Gemini behind the scenes as our personal design partner to build robust, offline, tactile learning experiences that are "AI-proof."

To help us tackle this together, we’ve just launched a brand-new K-12 Active Learning Blog Series right here in the community!

We’ve mapped out five hands-on challenges designed to help you save prep time and elevate student thinking. Each post pairs a bite-sized Google AI Educator Series (GES) module with a world-renowned Harvard Project Zero Visible Thinking Routine:

• Challenge #1: 🛡️ Outsmarting the Copy-Paste: How to Design AI-Resistant Assessments (Focus: Process-based grading and student-draft portfolios)

• Challenge #2: 🔍 Fact vs. Fiction: Generating Tactile Information Literacy Lessons (Focus: Generating physical claim-sorting cards for hands-on evaluation)

• Challenge #3: 📚 Behind-the-Scenes Differentiation: Fast Scaffolding with Gemini (Focus: Adapting reading passages and building vocabulary keys in minutes)

• Challenge #4: 💻 Coding Without Code: Designing Custom Classroom Simulators (Focus: "Vibe coding" custom interactive math and science widgets in plain English)

• Challenge #5: 🎨 Visual Metaphors: Grounding Abstract K-5 Concepts with Gemini (Focus: Rendering abstract concepts like gravity or empathy into touchable graphics)

How to Join the Challenge:

1. Read the Blog Posts: Click any of the links above to jump straight to our newly published challenges.

2. Try the Gemini Prompts: Copy our pre-built prompt templates to instantly generate your next lesson's materials.

3. Share & Reflect: Scroll to the comments at the bottom of the blog posts and share your takeaways using the "I Used to Think... Now I Think..." routine!

Let's move from policing AI to leveraging it through great pedagogy.

Which challenge are you going to try first? Drop a comment below, and don't forget to explore the full Google AI Educator Series Catalog to start earning your micro-credentials!

Hi, 

Ive been using vibe coding in canvas to create custom apps for my elementary students. I’ve had Gemini produce the raw code for me to copy and paste into codeAI app lab. Does anyone know how to do this in Google Sites? I’m not sure we will have access to codeAI next year and my students can’t open anything that contains Gemini in the web address. Thanks! 

I've been a little frustrated recently by the possibilities that are held in the data that is held in Google Classroom, but there has been no way to be able to leverage this data. To overcome this I've built an apps script solution which allows you to pull all your classroom data on a schedule into a Google Sheet. 

Once your data is in a Google Sheet you can:

• Use the data in Google Workspace Studio Flows
• Use the data in Gemini Gems
• Use the data in NotebookLM
• Use the data that you have in a Gem or a Notebook in you flow

Using this you could for example:

• Track students who hand work in late, and pull out statistics
• Automate replies to students emails using data from classroom
• Create Class Newsletters 
• Write report card comment based on assignment data and things that have happened

This is just a fraction of what this makes possible.

As Google require anyone who uses Google Classroom data scopes to go through a very expensive validation process, I've made this as a Google Sheet that you can make a copy of, and then you can just use the sheet in your own account. You can read more about what's possible at: https://www.zipsolutions.org/classstudiosync.html you can access the sheet and make a copy at https://bit.ly/class-sync 

I'd love to know how you use this, and if you find it useful, are there other features that you would like it to have?

Hey all, I recently completed this series of 9 short tutorials about Gemini.  These were made for the Google for Education team in ANZ, and I hope you find them useful.

You can find them in a YouTube Playlist here - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-m80M_9t53I78Dd-Se8l2cd6moF-3YF_

Some points to note:

• These were all made with help from Gemini. Gemini helped me gather ideas for what to include, and to help create the overall structure and flow.  I also used Gemini Canvas to help brainstorm the scripts. Canvas it great for this because you can directly edit Gemini's out put to ensure it still remains some what human.
• The presenters are all AI avatars made with Veo 3.1.  I think the new 3.1 model does a great job, especially with the overall lip-sync of the avatars to the script.  There are some really minor glitches if you pay close attention, but for the most part the AI avatars are very good.
• The whole series was recorded and edited in Google Vids. I was constantly surprised at just how flexible Vids can be if you dig in and explore what it can do.
• Hope you enjoy the videos.  They are all less than 2 minutes long, which should make them good to share with your colleagues, many of whom I'm sure won't watch tutorials if they are much longer than 2 minutes!