Google Unveils New Features for Classroom Management, Accessibility, and AI-Powered Learning at Bett Ed-Tech Event
Article by Emily Smith
At the annual Bett ed-tech conference in the UK, Google has announced a range of exciting new features for educators. These include improvements in classroom management, accessibility, and AI-powered tools for creating engaging lesson plans and questions.
AI-Powered Features for Enhanced Learning
“We believe that technology can play a critical role in enhancing the learning experience,” said a Google spokesperson. “That’s why we are constantly innovating and introducing new features to help educators and students achieve their full potential.”
Google’s AI-powered tools have already been a game-changer for teachers. In addition to allowing them to add questions to YouTube videos through Classroom assignments, the company has announced that AI will soon provide suggestions for questions at specific timestamps. This feature was first announced back in June 2023, but it was only available to a select group of educators. Now, Google is making it accessible to all.
Furthermore, the Practice sets feature, which uses AI to generate answers and general hints, is now available in over 50 languages. Educators can also now turn a Google Form into a practice set for their students.
To streamline the learning process, Google has introduced a new Resources tab in Classroom. This will help teachers manage practice sets and interactive questions that arise during a video lesson.
Additionally, the company has taken a step forward in using AI for planning lessons. Its latest generative AI tool for Google Workspace, Duet AI, can assist teachers in coming up with comprehensive lesson plans.
Efficient Class Management and Collaboration
In addition to enhancing the learning experience, Google is also making it easier for teachers to manage their classrooms and collaborate with students.
Later this year, educators will be able to create different groups within Classroom and assign different tasks to each group. This will help personalize the learning experience for students and improve collaboration among classmates.
The newly introduced speaker spotlight feature in Slides will enable teachers to create a narration for their lesson alongside the slide deck, making it more engaging and interactive for students.
Moreover, collecting signatures for approvals or contracts will be a breeze with the eSignature facility now available in Google Workspace.
The company is also updating Classroom analytics to provide educators with valuable insights such as assignment completion rates and grade trends.
Enhanced Accessibility Features
Google has always been committed to making its products accessible to all users. In its latest updates, the company has added features for enhanced accessibility and inclusivity.
Users can now easily extract text from PDFs for screen readers on ChromeOS. Additionally, with the Chrome browser, they can highlight and have text read aloud.
Google Meet, the popular video conferencing tool, is also getting new accessibility features. These include closed captions in 30 languages and the ability to pin multiple hosts.
New Chromebooks and Exciting Updates
Bett attendees were thrilled to hear that Google is exhibiting 15 new Chromebook models at the conference, which will be launched later this year. These models promise to deliver an even better learning experience for students.
Google is also rolling out updates for Chromebooks to make them even more user-friendly. Students will soon be able to view upcoming assignments directly from the home screen, helping them stay organized and on top of their work.
With its relentless efforts to improve education through technology, Google continues to enhance the learning experience for students and make teaching easier for educators.
“We are excited to see how these new features will transform the classroom experience and empower educators and students alike,” said the Google spokesperson.
