Technology and Scienceupdated 1h ago3 min read
Archive photo · 5 March 2021Google Builds Guided Learning Into Google Search and Classroom, With Administrator Controls
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Guided learning expands in Classroom; a Search pilot will roll out in select US schools. Explicit activation required for students to access Gemini, NotebookLM, Classroom, and Search.
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Guided Learning expands
Google said it is building Guided Learning capabilities into Google Search for student accounts and into Google Classroom, positioning the feature as an interactive study tool that coaches students through problem solving with open-ended questions and step-by-step breakdowns. Google said Guided Learning in Gemini acts as an interactive study tool that coaches students through the process of problem solving through open-ended questions and step-by-step breakdowns, and it described the approach as supporting “productive struggle.” Google said it is starting with a pilot in select U.S. schools later this month to gather and incorporate educator feedback before expanding to other school districts in the coming months.
Google said Guided Learning is globally available in Google Classroom starting today, and it described the activity as acting like a 1-1 study tool anchored in class material to help students stay on task. Google said it is updating its approach to controls for Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Gemini in Classroom, and Google Search, with access for K-12 student accounts off until school administrators explicitly turn it on.
Search access tied to AI
Google told The New York Times that “Search and A.I. are deeply integrated,” and it said schools that block A.I. entirely will lose student access to Google search. Chris Phillips, vice president for education at Google, said students “will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available.” TechCrunch said Google plans to disable AI tools for K-12 school students next year unless school administrators explicitly turn them on, and it said the changes will affect Gemini, NotebookLM, Gemini in Classroom and Google Search.
Google said the company will share more specifics with schools in the coming months ahead of the changes rolling out so they have time to prepare and enable a smooth transition. Google said the Guided Learning launch is designed to help users build a deep understanding instead of just getting answers, and it framed the move as coming amid concerns that AI chatbots undermine the learning process because they spit out direct answers.
Parents, research, and policy
The National Parents Union survey reported that 77% of parents said they want K-12 public schools teaching students ways to use AI tools effectively, and it reported that 85% support schools teaching students about AI safety.
Keri Rodrigues said, “We can’t just sit on our hands and say ‘Oh gosh, we’re going to pretend this stuff doesn’t exist,’” and she argued that AI literacy should start before putting students in front of a screen.
Patrick O’Neill said in an audit that “There is a hunger for this evidence which is driving people to publish quickly and overstate the solutions,” and he said high-quality, smaller-scale studies are only now beginning to generate results.
Justin Reich said during a webinar, “There’s demand for these studies. There’s huge incentives to do them,” and he added that there’s “maybe not enough expertise in review communities to be able to evaluate them.”
Utah’s State Board of Education created an Artificial Intelligence Student Task Force after roughly a year of work by students and educators, and Rahul Nair said, “We want to have a seat at the table,” as the group provides input on AI discussions, potential policies and student-led activities.