In 2024, educators from all over the world continued to bring their enthusiasm, commitment, and inventiveness to the classroom. At the same time, education institutions focused on solutions for learning gaps, educator wellbeing and retention, and the integration of AI.
Based on feedback from millions of educators and students, Google for Education released more than 65 updates to our products in 2024 to assist. Here are six important ways we will support education organizations with new technology solutions in 2024. These include taking a learning-first approach to AI that is based on pedagogical principles and providing the most requested features for teaching and learning.
1. Trainings in generational AI for educators
Students, and leaders To help educators make the most of generative AI confidently, safely and responsibly, we announced programs like Generative AI for Educators and Gemini Academy. For students, we partnered with expert groups — including Connect Safely, the Family Online Safety Institute and the Raspberry Pi Foundation — to design AI literacy content and in-school programs, like Experience AI, that help educators teach students how to use AI responsibly. Find all our generative AI resources and trainings in one place on Education Navigator.
2. AI-powered assistance for every educator and student
Educators and students around the world are now using the Gemini app free of charge to brainstorm ideas, summarize documents, learn confidently with in-the-moment assistance and prepare for an AI-driven future. Taking a responsible approach with new technologies like generative AI, we built a unique Gemini experience for teens, which institutions like Miami-Dade County Public Schools have enabled for 100,000 of their students.
Gemini, according to Common Sense Media, is “the only major platform to create a specific experience for teens, includes additional CSAM (child sexual abuse material) safeguards, content policies, and in-product experiences that help teens understand the limitations of generative AI,” as well as “the only major platform to create a specific experience for teens.” Additionally, Gemini for Google Workspace permits users to converse with our most advanced models via Gemini Advanced. Gemini is also integrated across popular apps like Docs, Gmail and Classroom to help summarize, analyze and generate content.
We introduced Chromebook Plus, a new line of laptops with touchscreen convertibles and styluses and twice as much performance, memory, and storage as previous models. Users over the age of 18 can take advantage of built-in AI capabilities powered by Gemini to boost creativity and productivity. And in the coming weeks, Gemini LTI will bring the power of Gemini to learning management systems (LMS) — starting with Canvas by Instructure and PowerSchool Schoology Learning — providing AI-driven tools for educators and students that are accessible within their LMS environment.
3. Learning science in action
Google for Education has always collaborated with experts and researchers on product development. For instance, this year we introduced LearnLM, our family of learning-focused models based on educational research. Gemini in Classroom and other generative AI experiences are powered by LearnLM, which provides educators with adaptive texts and engaging lesson hooks that encourage students’ curiosity and critical thinking. In August, we celebrated 10 years of Google Classroom, launching more than 800 updates over the last decade — and personal learning tools were at the forefront, like Read Along in Classroom.
4. Multimedia tools for teaching and learning
As we developed new tools to help engage students, we listened to educators — and found that video was a clear winner. Google Vids is a new collaborative video creation app in Google Workspace that makes it easy for students and educators to create engaging videos, from instructional content to group projects.
In addition, the Recorder app and Screencast, two built-in Chromebook features that got new editing tools this year, offer more ways to make recordings, supplemental learning content, and get creative. NotebookLM was also used by millions of people, both inside and outside of education, to ask questions and make audio overviews of their documents. 5. Admin controls and additional device options Chromebooks offer schools a 229 percent return on investment and are the most popular device in K-12 education worldwide. We’ve rolled out several AI-powered admin tools to control and secure devices at scale, and introduced the centralized Device Hub for even easier device management.
In addition, we introduced more than 15 Chromebooks to meet the requirements of institutions. Chromebooks with the Chrome Education Upgrade are now available to schools in Asia and Latin America to make device management simpler and safer. Chromebooks now come with free, expanded accessibility tools like voice dictation, natural-sounding text to speech, and read aloud in Reading mode. Looking toward 2025 Want to dive deeper into all of Google for Education’s new product and feature releases this past year? Learn more in our 2024 Year in Review guide. Check out my video at the top of this blog for a sneak peek of what we’re working on in 2025.
