🎧 I turned a textbook chapter into a fun podcast

🎧 Subscribe to “The Digital Learning Podcast”

Did you know I have a podcast?

I’m the co-host of The Digital Learning Podcast with Holly Clark! We just published our 50th episode.

When does it publish? Weekly

How long is it? About 30 minutes per episode

The latest episode: We’re hearing more and more teachers that are throwing out classroom technology. But is technology really the culprit here? We dissect the situation and identify some causes — and paths forward.

🎧 SUBSCRIBE: Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.

💡 THE BIG IDEA 💡

📓 Meet Google’s NotebookLM: 10 things to know for educators

So, I’m still sort of reeling from this podcast that Google’s NotebookLM made from an anatomy textbook.

Reeling so much that I forgot to tell you more about NotebookLM!

ℹ️ Here are some of the NotebookLM basics from our new NotebookLM post …

• It calls itself “your personalized AI research assistant”

• You upload sources (PDF files, copied text, Google Docs … lots of stuff)

• It reads and then analyzes your sources, becoming an instant expert on them

• You can ask it questions and make requests based on the sources

You create a “notebook,” which includes the source material you upload. The notebook also includes resources you create based on your sources.

📓 When you click the “Notebook Guide” at the bottom, with one click you can make new resources based on the source material you uploaded.

• Study guides (with short answer questions and vocabulary)

• Frequently asked questions

• A table of contents

• A timeline (to sequence by time/date)

• A briefing document (main theme, important ideas, conclusion)

💡 Another favorite idea for using it — as a collaborative lesson planning space for departments or grade levels.

• Create a notebook for a chapter or unit you're teaching

• Upload sources you'll need to it

• Share it with colleagues

• Create teaching/learning resources that any of your colleagues can access

• Type and create notes -- and edit resources created by NotebookLM -- to co-create plans

READ MORE: We share lots of details about NotebookLM and 10 things about it for educators in our new post: “Meet Google NotebookLM: 10 things to know for educators”

🎯 QUICK TEACHING STRATEGY 🎯

💬 Adding “because” helps people agree with you

I love Jonah Berger’s books.

He’s a professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is known for his expertise in social influence.

This book, Magic Words, identifies words we can use that help us communicate more effectively — and persuasively.

Here’s a quick bit of his wisdom:

Add the word “because” to a request and people will agree to it more often.

Example: In a research study, researchers asked to skip ahead of a line for the photocopy machine. They used two requests:

• “Excuse me. I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”

• “Excuse me. I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?”

Notice that being in a rush is a poor excuse. (Everyone is in a rush.)

Adding the phrase “because I’m in a rush,” Berger notes, boosted the number of people who let the researcher skip the line by over 50 percent.

Want a better chance that someone will follow through on your request? Include a “because” … even if it isn’t a very good one.

👋 How we can help

There are even more ways I can support you in the important work you do in education:

1. Read one of my six books about meaningful teaching with tech.

2. Take one of our online courses about practical and popular topics in education.

3. Bring me to your school, district or event to speak. I love working with educators!