27 May 2025
13:00–14:30
This presentation explores the innovative use of AI tools, specifically Google NotebookLM, for instructors and its application in flipping a course in professional communication. This semester, I have been experimenting with Notebook LM, focusing on the use of podcasts as a tool to engage students.
By listening to course-related podcasts, students are encouraged to reflect on the material, strengthening their ability to analyze and synthesize ideas—skills that are crucial for effective communication. This is paired with student reflections on the material that resonated most with them, fostering a deeper personal connection to the course content. Following this, hands-on workshops are held to implement these skills in the classroom.
Through assignments that encourage deeper engagement with the material, the approach promotes an internalized understanding of what resonates with students, fostering self-expression and confidence. The presentation will highlight how NotebookLM can be a valuable assistant to instructors by generating podcasts for students to listen to and reflect on, allowing them to actively engage with the content. Moreover, the presentation will also address known limitations of NotebookLM, such as its occasional insertion of evaluative or filler content, and discuss strategies to mitigate this.
Attendees will take away practical ideas on how to utilize NotebookLM tools ethically and effectively to:
- engage students in listening and reflecting on the course material,
- foster active listening and critical engagement rather than a purely instrumental view of reading, and
- mitigate common AI limitations while maintaining pedagogical integrity.