Using NotebookLM as a Study Partner

A hands-on workshop introducing adult learners to Google NotebookLM as a personalised AI study partner - uploading their own materials, generating summaries, extracting key concepts, and creating practice questions for independent and self-directed learning.

DigCompEdu Competence Area(s)

Digital resources, Teaching & learning, Empowering learners, Facilitating learners’ digital competence

Time

Preparation time 30 minutes

Implementation time 90 minutes

Educator Progression Level

Explorer

Target groups

Adult learners Group size: 10-15 B1-C1 language level Study Skills & Academic Support

Minimum student digital skill level

Basic

Minimum student language level

🎓 Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, educators will be equipped to teach learners how to:

Set up a NotebookLM notebook and upload personal study materials (PDFs, Google Docs, web links).
Use NotebookLM to summarise complex texts and extract key concepts and vocabulary.
Generate practice questions and engage in AI-powered dialogue to deepen understanding of study topics.
Critically evaluate AI-generated summaries and verify information against original sources

Ingredients

Item / Resource	Quantity	Purpose
Sample Study Materials	1 set per participant	Short articles, textbook excerpts, or news reports (PDFs, Google Docs, web links) on a relevant topic
“NotebookLM Navigator” Prompt Guide	1 per participant	Tested prompts for summarising, questioning, and discussing with NotebookLM
NotebookLM Access (Google account required)	1 per participant	Core AI study tool – free via notebooklm.google
Device with internet access	1 per participant	To access NotebookLM and upload materials

Utensils

Laptops, tablets, or computers with internet access (smartphones not recommended for this activity)
Google accounts for all participants (required for NotebookLM access)
Projector or shared screen for demonstrations
Printed or digital “NotebookLM Navigator” Prompt Guide

🥣 Preparation – Before Implementation

Select 3-4 Sample Study Materials appropriate to the group’s level and interests: short articles (300-500 words), a textbook excerpt, or a news report. Ensure all materials are publicly available or copyright-cleared.
Prepare the “NotebookLM Navigator” Prompt Guide with tested prompts for: summarising sections, explaining vocabulary, generating practice questions, and engaging in topic dialogue.
Create a demo NotebookLM notebook in advance with the sample materials pre-loaded, so you can demonstrate features without setup delays.
Ensure all participants have active Google accounts. If some do not, prepare a plan (e.g. shared demo account or pairing with a participant who has one).
Test NotebookLM’s summarisation and question-generation features with the chosen materials to anticipate any limitations or unexpected outputs.

🔥 Implementation Steps

Part 1: Setting Up NotebookLM (15 minutes)

(5 min) Introduction: What is NotebookLM? Explain that it is a personalised AI study tool that works only with the materials you upload – unlike general AI chatbots, it stays grounded in your own sources.
(10 min) Guided setup: Learners open NotebookLM, create their own new notebook, and upload 1-2 of the provided Sample Study Materials. Provide support for any technical issues.

Part 2: Understanding and Summarising with NotebookLM (45 minutes)

(10 min) Introduction – Decoding Complex Texts: Discuss the challenge of understanding long or complex texts in a new language. Introduce NotebookLM’s summarisation and explanation features.
(15 min) Demo – Summarisation & Key Concepts: Demonstrate selecting a complex paragraph and asking NotebookLM to “Summarise this paragraph in 3 sentences” or “Explain the main idea of this section.” Show how to extract key terms and definitions.
(20 min) Guided practice – Extracting Knowledge: Learners work with one of their uploaded sources and use NotebookLM to: (a) summarise a specific section; (b) ask NotebookLM to explain 2-3 unfamiliar words or concepts; (c) generate a list of 5 key takeaways from the entire document.

Part 3: Interactive Learning and Assessment Prep (30 minutes)

(10 min) Introduction – Active Learning: Discuss the benefits of active recall and self-testing for effective learning. Introduce NotebookLM’s ability to generate questions and engage in dialogue.
(15 min) Demo – Quiz & Discussion: Demonstrate asking NotebookLM to “Generate 5 multiple-choice questions about [topic] from this source” or “Act as a tutor and discuss the implications of [concept] with me.”
(20 min) Guided practice – Test Your Knowledge: Learners use NotebookLM to: (a) generate 3-5 practice questions based on their study materials; (b) attempt to answer the questions and use NotebookLM to check answers or provide further explanations; (c) engage in a short conversational exchange about a challenging concept from their sources.

🧂 Differentiation & Inclusion

For lower digital literacy: Provide pre-loaded notebooks with sources already uploaded. Focus on basic summarisation and asking simple questions. Pair with more digitally confident learners.
For lower language levels (B1): Use simpler study materials. Focus on single-sentence summaries and vocabulary explanations. Encourage using NotebookLM’s conversational features for basic language practice.
For higher language levels (B1+): Encourage critical evaluation of NotebookLM’s summaries and explanations. Challenge learners to use NotebookLM to synthesise information across multiple sources or prepare for complex debates and presentations.
For learners preparing for formal qualifications: Use NotebookLM with past exam papers or official study guides as uploaded sources.

🍴 Assessment & Feedback

Criterion	Excellent	Good	Needs Work
NotebookLM setup and navigation	Independently creates a notebook, uploads materials, and navigates all key features	Sets up notebook with minor support; navigates most features	Requires significant support to set up or navigate NotebookLM
Summarisation and key concept extraction	Generates accurate summaries and clearly identifies 5 key takeaways from the source	Generates mostly accurate summaries with minor gaps	Struggles to generate useful summaries or identify key concepts
Practice question generation and self-testing	Generates relevant questions, attempts answers, and uses NotebookLM feedback effectively	Generates questions and attempts answers with some guidance	Struggles to generate questions or engage with AI feedback
Critical evaluation of AI output	Clearly identifies where NotebookLM is accurate and where verification is needed	Shows some awareness of AI limitations with prompting	Accepts all AI output without critical evaluation

⚠️ Ethics, Privacy & Safeguarding

Data privacy: While NotebookLM is a Google product, learners should still be cautious about uploading highly sensitive personal or confidential information. Use anonymised or publicly available documents for practice.
AI limitations: NotebookLM is a tool to aid understanding, not a replacement for critical thinking or human instruction. It can sometimes misinterpret context or provide incomplete information.
Information verification: Reinforce the importance of cross-referencing information from NotebookLM with original sources and other reliable resources, especially for critical facts.
Google account data: Remind learners that materials uploaded to NotebookLM are processed by Google. Review Google’s privacy policy and terms of service with the group.

🍱 Extensions / Follow‑Ups

Research Project Assistant: Learners use NotebookLM to organise sources and generate research questions for a small project.
Vocabulary Builder: Learners use NotebookLM to create flashcards or vocabulary lists from their study materials.
Presentation Outline Generator: Learners upload presentation sources and ask NotebookLM to help structure an outline.
Audio Overview: Use NotebookLM’s “Audio Overview” feature to generate a podcast-style summary of uploaded materials for listening practice.

🔗 Cross‑Subject Link

References & Resources

NotebookLM: https://notebooklm.google — Access to the tool and official guides

Google Workspace Learning Center: https://support.google.com/a/users/answer/13931109 — Resources and tutorials for NotebookLM

Project Gutenberg (public domain texts): https://www.gutenberg.org — Free study materials

Wikipedia (for practice uploads): https://www.wikipedia.org — Publicly available reference content