Google Education 2025 Year in Review

Written By Tom Daccord

Google Education has released a 2025 Year in Review highlighting a significant expansion of AI tools to support both educators and students, with a focus on efficiency.

The heart of the expansion is the free Gemini for Education, a premium AI model built on Gemini 3 Pro, available globally with enterprise-grade data protection. It has been integrated into over 1,000 U.S. higher-ed institutions and is helping educators “save significant time.”

Key features for teaching and learning include:

  • Gemini in Classroom: Provides educators with over 30 AI-powered tools for faster resource creation, including drafting curriculum and rubrics.

  • NotebookLM: This research tool offers new learning-focused features like Mind Maps, Video Overviews, Flashcards, and Study Guides that are grounded in uploaded class materials.

  • Gemini Canvas: Students and educators can use the canvas to generate Flashcards, Study guides, Interactive quizzes, and a custom, illustrated Storybook.

  • Guided Learning: This feature offers a personalized learning experience with step-by-step explanations, helping students understand how to get the answer, not just providing it.

  • Google Vids: Now available to all Workspace for Education customers, Vids offers limited-time generative AI features for fast video creation, including using AI avatars and converting Slides presentations to video.

The review also emphasizes AI literacy with training resources, free Gemini Certifications for educators, and new curricula like the "Be Internet Awesome AI Literacy Guide" for younger students. The overall launch included more than 150 new features and updates.

Tom’s Take: Google has been aggressively flooding the edtech market with AI tools, yet few have generated much excitement beyond NotebookLM. Google has been focused on installing or upgrading AI elements in its existing Google for Education infrastructure, including Google Classroom. While many teachers embrace Gemini functionality in popular tools like Google Docs and Google Slides, Google’s fragmented approach to AI tools in education — scattering AI features across its productivity apps (Drive, Docs, Slides, etc.) and separate learning apps — creates a significant cognitive load for a typical K-12 teacher. In sum, productivity and workflow are at the heart of Google’s AI expansion, but there are little nuggets like Storybook that can actually engender student creativity.

Related posts from Tom Daccord’s free newsletter:

See also:

Tom Daccord

Teachers are curious about ChatGPT and AI, but don't know what tools they should use and where to find them. In this website I introduce and review AI tools for education and offer strategies for incorporating them. I am an international expert in pedagogical innovation with technology and an award-winning educator with over 30 years experience. I taught high school in Canada, France, Switzerland, and the U.S. and have presented on education technology topics to over 10,000 educators around the world. Multilingual, I present in English, Spanish, and French

https://Tom@tomdaccord.com
Next

Google Translate: Significant Gemini-Powered Upgrades