YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/ls3bcbJYZ4c 

 In this episode of the Reach Every Student podcast, host Jon Bergmann shares a candid experiment involving Google NotebookLM and the Flipped Classroom model .  Jon attempts to solve a common problem in the "independent space" of learning: students consuming content (like videos or podcasts) without the ability to ask questions or interact . 

The Experiment: Jon uploaded class videos and textbook content to NotebookLM to create an audio podcast .  The goal was for students to use the "interactive" feature to interrupt the AI host and ask questions during their homework . 

The Outcome: While Jon found the experience satisfying personally, the classroom implementation was a "fail" . 

Sharing Issues: There is no easy way to "assign" a notebook; sharing it individually was difficult, and student data remains private to the user, meaning the teacher could not track progress . 

Technical Glitches: Students reported that the audio would randomly restart, the system did not remember where they left off, and the prompt designed to summarize their activity failed to work reliably . 

Feature Request for Google: Jon suggests NotebookLM needs a system similar to Google Classroom where teachers can assign content and track student interaction . 

The Pivot: Despite this setback, Jon plans to use NotebookLM for final exam review guides and will test a new tool, Skylo.ai, which may better solve the interactive video problem . 

AI in Education: Jon emphasizes that educators must teach students to use AI as a "copilot" to ensure they thrive in the "fourth industrial revolution" without losing critical thinking skills . 

Google NotebookLM: Used to generate AI podcasts and summaries from source text . 

Skylo.ai: A new tool recommended by Hani Fidel for interactive video, which Jon plans to test next . 

Gemini: Used by Jon to brainstorm the lesson plan and prompts .