NotebookLM: Guidance for Instructors

What are the technical things you need to know?

• Access: Instructors can access NotebookLM by navigating to notebooklm.google.com and logging in with their University internet ID after submitting the opt-in form.
• Sources: You can import documents, web pages, and other materials, such as Docs, Slides, PDF files, text, links, YouTube links, and audio files. Once uploaded, NotebookLM enables users to quickly summarize content, ask AI-powered questions to pinpoint specific information, and discover meaningful relationships within their documents.
  • Note: Publishers typically prohibit (through licensing) upload of research, magazine and newspaper articles (including those used for course readings) to third-party services like NotebookLM. Do not upload materials produced by others or licensed materials unless you have explicit permission or the material is covered under a known exemption or license.
• Prompting: Interacting with NotebookLM involves providing text-based prompts. The clarity and specificity of your prompts will significantly influence the quality and relevance of the generated output. Learn more on how to ask questions. Experiment with different phrasing and provide sufficient context for the best results.
• Output Review: It's crucial to understand that NotebookLM output is AI-generated and should always be reviewed and edited for accuracy, clarity, bias, and appropriateness before being used in your teaching materials or shared with students.
• Updates: NotebookLM is an evolving technology. Stay informed about new features, updates, and best practices through official NotebookLM announcements and University IT resources. 

What are the guidelines and ethics in using NotebookLM?

Though there are institutional safeguards in place, it is each person’s responsibility to understand the benefits and risks of using any generative AI tool. Here are a few resources that can assist you in understanding the benefits and risks:

• The UMN appropriate use of generative AI tools resource provides examples of data/information that should and should not be used in generative AI tools.
• Read the Libraries Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources to understand the relevant rules when using the University's Libraries' electronic resources (such as journals, magazine and newspaper articles, or databases).
• Be aware of the ethical concerns of generative AI, such as biased output, hallucinations (false or misleading information presented as fact) and misinformation. Review the AI Ethics & Efficacy presentation by the University Libraries to gain a deeper understanding of these issues.
• If you use NotebookLM to help design your course or create activities, let students know that you used it. This increases transparency and also models the behavior for students.
• If you want to upload student work to any generative AI tool, remember they own the copyright and other intellectual property rights in this work. It is best to get consent from students if you plan to use their work externally. Learn more about sharing student work.
• Include expectations in your syllabus or course introductions if you expect your students to use NotebookLM as part of your class. Create clear syllabus statements on generative AI use, whether you choose to allow or prohibit such tools.

What kind of data can you upload in NotebookLM?

Find examples of what data you can and cannot upload in NotebookLM while keeping in mind that your department, supervisor, or collaborators may have additional restrictions.

Acceptable

User-created or open-source materials are always acceptable to upload.

Student work is acceptable with student consent.

Unacceptable

Published content, such as journal articles, magazines, and newspaper articles are unacceptable to upload unless explicitly allowed in publishing guidelines.

How might you use NotebookLM in your teaching?

Empower Student Inquiry with Instructor-Curated AI Chatbots

• Instructors can develop custom AI chatbots (referred to as "Notebooks" within the NotebookLM environment) specifically trained on their permissable course materials and then integrate the Notebooks directly into Canvas. This functionality enables students to:
• Query specific course content: Students receive guidance directly sourced from the instructor's provided materials, rather than general AI knowledge.
• Efficiently locate information: Students can quickly find relevant data within curated sources.
• Develop evidence-based arguments: Students can utilize the chatbot to support their arguments with information grounded in the instructor's selected and permissible content.

Assist with Course Preparation

• NotebookLM can assist with instructional preparation by facilitating efficient content analysis. Instructors can upload permissable diverse materials, such as public domain texts, open educational resources (OER), or their own original scholarly work and lecture notes.This feature allows instructors to leverage AI to:
  • Obtain concise overviews of extensive readings from permissible content, optimizing preparation time.
  • Identify key concepts and supporting evidence within uploaded, compliant materials.
  • Generate focused discussion prompts derived from course materials to stimulate classroom engagement.

Facilitate Differentiated Instruction

• Instructors can use NotebookLM to tailor content to varied proficiency levels with reduced manual effort, thereby enhancing accessibility and engagement for all learners. These features allow instructors to:
  • Generate content summaries and brief overviews of longer texts for which usage rights are held.
  • Identify core vocabulary within permissible course content.
  • Create targeted discussion prompts based on uploaded resources.

Academic Technology Support

If you have questions about instructor guidance for AI, contact your local Academic Technology Contact or email Academic Technology Support Services. 

This guidance was developed by the OIT’s Academic Technology Support Services, the University Libraries, and the Center for Educational Innovation.