Notebook LM

Quick overview

1. Prep the Assignment – Clean up your instructions and decide if student AI use is allowed.

2. Ask an AI Tool to Review the Assignment – Refine clarity, add an optional AI reflection step, and generate a clean final version.

3. Upload the Assignment to NotebookLM – Create a podcast that explains the assignment to students.

4. Publish in Canvas – Post the updated assignment and embed or link the podcast.

Full Step-by-Step Guide

Phase 1: Prepeare the Assignment

Step 1: Clean Up and Organize

- Make sure your assignment includes clear objectives and instructions.

- Decide whether students are allowed to use AI.

- Save the file in an editable format (e.g., Google Doc or Word). 

Phase 2: Enhance the Assignment with AI

Step 2: Review for Clarity
Upload your assignment to an AI tool like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude.
Prompt: “Review this assignment for clarity and completeness. Identify any confusing or unclear instructions and suggest improvements. This is for an undergraduate/graduate college student in a _____ class”

Step 3: Add an AI Reflection Task (If Permitted)
Ask the AI tool to help you incorporate a reflection section.

AI Reflection Task (Student Instructions)

After completing your assignment, use the following prompt in your AI tool (like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude):

"I completed this assignment on [insert topic/title here]. Help me write a short reflection (about 150 words) that explains how I used AI in this process. Include the specific prompt I used, what the AI generated, and how I used or revised that information. Also, provide an APA-style citation for the AI tool I used."

Then, copy and paste the reflection and citation into the final section of your assignment.

Step 4: Add a Note Encouraging Students to Listen to the Podcast
Prompt: “Write a short paragraph encouraging students to listen to the accompanying NotebookLM podcast for clarity and additional support.”

Step 5: Generate a Final Version
Prompt: “Create a cohesive final version of this assignment incorporating all previous suggestions, the AI reflection section, and a note about the podcast.”

Phase 3: Publish with NotebookLM

Step 6: Create a Google Doc (Using ChatGPT)
You can ask ChatGPT to help you format the assignment for Google Docs:
Prompt: “Format this final version of my assignment with clear section headers, bullet points, and spacing. Then, give me a version I can copy and paste into a Google Doc.”
If you're using ChatGPT with file export enabled, you can also add:
“Also provide a downloadable version in Word or Markdown format.”

Step 7: Upload to NotebookLM
Go to notebooklm.google.com and upload your Google Doc.

Step 8: Customize Podcast Instructions
In the Customize tab, use: “This document is an assignment. Please create a podcast where the hosts explain the assignment to students, highlighting the key steps, deliverables, and the optional use of AI.”

Step 9: Review and Download the Podcast
Listen for accuracy and regenerate if needed. Optional: Generate a transcript for accessibility.

Phase 4: Publish in Canvas

Step 10: Add to Canvas

Paste the assignment text into Canvas and upload or link to the podcast. 

How i used ai

To support the development of this faculty guide and presentation on using NotebookLM to create assignment podcasts, I collaborated with ChatGPT. I began with a rough outline of the steps I wanted to include and asked ChatGPT to help clarify, organize, and expand the content. It suggested improvements to structure, provided realistic AI prompts for both faculty and students, and helped reword the AI reflection prompt for clarity and ease of use.

In addition to refining the written guide, I asked ChatGPT to create a downloadable Word document and generate a PowerPoint presentation for faculty training. Finally, I requested a short promotional paragraph for instructors and a reflection statement like this one. The AI provided detailed responses quickly, which I edited and customized to align with the tone and goals of the School of Business.

Citation

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (May 15 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/