Google Learn About is a new experimental ai-powered platform available that provides digestible and in-depth knowledge on various topics, but shows it all in an educational context. Described by Google as a “conversational learning companion,” it is essentially a Wikipedia-style chatbot/search engine, and then some.
In addition to having a variety of ready-made topics and important questions (in areas such as history, art, culture, biology and physics), the tool allows you to enter prompts using text or an image. It then provides an overview/answer and then suggests additional questions, topics, and more to explore regarding the initial topic.
The idea for student use is that ai can help guide a deeper learning process rather than simply providing static answers.
So let's see what I learned about Google Learn About.
Learn more about: Try text search
I tried More information about simply by typing “Benedict Arnold” in the search bar under “What would you like to learn today?”
In addition to a biographical thumbnail with multiple images (all credited with sources), Learn About provided topics related to Benedict Arnold and the American Revolution (in the left sidebar), including various events from his life, the reasons behind his betrayal of the Americans. cause and other impacts.
In the main section below the biography, the next section that appears is “Why It Matters”, which provides a brief overview of how Arnold's traitorous turn has impacted American history. It also offers a “Test Your Knowledge” multiple choice question about which fort Arnold tried to hand over to the British. Clicking on an answer provides additional details about Arnold's exploits.
Scrolling down revealed a gallery of more sources, including a link to the Wikipedia page, several videos, and content from other vetted sources such as History.com, the National Park Service, and Biography.com. It also offers options to simplify, drill down, or image.
Also included are follow-up questions about Arnold, such as “What led you to betray the Americans?” and “What happened to Arnold after he changed sides?” Selecting one of the options here brings up an interactive list of topics for further exploration and various sources.
To go deeper, more interactive features are provided, such as “Common Misconceptions,” “Develop Your Vocabulary,” and “Stop and Think.”
It's easy to see how Learn About could be a dynamic research partner for a student. It analyzes the information to discourage any sort of “copy and paste” book report-like results, and also encourages some deeper thinking and concentration to navigate the topic at hand. The inclusion of interactive features is also more engaging than a static web page or even an ai-generated report.
By the way, selecting any of the prompts on the Learn More home page offers a similar “choose your own path” learning experience, with the same types of features, interactive elements, and source content.
Try the Learn About Image Search feature
Curious about this approach, I tried the Learn About image search by loading the image of a Benedict Arnold engraving by HB Hall, taken from Wikimedia Commons, which is one of the most cited Arnold images. I was given the option to draw on the image or use the text box, which I opted for and wrote, “Who is this?”
Unfortunately, the image was incorrectly identified as George Washington, and all of the features and options I described above for Arnold were provided but focused on Washington.
Then I tried to load the image again and asked, “Is this Benedict Arnold?” This time, it correctly identified Arnold and then followed the content/interactivity cycle described above.
I tried uploading a third image of Arnold and this time I used the pencil tool to write “Who is this?” in the image. Learn About responded: “You circled a person's portrait! Would you like to learn more about famous people in history or perhaps a different topic? So it's not a right or wrong answer, just an indication that Learn About needs a little more tweaking and testing for its image reading feature.
Wondering if perhaps it was the selected image, I tried a different portrait of Benedict Arnold, this is a well-known formal portrait painted by Thomas Hart in 1776, and also obtained through Wikimedia Commons. Again I asked: “Who is it?”
Unfortunately, Learn About once again misidentified the subject, saying, “This is a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat and military officer who was a key figure in the American Revolutionary War.” Followed by all content and interactive features focused on Lafayette.
Again, this is another indication that more testing and experiments need to be done for this particular search aspect of Learn About.
Ultimately, Google Learn About is a choose-your-own-adventure learning experience, with a seemingly infinite number of options and paths through what appears to be quality, curated content, all powered by Google. It still has a little way to go in its testing phase, but it appears to be on its way to being a more useful learning resource for students than a cold Google search or a static Wikipedia page.
