If you love NotebookLM, you need to try this hidden Google feature next – MakeUseOf

NotebookLM quickly became the perfect AI productivity tool for anyone looking to learn, study, or improve their workflows. It taps into Gemini models while offering unique features, like Audio and Video Overviews. Google is now taking the qualities that made NotebookLM great and applying them to other flagship Google AI tools. If you’re looking for new ways to enhance your skills, streamline your efficiency, and prepare for that big exam, there are learning tools right inside the Gemini app that invoke the spirit of NotebookLM.
Gemini offers two learning features, Guided Learning and practice tests, that can help anyone hone their craft and get smarter using AI. Guided Learning is a general Gemini mode that can be used by students and professionals alike, while practice tests are specifically for students trying to gear up for a big assessment, like the SAT. If you’re still only using the Gemini app as a basic chatbot, you’re missing out on some of the best study tools.
You’re missing out on NotebookLM’s full potential.
NotebookLM is usually the go-to program for studying and learning new things, but it requires extra time and effort to select sources and put together materials. An underrated alternative is the Guided Learning mode in the Gemini app. This mode is powered by Google’s LearnLM models, which are specialized for education. Typically, Gemini users ask the chatbot questions and expect an answer, but Guided Learning mode flips the script. The feature involves Gemini asking the user open-ended questions about a given subject and encourages a back-and-forth discussion between the learner and the AI model.
For example, you might ask Gemini’s Guided Learning mode for help with a specific homework problem or a broader topic of interest. Instead of the chatbot spewing out information and a direct answer to your question, Gemini tries to help you find your way to the answer. If you’ve ever had a teacher or tutor guide you through solving a problem rather than giving up the solution right away, you know exactly what Gemini tries to do in Guided Learning mode.
Guided Learning tries to give users an understanding of a subject or a specific problem, not just the direct answer. It can do that with multimodal responses, including interactive quizzes, images and diagrams generated with Nano Banana, or videos created with Veo 3.1. For instance, you can ask Gemini’s Guided Learning mode to create a practice quiz, and the chatbot can analyze your performance — identifying strength and growth areas — after completion. It’ll also make flashcards and study guides from scratch, so you can spend time on studying the materials instead of making them.
Compared to NotebookLM, the advantage of Guided Learning is how quickly you can create learning and study materials. The process of building a notebook in NotebookLM is intensive, but Guided Learning can be activated in seconds in the Gemini app. With optional features like Gemini Personal Intelligence enabled, it can tap into your notes in Google Drive and other Workspace apps automatically. To start using this hidden Gemini tool, open the Gemini app and tap More (near the model picker) and select Guided Learning.
For those studying for a specific standardized test, like the SAT or the JEE Main, the Gemini app now includes a new trick — free, full-length practice tests. Google worked in tandem with The Princeton Review, PhysicsWallah, and Careers360 to build rigorous practice exams for the SAT in the U.S. or the JEE Main in India. All you need to do is tell Gemini, “I want to take an SAT mock test.” From there, a sample exam will be loaded that “more closely resembles what you’ll see on test day,” according to Google.
The sample SAT practice test in Gemini offers sample questions for both sections, Reading and Writing and Math. They’re timed sections, so students can practice both answering the kinds of questions they’ll see on the real test and working efficiently. What’s special about Gemini’s implementation of SAT practice tests is that the chatbot can provide the correct answers and detailed explanations in real time. If you don’t understand the question or the answer, you can use natural-language prompts to ask for feedback and better understand the topic. It’s like having a personal SAT tutor, except this one is completely free in the Gemini app.
Gemini tells you exactly where your skills are falling short before you take the exam for the first time, giving students a chance to course-correct before taking the crucial test.
Whether you’re a student getting ready to take exams like the SAT or a working professional seeking to learn new skills, the simplest way to accomplish your goals might just be using the Gemini app. Niche learning features within the Gemini app are often overlooked. NotebookLM is the flashy and robust educational tool, while Gemini is more commonly known for just being a basic chatbot and voice assistant.
However, it’s quicker and easier to launch Guided Learning mode or start a practice test than it is to build out a NotebookLM notebook, making the Gemini app a preferred option for anyone looking for a simple (and free) way to use AI to increase their knowledge and productivity.
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