A Month of Growth: Balancing Innovation with Human Insight
Welcome to our May wrap-up! This month has been a whirlwind of activity, characterized by a push-and-pull between the rapid evolution of AI tools and the essential hand of human judgment. As we explored the latest Gemini updates and the power of citizen science, one theme remained clear: technology is a powerful partner and our unique human perspective is what makes the content truly resonate.
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May Topics & OnEBoard Chat
You can join OnEBoard live every Sunday, with Tech Topic episodes #3Tips10Min alternating with longer OnEBoard Chat discussions.
#3Tips10Min Roundup: the highlights from our May coverage:
In Episode 87, we took a deep dive into the "Global Challenges" of planetary monitoring where citizen science comes in.
From Slides to Screen: We demonstrated how to turn static Google Slides into dynamic videos, perfect for social media storytelling.
The AI Headshot: Use the "Remix" tools in Google Photos to turn a casual selfie into a professional business headshot—just look for the "Photorealistic" filter!
Accessibility in NotebookLM: Make your content accessible by using AI to generate accurate alt-text. We also saw how the "Studio" feature turned four photos into the beautiful "Beyond the Bloom" video overview in minutes.
Workspace Updates: The Unified Studio
The first half of 2026 has brought major upgrades to our daily tools:
Google Vids
Supports creating videos up to 30 minutes long and importing raw footage up to
95 minutes.
NotebookLMYou can now create vertical slide decks specifically optimized for mobile viewing.
Google Meet: It has evolved into a "Content Creation Studio,"allowing you to run Docs, Slides, and NotebookLM side-by-side during your calls.
Gemini Omni AvatarsThe new Gemini Omni model possesses real-world knowledge and accurate physics,
allowing for the creation of realistic video content through prompts involving text, video,
images, or audio.
AI-Driven Fundraising Visualisation clear, visual representation of progress toward a physical goal.
Our Philosophy: The Human-in-the-Loop
While automation is tempting, we've found that a "human-in-the-loop" strategy is vital.
Remember the "Stop Button" strategy: if you're spending more time "fussing" with
an AI than it would take to do it yourself, stop, clear the space, and take back the wheel.
You are the expert; the tool is your assistant.
Looking Ahead
Mark your calendars for June 7th!We’ll be joined by Google Workspace educator Kim Nilsson for a session focused
on critical thinking. Stay curious!
Thank you for being part of the OnEBoard Network. We look forward to sharing more
insights with you in June!
News from the OnEBoard Crew
Here's what else OnEBoard has been doing.
Nina Trankova’s May highlight is her new mission bridging education across the spirit of the ancestors
who built the school where Nina lives in 1894, nowadays tech and science practicing educators
and the hires in the 22nd century! This makes 4 centuries! The educators’ power is infinite!Support Nina’s fundraising
Bob’s May highlight is the Botanical ID challenge featuring 4 species of Lupine in west-central
Montana. Bob worked with NotebookLM how-to ID infographics.
Peggy’s May highlight “This month my mom had a major milestone birthday (she's 95!).
My brother organized people to mail her cards, which was lovely. And they are displayed so
she (and we) can enjoy them all the time. It was a reminder that sometimes physical is more
meaningful that digital”. Subscribe to Peggy’s Creator News
Follow Nina, Bob and Peggy on Bluesky
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