Ep. 100 - Google NotebookLM, Study Hacks & Adapting to AI in Learning

Celebrating 100 episodes of the CSUSB Advising Podcast! Academic advisor Matt Markin and Director of academic advising Eduardo Mendoza discuss AI's role in education. They explore Google NotebookLM, an AI tool for organizing and summarizing notes. They analyze Reddit threads from CSUSB students on study spots and academic challenges, highlighting the importance of community support and time management. Matt and Eduardo use ChatGPT to provide insights on NotebookLM's features and ethical considerations. Eduardo shares personal experiences and emphasizes the need for students to adapt to new study practices. 

*AI should be a supplement and not replace traditional learning methods.

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Transcript

Matt Markin: Hello, and welcome to the CSUSB advising Podcast. This is Matt Markin, an academic advisor in the assu, a academic advising office at Cal State San Bernardino, and I am happy to say that this is episode 100. I'm joined by the director of the Academic advising office, ed Mendoza. Ed, welcome back. 

Ed Mendoza: Thank you.

Ed Mendoza: Good to be back. And let me, let me start with the congrats to you, Matt, for all the work you've done to get to a hundred. I know it is been work, so I, I appreciate it and I think our students appreciate it. So I thank you from all of us. 

Matt Markin: Oh, I appreciate that. Thank you. You know, a topic that's a hot topic nowadays is ai, and I mean, AI has been around and we know students use it.

Matt Markin: We know some faculty use it, some staff may use it. I use it as an [00:01:00] academic advisor. So I thought, wouldn't it be cool to have episode 100 be about AI and maybe use an. AI platform and get your thoughts about it. And just as a disclaimer, this is not a promotion of an AI product. This is not saying that you should use this AI product.

Matt Markin: Uh, since AI is a big topic, uh, we just thought we'd wanna celebrate episode 100, just doing something interesting, something fun, something unique, and that's testing out an AI platform. This is similar to episode 97 of the podcast titled Asking ChatGPT how AI can help you succeed. Which wasn't a promotion of ChatGPT, but more so a fun way to use AI and ask it questions about student success.

Matt Markin: So one AI platform I've been dabbling with is Notebook LM through Google, and I found a couple Reddit posts from C-S-U-S-B students that I thought we could use Notebook LM to analyze and use their kind of podcast mode to. Here it's thoughts on those Reddit [00:02:00] posts, which have to do with study spots on campus and if it's normal to sometimes, uh, not do well, uh, in school.

Matt Markin: So Ed, what are your general thoughts when you think of ai? 

Ed Mendoza: I know there's some hesitation by some based off what AI can do or not do. We still obviously get that college experience? Who are we to say it needs to be our way? So it's a different college experience now. I think it's something for them to use.

Matt Markin: Yeah, agreed. So I thought if anything, I mean, I can try to explain what Notebook LM is, but maybe if anything we can ask chat, GPT, uh, to tell us more what they might know about, uh, notebook lm. Hey, ChatGPT. How are you? 

ChatGPT: I'm doing great. Thanks for asking. 

Matt Markin: How about you? 

Matt Markin: Yeah, 

Matt Markin: doing fine. Now you're on the C-S-U-S-B advising podcast, uh, for our 100th episode.

Matt Markin: Are you okay if I asked you a few questions? 

ChatGPT: Of course, I'd behappy to answer your questions. Congratulations on your 100th episode. What would you like to know? 

Matt Markin: Well, thank you. So my boss is also here with me, um, so let's make sure this is some, some good answers that I don't get in trouble. Okay. 

ChatGPT: Got it.

ChatGPT: I'll make sure to provide the best answers possible. Let me know what you need help with. 

Matt Markin: So I'm interested to know if you can tell me what you know about Google's notebook, lm, how would you describe that AI platform? 

ChatGPT: Notebook. LM is essentially a note-taking and organization tool developed by Google. It integrates features like intelligent search context awareness and summarization to help users manage and retrieve their notes more efficiently.

ChatGPT: It's particularly useful for organizing information from various sources and making it easier to find and use. 

Matt Markin: Can you talk a little bit more in, in depth about the kind of functionality that Notebook LM has? 

ChatGPT: Sure Notebook. LM offers functionalities like advanced search capabilities, allowing you to quickly find notes using natural language queries.[00:04:00] 

ChatGPT: It can also automatically summarize content, highlight key points, and provide contextual suggestions. Plus it supports multimedia notes, making it easier to manage diverse types of information. It's designed to help streamline the way you capture, organize, and retrieve information. 

Matt Markin: Awesome. Now, how would you, how would you say that college students can maybe adapt the functionality of Notebook LM to their study practice?

ChatGPT: College students can really leverage Notebook LM for their studies in several ways. They can use the advanced search to quickly find information across all their notes, which is great for exam prep. The summarization feature can help them review key points from lectures or textbooks quickly. They can also organize multimedia notes, which is useful for subjects that involve diagrams or videos.

ChatGPT: Overall, it helps streamline their study process and keeps everything organized in one place. 

Matt Markin: Yeah, and do you think there are any ethical concerns college students should consider, whether they're using Notebook, lm, or any other type [00:05:00] of AI platform? 

ChatGPT: Definitely when using AI platforms like Notebook, LM College students should be mindful of data privacy, ensuring their notes and personal information are secure.

ChatGPT: They should also consider the accuracy of AI generated content and avoid over-relying on it without critical thinking. Plagiarism is another concern. They need to ensure that their work remains original and properly cited. Being aware of these ethical considerations will help them use the technology responsibly.

Matt Markin: Awesome. Well that sums up my questions. Thanks so much chat, GPT. 

ChatGPT: Thank you for having me, and congrats on the 100th episode. It's been a pleasure. Take care. 

Matt Markin: So that is got some information from chat GPT about Notebook lm. So now let's actually, uh, go to Notebook LM and uh, we will take a look and see all that it can do.

Matt Markin: So first Ed, I'm gonna show you the site and those that listening, you could always go to the Notebook LM website, but this is where you would be able to [00:06:00] upload, whether it's like a PDF, some sort of document you could put. Links to a YouTube video, to a website, um, upload a Google Doc paste text, and then it would analyze that, uh, information.

Ed Mendoza: Can I ask a question? 

Matt Markin: Yeah, go for it. 

Ed Mendoza: Does that include our written notes? Like, I can upload what I wrote and hopefully it understands my writing. 

Matt Markin: Yeah, well actually that's a good question. I am not sure. Um, but yeah, that's something that we could look into and see. I know you can type in notes like your own text, 

Ed Mendoza: and to be honest, most students probably type notes as opposed to my old school way of writing and my writing isn't the best so that, so maybe, maybe it's not as important for our college students nowadays, 

Matt Markin: but it's still an interesting question because I know there, you know, a lot of people still write, you know, handwritten.

Matt Markin: So that maybe that is something to, to look into. So with this one I've put in. Uh, two Reddit, um, [00:07:00] threads One, uh, from CS A-C-C-S-U-S-B student who, uh, wanna know about more about study spots on campus, and then one who I think just did not perform as well maybe in their first term, and is kind of asking the Reddit audience, is that normal?

Matt Markin: So with this notebook, LM has generated what they call like a deep dive conversation, which, uh, is basically AI to AI as if they're humans talking to one another about what they just analyzed. So it's kinda like a mini podcast episode. It's about 11 minutes. I'm gonna play it, listen to it, and then we, we'll, uh, discuss it afterwards.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Hey, everyone, ready to find some awesome study spots at C-S-U-S-B. I'm 

Notebook LM Voice 1: ready. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Those long breaks between classes can be a drag sometimes, especially when you're on a huge campus like C-S-U-S-B. Absolutely. So today we're gonna deep dive into a couple of Reddit threads from good old R-CSUSB. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Oh nice. One 

Notebook LM Voice 2: thread is all about.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Good study spots [00:08:00] and hangout spots, you know, just places to chill between classes. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Makes sense. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: But the other one is titled, is It Normal? So we'll be getting into some real talk about the student experience at C-S-U-S-B. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Wow, that's a really interesting combo. Like we're looking at the practical and the emotional side of college all at once.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah, I thought so too. So let's start with those hidden study gems. Okay. I was so surprised to see some of these suggestions, like places you wouldn't normally think of for studying. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Like what? 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Well, someone mentioned the anthropology museum on the third floor of the SBS building. Apparently they have super comfy lounge couches there.

Notebook LM Voice 1: You know, that makes me wonder how many other cool spots are hidden around campus. That would be great for studying, 

Notebook LM Voice 2: right? Like sometimes you just want a quiet spot to focus and museums can have that kind of vibe. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah, definitely. Have you ever tried studying in a museum? 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Can't say that I have, but I'm kind of curious now.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Oh, and another one that caught my eye was the CGI third floor patio, fresh air, sunshine and peace, and quiet. It's like a little [00:09:00] escape from the craziness of campus. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That sounds amazing, especially for people who get restless being stuck inside all the time. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Totally. There are those study nooks on the fourth and fifth floors of Jack Brown Hall.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Have you ever been up there? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I haven't. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. They're like these little hidden pockets of solitude. Perfect. For when you need to buckle down and get serious. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I love those little hidden spots. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Right. Okay. So we talked about some of the less obvious spots, but we can't forget about the classics. Of 

Notebook LM Voice 1: course. Not 

Notebook LM Voice 2: like the foul library, especially the top floor with those amazing views.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah, the views from up there are incredible. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Plus a lot of people on Reddit were talking about how quiet it is. Which makes sense. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It is a library after all. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Exactly. But sometimes you need a little bit of buzz, you know, maybe some background noise to help you focus. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. Sometimes silence can be too distracting.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Right. So a good alternative would be SMSU North. Someone mentioned the bleacher style seats near the food court as a favorite. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Oh yeah. I can see that. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: You can grab some food. Hang out with friends and then settle in for a [00:10:00] study session. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That's a good point. It shows how different people have different study needs.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Some people need total quiet while others prefer a little bit of a social atmosphere. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: For sure. So it seems like C-S-U-S-B has a good mix of both, wouldn't you say? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Definitely. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: And speaking of social versus solo study. One user actually asked specifically about where to find other students to connect with.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Oh, interesting. And 

Notebook LM Voice 2: someone recommended the Affinity Centers on the third floor of SMSU North. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Have you ever been to the Affinity Centers? 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I haven't actually. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's cool that they came up in the context of study spots. It's like for some people socializing and studying go hand in hand. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. Maybe they find it motivating to study with other people or they like to bounce ideas off each other.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Makes 

Notebook LM Voice 2: sense. Okay, so are you ready to switch gears a bit? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah, hit me. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Let's talk about that second Reddit thread. The one cult. Is it normal? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Okay. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I have to say this one really hit home for me. Because who hasn't felt that way at some point in college? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I know what you mean. That [00:11:00] feeling of being totally overwhelmed, making mistakes and wondering if you even belong here.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Exactly. Yeah. And it's so brave of that person to share their experience so openly. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It is. And you know what's even more heartwarming? All the supportive responses they got from other students. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I know, right? It seems like there's a real sense of community on that subreddit. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It really shows the power of community, especially in a place like college that can sometimes feel really competitive and lonely.

Notebook LM Voice 2: So true. And some of the advice was really helpful too. Like someone suggested taking classes at a community college to catch up or improve GPA. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That's a good idea for some students. What do you think about that? Well, it can be a great option if you need a little extra support or if you're looking for a more affordable way to get started with college.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. But it's important to remember that everyone's path is different. There's no right or wrong way to do college. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. And it's not always easy to just go to community college. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: One user mentioned that it can be tough if you live in a rural area and there isn't one [00:12:00] nearby. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That's true. There are definitely a lot of factors to consider 

Notebook LM Voice 2: for sure.

Notebook LM Voice 2: And that's where guidance from counselors can be so valuable. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Absolutely. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: A lot of people on Reddit were saying how much it helped them to talk to a counselor, especially about things like picking the right classes and figuring out how transfer credits work. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah, that stuff can be really confusing. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I know.

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's like having a guide to help you navigate the whole college system. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I like that analogy. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: You know, another thing that kept coming up in that thread was. The struggle with time management, especially for students who are working full-time while going to school. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Oh yeah. That's a tough balancing act. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: It is, and it can be so stressful.

Notebook LM Voice 1: No doubt. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: One user suggested focusing on just one challenging class at a time and taking it easier with other courses. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That's a really smart strategy. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: What do you think about that approach? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I think it's brilliant. It's all about recognizing your limits and setting realistic expectations. We often feel like we have to do it all, but sometimes it's better to prioritize and focus our [00:13:00] energy where it's needed most.

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's so true. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. It's like giving yourself permission to not be perfect in every single class. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Exactly, yeah. And you know, it's not just about managing the workload, it's also about dealing with all the emotional stuff that comes with college life. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Oh yeah, for sure. Reading that Reddit thread, you really see how much pressure students are under these days.

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's intense. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It is. It's like there's this expectation that college is supposed to be this perfect carefree time, 

Notebook LM Voice 2: right? Like everyone's supposed to be having the time of their lives, 

Notebook LM Voice 1: but that's not always the reality. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Definitely not. Yeah. And then you add in social media where everyone's showing off their highlight reel.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. It's easy to feel. Like you're not doing enough or you're falling behind. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's so true. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: One user even said they felt ashamed for taking seven years to finish their degree. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Well, that's so sad. It also makes you think about this whole idea that there's one right timeline for achieving your goals, 

Notebook LM Voice 2: right?

Notebook LM Voice 2: Like everyone's supposed to graduate in four years and have their whole life planned out. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. But that's just not realistic for a lot of people. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Definitely not. And there's nothing wrong [00:14:00] with taking a little longer or taking a different path. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Not at all. Everyone's journey is unique. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Couldn't agree more.

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's a marathon, not a sprint. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Exactly. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: And that's something that people kept saying in that thread. You know, encouraging each other to just embrace the journey, even the tough parts. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That's so important. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: And it really struck me that one user who eventually graduated with an MBA. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Oh yeah, I remember that one.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Even though they had been on academic probation and even withdrawn from classes, 

Notebook LM Voice 1: talk about resilience. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I know, right? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's 

Notebook LM Voice 2: so inspiring. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It really shows that setbacks don't define you 

Notebook LM Voice 2: for sure. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: They're just opportunities to learn and grow. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Absolutely. Yeah. It would've been interesting to hear more about how that person turned things around.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. Like did they get a tutor or change their study habits or what? 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Right. I wonder if they connected with a mentor or found a support group 

Notebook LM Voice 1: that would be really helpful for other students who are going through similar challenges. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I think so too. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: You know, it's so valuable to hear these real life success stories.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Totally. [00:15:00] It reminds us that it's possible to achieve our goals even when things get tough. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: For sure. It normalizes the ups and downs of college and makes it okay to ask for help. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Speaking of asking for help, let's go back to that advice about talking to counselors. Okay. I think sometimes we forget how much they can actually help us, not just with academics, but with personal stuff too.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. It's easy to forget that they're trained to help students with all aspects of college life. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: They can help you pick the right classes, connect you with resources, and even give you strategies for dealing with stress and anxiety. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's like having a personal advocate on your side. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Right. I remember someone specifically mentioned how a counselor helped them figure out the whole transfer credit process.

Notebook LM Voice 2: Ugh. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: That can be a nightmare. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I know. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Okay, so before we wrap up, there's one more story from that thread that I wanted to mention. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Okay. Which one? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's the one about the student who is struggling with organic chemistry. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Oh yeah, I remember that one. They were working full time and couldn't make it to most of the study sessions or office hours.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Exactly. [00:16:00] It's a situation that a lot of students can relate to trying to balance work in school and feeling like there just aren't enough hours in the day. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah, it's tough. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: So anyway, the student was feeling super discouraged and even questioning if they could handle the major. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Wow. But 

Notebook LM Voice 1: then another user gave them some really good advice.

Notebook LM Voice 2: What was it 

Notebook LM Voice 1: they said to focus on that one difficult class and take it easier with the other courses? 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Oh, yeah. That's a great strategy, 

Notebook LM Voice 1: right? It's about being strategic with your time and energy 

Notebook LM Voice 2: instead of trying to be amazing in every class, you focus on the one that's really hard and give yourself a break in the others.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Yeah. Sometimes it's okay to just aim for a passing grade. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: That's such an important point. We put so much pressure on ourselves to get straight. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Mm-hmm. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: As, but sometimes just getting through a tough semester is a win in itself. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I agree. And it sounds like this student was putting in the effort, they just needed to.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Adjust their approach a little. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: You know, it's a good reminder that college isn't a race. It's about finding what works for you and setting your own pace. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: [00:17:00] Okay. So we found some amazing study spots and we got real about what it's like to be a student these days. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: I feel like we just scratched the surface with those Reddit threads.

Notebook LM Voice 2: I know, right? They were packed with info. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's fascinating how those personal stories. The struggles and the triumphs. Yeah. They actually reflect bigger trends in higher education. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: What do you mean? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Well, we're seeing more diverse students than ever before. People from all kinds of backgrounds with different experiences and challenges.

Notebook LM Voice 2: That's true. It's not just the typical 18-year-old fresh outta high school anymore. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Exactly. These are students with jobs, families, financial pressures. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's a lot to juggle. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: And then on top of all that, they're dealing with academic pressure, competition, the fear of failing. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's like, how does anyone make it through?

Notebook LM Voice 1: And yet they do. Not only survive, but often thrive. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: What really stood out to me was the resilience in those threads. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Yeah. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: The way they were supporting each other and their determination to succeed. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: It's like they created their own support system. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's like they realize they're all in [00:18:00] this together.

Notebook LM Voice 2: That makes me think about how important it is to ask for help, whether it's from counselors, professors, or even other students. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Right. It's not about being a lone wolf anymore, 

Notebook LM Voice 2: it's about being part of a community. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: Exactly. And 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I think that brings us to another big takeaway, the growing focus on student wellbeing and mental health.

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's about time, don't you think? 

Notebook LM Voice 2: I think so too. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: We're finally starting to understand that academic success isn't just about grades, 

Notebook LM Voice 2: it's about the whole student, right? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: It's about creating an environment where students can thrive emotionally and personally, 

Notebook LM Voice 2: and that's where self-care comes in. Things like setting boundaries, prioritizing your wellbeing, knowing when to step back and recharge.

Notebook LM Voice 1: Those Reddit threads really highlighted the importance of finding that balance between pushing yourself and taking care of yourself. So 

Notebook LM Voice 2: true. It's a lesson that applies to life in general. 

Notebook LM Voice 1: You can't pour from an empty cup. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: So we've covered a lot of ground today from those secret study spots. To the big picture of what it means to be a student in this day and age.

Notebook LM Voice 1: I [00:19:00] feel like we could talk about this for hours. 

Notebook LM Voice 2: Me too. But yeah, we're outta time for today. Any funnel thoughts for our listeners? 

Notebook LM Voice 1: College is a huge journey, a time of incredible growth, both intellectually and personally. So embrace the challenges, celebrate the wins. Ask for help when you need it. And remember, your path is your own.

Notebook LM Voice 2: So well said. And remember, no matter where your academic journey takes you, there's a whole community out there rooting for you. Stay curious, stay engaged, and most importantly, stay true to yourself. Until next time, keep diving deep. 

Matt Markin: So, general thoughts, 

Ed Mendoza: and, and just to clarify here, that was AI doing that conversation based off everything it read or it had content from the Reddit?

Matt Markin: Yeah. So when I uploaded those two, uh, website threads from Reddi. It, that conver deep conversation mode was generated within a few minutes. 

Ed Mendoza: Wow. If we could play this to all our students as they come into school, just, I mean, a lot of our students that come to, to college [00:20:00] as a freshman at a high school, they may not have encountered a challenge yet.

Ed Mendoza: Uh, I'm not saying school was easy for them, but there was, it wasn't so much of a struggle or challenge for them. And maybe the first challenge will be in college. Hearing this, hearing the, how the struggles can be good for you and the triumphs and the wins. And I'm one that taking a lot of notes. So I wrote a lot of little notes through here, uh, for this conversation that you and I can have Matt, 'cause as you know, so if you're okay with it, Matt, some of our personal stuff, because I'm no Matt for 21 years now, and.

Ed Mendoza: I took six, seven years to graduate college. Uh, I, I, I make fun of myself and I took the scenic route to graduation. Uh, I wasn't so much into school, not because I didn't like education, but I just, I didn't feel challenged at at times, and I didn't take the time to study. I didn't take the time to read. I didn't take the time to a lot, a lot of things.

Ed Mendoza: And I did [00:21:00] enough to get by. But I got to graduation and then later on I, I, I was thankful for it. I got a master's and you know, I stayed working at the university or man on the other hand. As a, as a 18-year-old, he already had his high school diploma and his associate's degree, and by 20 he already had his bachelor's degree in.

Ed Mendoza: I'm gonna say, I don't know if we've ever had this conversation, but was school easy for you, Matt? Was it, was it a challenge? Was it a struggle? 

Matt Markin: Uh, it. So my first semester, so yeah, I, I did the middle college program, so my junior and senior year of high school I was at the Moreno Valley College campus, taking college courses that were counting for college, but also counting for the remaining high school requirements that I had for graduation.

Matt Markin: I was so used to a high school mentality of going about passing my classes. I mean, I did very well in my high school classes, but, um, I almost failed my, my biology class at Marino Valley College my first semester because. I didn't know how to change my studying and [00:22:00] why I needed to adapt to a different study practice until after I got an F on my first exam and then realized what I'm doing right now is not working.

Matt Markin: And I kind of had this thought of like, should I even be in college? But I ended up changing up my studying, got a C on my next exam, and then a B on my final. And I realized, okay, I just need to adapt to every class to my professors, how they want me to learn, ask questions if, if I need to. But yeah, that first semester really taught me everything I needed to know on the differences between college and high school.

Ed Mendoza: But there was still a moment that you skipped here, the moment that you thought that you've learned. That you were doing it the right way. The choice was learn to do it the right way or learn to improve on how, what works best for you. Or go back to your high school counselor and say, yeah, this isn't for me.

Ed Mendoza: Can I just take high school classes? 

Matt Markin: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, 'cause quitting for me wasn't an option because then I felt like I was gonna disappoint my [00:23:00] parents, and I was like, I don't want that to happen. And so. I need to figure out what I need to do to stay in college and, and do better. 

Ed Mendoza: And, and that's the part what, what keeps the, the, the, the student, the individual moving forward.

Ed Mendoza: And a lot of times it is, uh, an outside motivation. A lot of times it's just our what in our own head. And that, uh, I don't know if it was a fear of failure for me in a lot of ways, but the fear of failure, if I give it my all and I still feel, then I really feel down about myself. If I just give it a little bit of effort and I fail, then I can at least blame something.

Ed Mendoza: It's 'cause I didn't try, because I didn't give it my full effort. And when I meet with students now, I just, yeah. What's the worst that can happen? That, that you fall, I'll be here to help you better to do it now in college than in a career where maybe you, you could get fired or something. Sure. So it, it's good to, to push yourself to.

Ed Mendoza: To places that you're uncomfortable with. And that's, that's part of the college experience. And so that, that fear of failure, the support groups, [00:24:00] all these things are part of it. The, the strategies that I was listening to, uh, I wish I heard this many years ago when I was in college, but. Everyone's different and, and there's not one strategy that works for everyone, and it is learning new strategies.

Ed Mendoza: And if it works, keep going. If it doesn't work, try something new until you keep, there's always room for improvement. No one ever perfects something right away or, or ever, maybe. 

Matt Markin: Yeah. And I think that's why it was, it was nice that with that Reddit thread about study spots, like you had students chiming in about, well, I like to study here, or Do you know about this place or the, you know, top floor of the library or the.

Matt Markin: Open air area of the, the CGI, uh, building. Didn't really know about the anthropology outside the anthropology museum, but that gives me another possible suggestion for a student, uh, if they have questions about where to go for studying, 

Ed Mendoza: because it's location. Uh, I was thinking as I was listening to this location, it's what's the best time to study, right?[00:25:00] 

Ed Mendoza: Mm-hmm. Uh, is it when I'm tired? Is it when I'm not tired? Uh, is it with others? Is it when not others? It mentioned, do I want noise? Do I not want noise? Everyone's different and, and it's just trying things out. And one of the things I've been doing, and I've never been a big reader, but over the last year I've been reading more books ly maybe to a lot.

Ed Mendoza: But I've learned that I, I need to put headphones on 'cause I, I, I get distracted a lot, so I put headphones on and not even with music, 'cause even the music distracts me 'cause I start singing the songs and not paying attention to the book. So, uh, there's the white noise. I, I learned that there's green noise now.

Ed Mendoza: Which is more nature kind of noise. There's so many different kinds of noises in all the apps that people can get. But I, I, now I need to put headphones. I like doing it outdoors in some kind of nature kind of place and try to focus. And that's the only way I can kind of, kind of read it and really get into it different ways.

Ed Mendoza: And like I said, we're also learning as, as we get older, but, uh, I can imagine the, the [00:26:00] pressure that the student feels. Okay, I don't have time. I need to learn now because my test is next week. I need to do this now. And, and there's extra support. Obviously, we, uh, resources on campus, like writing center, tutoring center, supplemental instruction that we have, that we offer students.

Ed Mendoza: But the fellow students, the mentors, uh, how do you do it? What's worked for you? The study groups, uh, because all that. The more information I have, the better decision I can make. And I say that about everything 

Matt Markin: and I think that's where like AI can kind of be a companion and maybe a study buddy of sorts, uh, for students.

Matt Markin: So not replacing the tutoring on campus, not replacing going to your professor for questions, not replacing going to your class for learning, but something extra. So for example, like you were mentioning, reading. Let's say student has to read an article. They could read the article and let's say notebook lm, since that's what we're using today, they could maybe upload that article and and have it [00:27:00] generate a summary.

Matt Markin: They could use that deep conversation mode and hear these two AI individuals chatting about said article, and it can help them maybe have a more deeper understanding of the article, maybe pick up on things they missed when they initially read the article. But not something that would replace them.

Matt Markin: Actually reading it, you know, 

Ed Mendoza: supplement is always better, right? Mm-hmm. And in addition to, um, how can it, in addition to be worse, so yes, reading, do the assignments the way they're supposed to be done. 'cause there's a purpose for why professors give an assignment a certain way, uh, because of what's one can learn from it.

Ed Mendoza: But the supplemental. To help us study, to help us be more prepared for an exam or for just that knowledge of the subject, especially for majors, right? Because if I understand this area of my major pretty well, I can address it in the future courses. In sequential courses. So I, it's not just the surface kind of learning, but the deep learning and, and that supplement will [00:28:00] really make a difference.

Ed Mendoza: But all this that we're talking about in terms of. A student building willing to learn how and where, and, and when. It all starts with the, that same moment that you had where, where you mentioned I didn't want to fail and tell my parents that I failed, but it's the, your own vulnerability with yourself.

Ed Mendoza: The own looking at the mirror and, okay, this is what I need to do. I can't control others, but I can control what I do. And that mindset that you had to kind of move, push forward. And the podcast kind of said it, the, the student that was brave enough to put it on Reddit, the student that was so being brave and vulnerable and, and open to people possibly judging.

Ed Mendoza: It happens and it's we're too in nature for a lot of it, I would say from the advisors, and I know the podcast used the word counselor a lot, but from an our advisor at C-S-U-S-B, we talk about not judging, we talk about how we went through it ourselves. We talk about a majority of us are C-S-U-S-B graduates and how [00:29:00] we're here to just give information and and, and cheer them on and support them and give them extra resources and extra tools for them to be able to use.

Ed Mendoza: So if ever someone feels down, yeah, find that support group, whether it was Reddit, whether it was a mentor, whether it's someone in the class, or just come to an advisor. We may be a year or two older, maybe some of us a lot older, just a few years older, but doesn't mean we can't still relate. And, and, and even the faculty, same thing with the faculty.

Ed Mendoza: The ones teaching, they were college students themselves. So who better to ask how to, how to do better than the ones that are trying to get the best outta. 

Matt Markin: Yeah. And that's a good catch that, that you found with the, with the term counselor. 'cause Yeah, I think most of, when they were referencing counselor, they were really referring to like academic advisors.

Matt Markin: Um, yes, there might be some ADVI academic advisors that have counselor in their, um, title, like EOP counselor, sale counselor, STEM counselor. But I think for the most part it was really referencing those that are in academic [00:30:00] advising. 

Ed Mendoza: Correct, correct. Well, but I, I think it was wonderful. And if we're talking about the notebook, lm what, what, by the way, what's LM stand for?

Ed Mendoza: Maybe I throw you off here. It just me though, but as you look for it, but talking about the ate to summarize, I always told students. And maybe this is the old school mentality. Language 

Matt Markin: modeling. 

Ed Mendoza: Okay. Notebook language modeling. But I would always tell students, research says it whenever students take notes, if you rewrite them or type them up, within 24 hours, you retain 54% more of the information and it just makes it easier.

Ed Mendoza: And then what do PE most students do with their notes? They put it in their notebook or they stay on their laptop and it doesn't get opened until when. Before an exam or right before I needed, but if, if, imagine that supplement. Summarize and then listen to it every once in a while. By the time it is time for an exam.

Ed Mendoza: I've heard [00:31:00] it a couple times already. I, I don't have to go deep studying so much. And the stress comes from not feeling prepared. 

Ed Mendoza: Yeah. So 

Ed Mendoza: if I feel more prepared, then the stress is not there and it just makes it so much easier. Yeah. And it's multiple classes that I'm taking a semester two. Right. 

Matt Markin: Yeah, for sure.

Matt Markin: Um, I didn't find during that recording, I was finding the answer to your. Other question about handwritten notes, and so it doesn't look like notebook. LM would be able to up, you'd be able to upload handwritten notes, but the workaround would be using, um, a programmer app that would, uh, convert the handwritten text into machine readable edible text, and then you can upload that document into Notebook L.

Ed Mendoza: Wow. And, and I've learned this over the last couple years and maybe in five years. There's something even that could do all of that at once. Right. Uh, so yeah, technology, as we know, keeps improving it. 

Matt Markin: And something like, and something like this, uh, [00:32:00] notebook, LM as an AI platform, you could also cr. Use what you upload and create a study guide, um, an FAQA section, uh, for it as well.

Matt Markin: So definitely can help with, with the study tips. Um, it does have a little disclaimer at the bottom of their page that says, notebook LM can be inaccurate. Please double check its responses. So I think that is just something good, whether you use Notebook, lm or something else that. It may not be a hundred percent accurate, so you always want to have another source to double check the information.

Ed Mendoza: Correct? Correct. And, and, and I'll say it again, just like you, you mentioned it a couple times, it, it's not to replace. It's the supplement, it's add to, um, because the more information we have, the better I think we'll be prepared. 

Matt Markin: Right. Well, and again, disclaimer, it's a no promotion of Notebook LM or ChatGPT.

Matt Markin: This is just to show you that there's some AI platforms out there that you might be able to use and, and help out. But as we end the episode, [00:33:00] any last comments? 

Ed Mendoza: I, I wanna say congrats again, Matt, to, to the hundredth episode. This topic is good for our students. I know. Within these a hundred episodes, we've been trying to give information for students to use whether major, uh, tools that they have out there.

Ed Mendoza: This is an important topic and and dear my heart. In, in the 18 years that I've been in advising, students have struggles because life, uh, motivation, time management, just that effort that they need to put into it. But it's not necessarily an intelligence thing. We don't have a magic pill to address all of it.

Ed Mendoza: Um, we, we will continue to work with students and finding that motivation is within themselves, but may, but maybe having a conversation with someone else. It is helpful. Having a conversation with those that know you really well is helpful, but also having conversations that don't know you that well and that you, maybe you're more open to 'cause it, maybe they, you feel less judged by someone that doesn't know you as opposed to someone that already knows you.[00:34:00] 

Ed Mendoza: It's hard for me to talk about myself with people I know. The people I don't know makes it, yeah, I I, it's at least a little easier for me, so I, I think this will be helpful for students moving forward. Ai. As a whole, if you use, if you used properly, just like anything we had, uh, used properly. And the good thing about ai, I don't think we need to have a lot of tutorials.

Ed Mendoza: 'cause every time we have tools or things that we can, that can benefits it, we have to show 'em how to use it. But with ai, it just start, start typing or, or if you have the ChatGPT , or you could just talk to it, it's even better. 

Matt Markin: Yeah, just trial and error and eventually you figure it out. I don't know if we'll have another a hundred episodes, but, uh, we will still continue this podcast after episode 100.

Matt Markin: But, uh, thank you, ed, for being on this episode. 

Ed Mendoza: I, I'll say I'll challenge you. We can do another a hundred episodes. Matt, I, I'm not going anywhere. I won't retire till we do get to 200. How about that? 

Matt Markin: Who knows, maybe, maybe I'll use this AI platform and just generate episodes. [00:35:00] 

Ed Mendoza: Well, thanks.