AI Fundamentals with Prompt a Thon using Google NotebookLM

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Course Overview

This course gives students a clear start in understanding AI along with hands on practice using Google NotebookLM. The morning helps students learn what AI is, how NotebookLM works, and how to write prompts that lead to useful results. The afternoon turns the room into a working space where students explore a real problem and build a small solution with NotebookLM through a guided Prompt a Thon. Students finish the day with stronger skills in AI thinking, prompt design, and practical use of NotebookLM.

Who Should Attend

Employees or teams who want to understand AI and start using NotebookLM to support daily work. No technical background required.

Course Objectives

    • Explain AI in simple terms and describe common workplace uses
    • Describe the purpose and core features of Google NotebookLM
    • Use NotebookLM to explore files, sources, summaries, and ideas
    • Write clear prompts that guide NotebookLM toward helpful outputs
    • Improve prompts through simple changes that add clarity or context
    • Apply structured prompting during the Prompt a Thon
    • Build and present a small AI supported solution based on a real need

Course Outline

1 - Welcome and Course Overview

  • Instructor introductions
  • Course goals and expectations
  • How the Prompt a Thon works

2 - What AI Is and How It Works

  • Simple definition of AI
  • How large language models process information
  • Key terms, including models, prompts, context, and hallucinations
  • Workplace examples that show real value

3 - Introduction to Google NotebookLM

  • What NotebookLM is and how it supports learning and research
  • How NotebookLM handles sources
  • Workspace layout and navigation
  • Live demo of adding sources, asking questions, and exploring results value

4 - Prompting in NotebookLM NotebookLM

  • What makes a prompt clear and effective research
  • Parts of a prompt research
  • Common prompt types research
    • Instruction research
    • Question research
    • Role based research
    • Context prompts research
    • Few shot prompts research
    • Step wise reasoning prompts research
    • Creative prompts research
    • Refinement prompts research
  • Guided practice using NotebookLM research
  • How to adjust prompts to improve quality research

5 - Prompt a Thon Kickoff

  • Goals, flow, and expectations
  • How to approach small AI supported solutions
  • Team setup and topic selection

6 - Explore the Problem

  • Choose a real work challenge
  • Map tasks, steps, or challenges
  • Gather sample content where helpful

7 - Build With NotebookLM

  • Add sources to a new notebook
  • Create, test, and refine prompts
  • Compare prompt versions and select strong approaches
  • Review output quality

8 - Prepare a Short Share Out

  • Describe the problem
  • Show prompts and selected outputs
  • Explain how prompts changed through testing
  • Note limits, lessons, or next steps

9 - Group Presentations and Wrap Up

  • Team presentations
  • Peer and instructor feedback
  • Review of key takeaways
  • Closing discussion

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Class Dates & Times

Class times are listed Eastern time

This is a 1-day class

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The classes listed are available to all United Training customers and does not reflect, in any way,
the availability or support of technology within the University of Maine System.