What if Google Classroom had a canvas where lessons could adapt to each student?
I've spent years designing for learners at EdTech companies like Transfr and Correlation One. One thing I kept seeing: students lose momentum every time they have to jump between tools. This project is my chance to dig into that problem without a roadmap telling me what to build.
K-12 students bounce between Docs, Slides, YouTube, and PDF readers to get through a single lesson. My hypothesis is that all this switching hits neurodivergent students and kids who learn at a different pace the hardest. That's the first thing I want to validate with teachers.
Google already owns the classroom with Classroom and Chromebooks, but its creation tools are still mostly flat documents. Google actually tried a canvas before with Jamboard and shut it down in 2024. NotebookLM can already make mind maps and video overviews from sources.
So the real question isn't "should Google build a canvas?" It's "what would make one stick this time?" My bet: a canvas that's grounded in the teacher's own materials, adapts its support to each student, and gives teachers a clear view of where kids are stuck.
Want to read my next steps?
Started: Oct.1, 2026: Ongoing project, please follow along! 🙂
Product Designer (Solo)
Research strategy · UX · Prototyping
I just kicked this off! I'm exploring how AI could turn flat classroom materials like PDFs, slides, and lecture notes into something students can actually interact with. Right now I'm in the scoping phase: figuring out what teachers and students really need, what Google Workspace can and can't do today, and sketching early ideas to test.
This is a self-initiated concept, not a Google project. I'm sharing it early so you can see how I think, not just where I end up.
Redesigning for High-Stakes Legibility and WCAG Compliance in AI Gameplay
