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- Google’s free AI Educator Series Badge-a-thon takes place online Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
- The event is designed for K-12 educators and includes short talks, hands-on module overviews, live badging, and practical classroom examples.
- You do not need to finish every training module before attending, but creating an account and reviewing the available Google AI Educator Series content can make the event easier to follow.
What the Google AI Educator Series Badge-a-thon is
Google has announced a free virtual Google AI Educator Series Badge-a-thon for Saturday, September 19, 2026. The event is scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time and is aimed specifically at K-12 educators.
The 10-hour online event is built around short, repeatable 30-minute blocks rather than one long lecture. Each block combines a classroom-focused lightning talk, an overview of an official training module, and an opportunity to complete a quiz and earn a digital badge. Google says the sessions are intended to help educators use AI tools in practical ways, such as drafting parent communications, adapting reading levels, supporting student problem-solving, and creating interactive learning activities.
Google describes the event as free and virtual, with educators able to drop in for the sessions most relevant to them. Its announcement also refers to a global community of educators, so the event may be useful to teachers outside the United States and Canada as well. However, Google has not published a separate country-by-country eligibility list.
How to register for the September 19 event
Registration is handled through Google’s Edu on Air event platform. Use the official event page to RSVP, sign in with a Google account or create an account with an email address, and review the event details before September 19.
- Open the official Badge-a-thon registration page.
- Choose the sign-in option that works for you. The event platform supports Google sign-in and email-based account access.
- Complete the RSVP process and save the event page so you can return to the schedule.
- On event day, join the sessions you want to attend. Because the program uses 30-minute blocks, you do not necessarily need to stay online for all 10 hours.
Google’s announcement does not say that educators must complete a specific course before registering. It also does not promise a particular number of badges for every attendee. The safest expectation is that badges depend on completing the relevant training activity and its knowledge check.
What educators can expect during the 10-hour schedule
The published format gives each 30-minute block three parts:
| Part of the block | What it covers | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning Talk | A teacher shares a quick classroom use case or workflow. | You see how an idea might fit into an ordinary school day. |
| Module Overview | A guided introduction to the relevant Google AI Educator Series training. | You can decide whether the module is worth completing on your own time. |
| Live Badging and Prizes | Participants work through the knowledge check and may receive a digital badge. | You can turn the training into a verifiable professional learning credential. |
The full event window is 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. That means the schedule begins at 6:00 a.m. Pacific, 7:00 a.m. Mountain, and 8:00 a.m. Central. In Atlantic Canada, it runs from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Atlantic Time. Newfoundland Time is 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Google has not published a complete session-by-session timetable in the announcement. Check the registration page for the live schedule and any updates closer to the event.
How the Google AI Educator Series badges work
The Google AI Educator Series is a free, on-demand training program made up of short, non-sequential sessions. Google says some sessions take less than 15 minutes to complete, which makes them easier to fit into a preparation period, lunch break, or professional learning schedule.
After completing a training activity and its knowledge check, educators can earn a digital badge. Google describes the badges as ISTE-aligned, meaning the training was developed with reference to education technology standards and professional learning goals. A badge can help document that you completed a specific learning activity, but it should not automatically be treated as a government teaching license, college credit, or district-approved professional development credit.
If you need credit toward a school-board, district, or state professional learning requirement, confirm that policy with your employer. Google has not stated that every school system will accept these badges for formal continuing education credit.
New training topics to look for
The September announcement highlights several newer modules and examples:
- Automating routine communication: Educators can explore ways to draft notifications, including messages to parents when an assignment is missed.
- Active Problem-Solving: This module introduces Gemini’s Guided Learning feature, which is designed to help students work through difficult problems with step-by-step, Socratic-style support rather than simply receiving an answer.
- Planning the Inquiry: This higher-education-focused module looks at Gemini’s Deep Research feature and student research workflows. It may be less relevant to K-12 teachers than the classroom modules.
- AI Quest: Market Marshes: This interactive learning experience uses game-based activities and real-world topics such as human agency and flood forecasting.
Google says new Google AI Educator Series modules are being added on the first Wednesday of each month. That means the available content may change before the September event, so the current course list is more useful than an older screenshot or social media post.
How to prepare before joining
You do not appear to need extensive technical preparation. A few simple steps should make the day more useful:
- Register early. Complete the RSVP process and make sure you can sign in to the event platform.
- Test your device and connection. Use an updated browser, headphones if possible, and a reliable internet connection.
- Review the available GES modules. Look for topics connected to your teaching role instead of trying to complete everything.
- Bring one real classroom problem. For example, you might want to reduce time spent drafting feedback, differentiate reading materials, or create a better student review activity.
- Keep a place for notes. Write down the tool, workflow, privacy considerations, and any follow-up training you want to complete.
- Check your district or school policy. Before using AI with student information, confirm what your school permits and avoid entering sensitive personal data into a tool unless your organization has approved that use.
For Canadian and U.S. educators, the main practical difference is likely to be time zone and local school policy. Google has not announced separate registration rules for Canada and the United States, and the published event information does not identify a country-specific fee or application process.
What happens next
The confirmed event date is September 19, 2026. Google has not announced a separate deadline for registration, a guaranteed badge count, or a formal professional development credit amount. If you plan to attend, register through the official event page and revisit the schedule before the event begins.
The Google AI Educator Series itself is available on demand, so educators who cannot attend the live Badge-a-thon can still explore the training modules and complete available knowledge checks through Google’s certification platform.
Explore the Google AI Educator Series training
Helpful Links
- Google AI Educator Series announcement – Read Google’s official announcement about the September 19 Badge-a-thon, new modules, schedule, and digital badges.
- Google AI Educator Series Badge-a-thon registration – RSVP for the free virtual event and review the official event schedule.
- Google AI Educator Series training – Explore the free on-demand training sessions and available Google AI Educator Series badges.
- Google AI Educator Series launch announcement – Learn how Google designed the free, bite-sized educator training and its partnership with ISTE+ASCD.
- Google AI Educator Series – Official page referenced in the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is the Google AI Educator Series Badge-a-thon free?
A. Yes. Google describes the September 19, 2026, Badge-a-thon as a free virtual event. You may still need to sign in or create an account on the Edu on Air platform to register.
Q. Do I have to attend all 10 hours?
A. Google describes the event as a flexible schedule made up of 30-minute blocks, so educators can drop in for relevant sessions. The published announcement does not say that attending the entire 10-hour window is required.
Q. Will the badges count as official teacher certification?
A. No such equivalency has been announced. The badges are digital learning credentials aligned with ISTE-related education standards, but teachers should confirm separately whether their school, district, state, or province accepts them for professional development credit.
Q. Can educators outside the United States attend?
A. Google refers to a global community of educators and does not publish a U.S.-only restriction for the virtual event. However, a separate country-by-country eligibility list has not been announced, so international educators should review the registration page for any access limitations.
Q. What should I do if I cannot attend on September 19?
A. The Google AI Educator Series is also available as free on-demand training. You can review the available modules and complete their knowledge checks through Google’s educator certification platform.
