Digital gadgets have for years been mere toys for children in affluent families but are evolving into essential tools for future engineers, medics and architects, among other science-based professions.

According to Google, school-children can now use their internet-enabled gadgets to access surface practice problems for science, mathematics and technology subjects.

The California-based tech firm says its Search feature has been enriched to include a resource for students on various science topics including on-site quizzes that learners can undertake and have marked on the spot.

“High school math, chemistry, and physics have questions posted on Google Search’s new dedicated section that generates examples, videos and worksheets for over 2,000 STEM concepts,” the firm says.

This has been made possible following new Google-partner agreements with education material providers from across the globe, among them BBC Bitesize, Byjus, Careers360, Chegg, CK12, Education Quizzes, GradeUp, Great Minds, Kahoot!, OpenStax, Toppr and Vedantu.

The new dedicated sections have educational quizzes that schoolchildren can fill in directly on Google Search (mobile or desktop) with the “exam” results displayed immediately, with further resource material provided next to each answer.

Through partnerships with Symbolab, Mathway (a Chegg Service) and Tiger Algebra, Google has expanded its math solver to support different equations thereby complementing the capability recently introduced to Google Lens, while Google AR (Augmented reality) displays digital content and information onto the physical world for over 200 chemistry, biology, physics, and anatomy objects.

The upgrade will in future include results for complex STEM questions where detailed explanations for specific questions and similar ones as well as targeted resources on these types of complex subjects.

The educational content project comes hardly a year after Covid-19 saw schools closed, with children being sent home to await a return to normalcy. This saw internet use rise in Kenya with parents left in a dilemma on what online content is safe for their children’s use.

“These products support screen readers and improved keyboard usage for those with motor disabilities. Practice problems and these other Google Search features are live in English with plans to expand them internationally,” said the statement.

The development is a major plus for millions of schoolchildren atop YouTube classroom offerings that remain attractive to many university students.

Most universities around the world and in Kenya now run online classes via YouTube for students who later sit for exams at designated locations.