“We are transitioning, and we can’t escape it” says CSUSB Assistant Professor Dr. Gregory Gondwe. “We need to adapt to change and think about how we can learn from AI, we need to find a way to use AI without losing the value of education”, said Gondwe.
In his office at CSUSB campus on a Zoom call, Dr. Gondwe discusses how ChatGPT will change education, and how we must amend to AI.
Campus community has mixed reactions on the newly gained access to ChatGPT for all students and faculty. It has brought about a change at CSUSB with the newly developed AI.
“The biggest risk is most people think AI cannot be trusted,” explains Gondwe. “It’s not the mistakes that are in AI it’s the accuracy; it will start correcting elements that are human so it can retain AI aspect, we have to accept these changes in order to adopt them; we have to see where learning meets in the future.”
Dr. Gregory Gondwe is a full-time lecturer at California State University, San Bernardino. He has published journal articles regarding the topic of AI, including “Artificial Intelligence, and the Ubuntu Robot in Sub-Saharan Africa: Towards a Normative Framework Digital Journalism,” and “CHATGPT and the Global South: How are journalists in sub-Saharan Africa engaging with generative AI? “Online Media and Global Communication.
As the Associate Professor of Journalism, he has accumulated extensive research within the realm of Artificial Intelligence.
What ChatGPT Edu includes for students and faculty
April 14, 2025, ChatGPT became available for all students and faculty members at CSUSB. It is available in the myCoyote portal under tools. Everyone attending or working at California State University will have access to OpenAI’s flagship model, excelling in text interpretation, coding, and mathematics.
ChatGPT Edu comprises improved language capabilities, quality, and speed, and 50 languages are supported. This AI has advanced competence in data analytics, web browsing, and document summarization.
California State University, San Bernardino makes a statement, “Conversations and data are not used to train OpenAI models.”
Undergraduate student perspective at CSUSB
Evette Gallardo, a CSUSB student who attends the San Bernardino campus, stated her concerns on the ramifications behind AI and Chat GPT, and the new wave of AI at CSUSB.
“I understand that we have to accept AI ChatGPT, this is the new wave of digital media, but also there’s many ramifications behind this new form of technology, it could be used for a lot of good, but we need to teach students how to use it”, expresses Gallardo
The bass thumps softly at Coyote Radio, where she is seated on a sofa, glowing screens and pulsing beats surround her workspace. There are glimmering trinkets sitting on top of her desk. She conveys her concerns whether professors will communicate to their students about how to use ChatGPT.
“Are these conversations that our professors are going to have with us? Are they being told that these conversations that they need to have with us, especially if this will be the new norm in our university, says Gallardo.
Faculty’s takes on ChatGPT
Dr. Mihaela Popescu is a Communication and Media Professor of communication studies, and co-founder and director of CSUSB’s Extended Reality for Learning. She has been a faculty member at California State University, San Bernardino since 2006.
“Popescu has shown her mixed opinions on AI, and how she uses ChatGPT, and why we should be concerned about it. She also states the importance of knowing how to use a Large Language Model.
“I find ChatGPT only marginally useful,” said Popescu. “It is fun for brainstorming or translating passages from a foreign language, but it does not replace the work of generating new knowledge, simple tasks like summarizing an article often produce bizarre results.
Followed by the creation of xREAL Lab, Dr. Popescu has worked with faculty to create instructional 360-degree videos to bring to life rich environments and used the power of 3D modeling and augmented reality (AR) environments for experiential learning.
She explains how essential it is for professors to teach them how to use it effectively.
“For many students, access to LLM models (Large Language Model) behind ChatGPT could be invaluable, provided to someone who teaches them how to create the necessary AI tutors, making this technology available to students is a crucial first step, but the key is teaching them how to use it productively”, said Popescu.
Dr. Fadi Muheidat is an Associate Professor who has taught courses at California State University, San Bernardino, such as Artificial Intelligence, Computer Network, and Security
He explains how students will have access to ChatGPT for free, and how this tech tool will open resources for students and other folks.
“They want to provide access and equity to students now”, said Muheidat. “Because some students are using the 3o version of ChatGPT Edu, and some students are paying for it. Others may not have the flexibility to afford those tools.
As ChatGPT has become available to CSUSB, students and faculty are navigating the new uncertainties and experiences that have come with AI. Professors have highlighted the importance of guiding students in the right direction towards the future of AI.
“We have to accept these changes and adopt them, we have to see where learning meets”, says Gondwe.