CHATBOT TAKEOVER: Cal State East Bay is jumping on the chatbot bandwagon. It was announced today that the college, located in Hayward, Calif., will be partnering with Cognii to use the company’s Virtual Learning Assistant (VLA). A self-described “Siri for education,” the tool automatically grades students’ open-response answers in assessments and claims to provide qualitative feedback on questions. According to a press announcement, CSUEB students will begin using the chatbot this summer during an online transfer orientation course.
“I believe there are some positive implications of using artificial intelligence for online learning,” Roger Wen, senior director of Cal State East Bay’s Office of Online Campus, said in a prepared statement. “We are excited to partner with Cognii as we find ways to engage students and participate in the Cal State 2025 initiative to increase graduation rates of our freshmen and transfer students.”
