Interactive Learning Research Group

Intro/Background

This is an interdisciplinary group within the Cork Institute of Technology which brings together a range of pedagogical, psychological, programming, design and multimedia skills in the research and development of innovative e-learning strategies with a focus on highly interactive and immersive learning experiences. The group looks towards the world of digital games and simulations as the way forward beyond the limitations of current e-learning offerings – which overemphasise the production, and latterly the reuse, of non-interactive and largely text-based content – and as a basis upon which to build e-learning that is simultaneously fun and effective as well as being tuned to the needs and interests of the contemporary learner. Some specific topics that the group are currently investigate include but are not limited to:

• emotional design for e-learning;
• game-based e-learning for numeracy and literacy training;
• social software and collaborative e-learning;
• use of existing game and game middleware solutions for the development of effective e-learning

Departments of the Cork institute represented in the group include:

• Media and Communication Department
• Department of Computing
• DEIS Department of Education Development: who bring with them a strong history of funded research in e-learning and other educational fields and have specific interest in the pedagogy of e-learning and in the integration of “right technology” and “right pedagogy” in the creation of effective e-learning solutions, see http://deis.cit.ie

Members

Please update this list as required.

Parameters

• Digital resources for learning
• Video Games
• Games Psychology
• Simulation
• Pedagogy/Andragogy
• Educational Psychology
• Technology

Potential Projects

• Robocode gaming for computer science education
• Etiquette and the Design of Educational Technology
• Sports Coaching Socrates Project
• Embeddded Technology
• e-Learning games development framework targeting PC and mobile devices
• Blogging

Potential Funding

Useful Links

Serious Games Links

Most PC game engines will use either DirectX or OpenGL as an actual low level rendering technology. However a game engine sits on top of this layer and controls how the rendering layer is used. Most game engines come with either the complete source of the engine or the ability to script or create plug ins for them. Games can be created by either using an authoring tool that comes with the engine or writing code that directly uses the engine's API.

The following are the most popular commercial and open source game engines as per DevMaster.net, assessed July 1, 2005, however many more engines exist varying in complexity and price;

Commercial

Torque Engine

Developer : Garage Games, http://www.garaggames.net Graphics API : DirectX, OpenGL Language : C/C++ OS : Windows, MacOS, Linux

TV3D SDK

Developer : True Vision 3D, http://www.truevision3d.com Graphics API : DirectX Language : C/C++, C#, Delphi, VB 6, VB.net OS : Windows

3D Game Studio

Developer : Conitec Data Systems, http://www.conitec.net/ Graphics API : DirectX Language : C/C++ OS : Windows

Deep Creator

Developer : Right Hemisphere, http://www.righthemisphere.com/ Graphics API : DirectX Language : C/C++ OS : Windows

Reality Engine

Developer : Artifical Studios, http://www.realityengine.net/ Graphics API : DirectX Language : C/C++ OS : Windows

Cipher

Developer : RH Systems, http://www.cipherengine.com/ Graphics API : OpenGL Language : C/C++ OS : Windows

AgentFX

Developer : Agency 9 AB, http://www.agency9.se/ Graphics API : OpenGL Language : Java OS : Windows, Linux, MacOS, Solaris

Open Source

OGRE

Developer : Steve Streeting, http://www.ogre3d.org/ Graphics API : OpenGL, DirectX Language : C/C++ OS : Windows, Linux , MacOS

Crystal Space

Developer : Jorrit Tyberghein, http://www.crystalspace3d.org/ Graphics API : OpenGL Language : C/C++ OS : Windows, Linux , MacOS

Irrlicht

Developer : Nikolaus Gebhardt, http://irrlicht.sourceforge.net/ Graphics API : OpenGL, DirectX Language : C/C++, C#, VB.net OS : Windows, Linux

jME

Developer : Mark Powell and others, http://www.jmonkeyengine.com/ Graphics API : OpenGL Language : Java OS : Windows, Linux , MacOS

Reality Factory

Developer : Gekido Design Group, http://www.realityfactory.ca/ Graphics API : OpenGL, DirectX Language : C/C++ OS : Windows

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