Ateneo Laboratory for the Learning Sciences

The CSP organized this conference to enable local and neighboring computing educators, researchers, ICT professionals and students to interact and to share their work in computing, computer science, computer engineering, computational science, and information and communications technology (ICT). The conference features special lectures by prominent researchers and educators in the field of information and communications technology (including computing, computer science, computer engineering, computational science, and related disciplines). It also features contributed research papers on computing and ICT.

ICE 2018 is organized by the Computing Society of the Philippines (CSP)– Special Interest Group in Computing Education (CSP SIG-SpICE) and Cebu Institute of Technology University (CITU), Cebu City, Philippines. ICE2018 will be hosted by Cebu Institute of Technology University, Cebu City, Philippines, this coming October 4-6, 2018.

We are pleased to announce that 4 submissions from ALLS have been accepted for the ICE 2018. Below is the complete ALLS lineup:

• Melquizedek Borbon and Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo . A Mobile Augmented Reality Application With User-defined Virtual Elements. [PDF]
• Jonathan Casano, Ma. Mercedes T. Rodrigo and Eric Cesar Vidal. Using an Alternative Bluetooth Low-Energy Fingerprinting Algorithm to Position Augmented Reality Game Models in a Signal Dense Environment [PDF]
• Rejeenald Flores, Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo and Jenilyn Agapito Wheel-spinning in a Novice Programming Context within a Meaningful Gamification System.
• Jun Rangie Obispo, Ma. Mercedes Rodrigo and Francisco Enrique Vicente Castro. Incidence of Einstellung Effect among Programming Students and its Relationship with Achievement.

The JSET-AECT 2018 Summer International Research Symposium, to be held on September 7–9, 2018 at the Future University Hakodate and Takuboku-Tei,  aims to advance the work of researchers who are actively involved in the field of educational technology. It will bring together experienced and young researchers in this field to exchange and share their research results and engage in a lively discussion on issues related to their research topics.

At this symposium, the keynote speakers will introduce approaches to the design of learning environments in order to describe the factors in building a learning community and in cultivating their community of practice. These approaches can also be applied effectively to schools and local communities in order to identify the current issues and problems. For example, one approach, in particular, emphasizes the pedagogical concepts of “collaborative meta-learning” and “social motivation.”

During the symposium, Eric Cesar E. Vidal, Jr., ALLS Researcher and Ph.D. Student, will be presenting on his project entitled, Mobile Augmented-Reality Game Engine for Instructional Support.

The 15th ERDT-DOST (Engineering Research and Development for Technology Department of Science and Technology) Conference, co-located with the 11th AUN/SEED-Net Regional Conference on Energy Engineering (RCEneE), will be hosted by the University of the Philippines Diliman at the Manila Hotel on 27-28 September 2018. Topics to be covered by this conference will include environment and infrastructure, information and communication technology, manufacturing and machinery, and eastyl semiconductors and electronics.

We are pleased to announce that the paper “Open-Sourcing a Framework for Developing Mobile Augmented Reality Games” has been selected for a presentation during the conference.

ABSTRACT

MAGIS (Mobile Augmented-Reality Game Engine for Instructional Support) is a framework for developing educational games that makes use of user’s location to provide relevant AR (augmented reality) content. It has been used in the production of two mobile games, Igpaw: Intramuros and Igpaw: Loyola, both educational adventure games that let players tour and learn about the walled city of Intramuros and the campus grounds of Ateneo de Manila University, respectively. In this paper, we discuss the steps taken to facilitate the open-source release of the MAGIS framework, with the intent of enabling the general public to create their own games using this framework. This discussion includes the technical issues encountered and the results of a training workshop that was made open to the public.

The Ateneo Laboratory for the Learning Sciences conducted an instructional workshop for the Mobile Augmented Reality Game Engine for Instructional Support (M.A.G.I.S.) Game Engine at the University of San Jose-Recoletos on July 27 and 28, 2018. The M.A.G.I.S. Game Engine was used to create instructional augmented reality games such as Igpaw: Intramuros and Igpaw: Loyola, both of which are available on the Google PlayStore and Apple App Store.

Melvin Luis Mendoza, Japheth Samaco, and JM Santo, three members from the MAGIS development team, conducted the workshop for a total of 17 participants composed of students and faculty from the university. Most of the participants kept up with all of the discussions. They were able to modify the sample game provided with their own content, which was the workshop’s main exercise. In addition, some of the participants were able to deploy their modified games to their phones.

Overall, the workshop was successful in sharing the MAGIS Game Engine to more aspiring augmented reality game developers. ALLS and the MAGIS team would like to thank University of San Jose-Recoletos for their participation in the workshop, and their hospitality during the team’s stay in Cebu.

The Department of Science and Technology recently concluded “Science for the People” in celebration of the National Science and Technology Week this 17th to 21st of July, 2018. The theme of “Innovation for Collective Prosperity” hosted at this platform showcased our country’s achievements in science and technology as well as their intended applications of its products and findings. The institution urged all Filipinos to apply creativity in east jump technology as a critical factor in solving many of the country’s problems and in improving the lives of its citizens.

ALLS, represented by Joal Rose Lin, Jose Isidro Beraquit, Japeth Samaco, Nicole Bugayong, John Michael Santos, and Luis Raphael Tomas Lim, were assigned to exhibit the Igpaw Igpaw: Intramuros, Igpaw: Loyola, and reADMU.txt.