Faculty of Arts & Humanities
The following projects from the Faculty of Arts & Humanities have been registered with the Digital Education Futures Collective.
| Project Lead | School | Project Details | Contact details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ziene Mottiar | School of Tourism and Hospitality Management | In the Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Competencies module, students have set up chatbots which they are using to help them with some elements of their assessment. This is giving them the experience of learning how best to work with an AI Assistant, to think about how they can ethically use AI, see what it is good and and what it is not and as they train their own chat bot they could take them on with them into the workplace. This has resulted in a different classroom in which there are 48 students and 48 chatbots (they all have names too!!). This practice was introduced as a response to the changing work environment our graduates will be working in and as a way of embracing the new technology and showing how it can be used ethically.
poe.ie was used for this project. |
ziene.mottiar@tudublin.ie |
| Susanna Nocchi & Odette Gabaudan | Language Studies | Students in year 4 of the BA International Business and Languages (TU965) who opt for a 10credit year-long module entitled Language Learning and Teaching in the Digital World explore immersive digital environments for their potential for foreign language teaching and learning.
In particular, students are introduced to Second Life. In small groups they visit and experience selected environments designed for language instruction such as cultural hubs, escape rooms or exhibit rooms. They observe how interaction, immersion and contextual learning can be facilitated. They reflect on the pedagogical design of these spaces, considering how they align with Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theories, and digital language teaching methodologies. Students also engage with Spatial.io, a desktop-based immersive platform to run interactive classes. This environment allows for real-time collaboration and discussion in 3D spaces, offering a practical and accessible alternative to full VR. |
|
| Brian Vaughan | School of Media | Developing a forestry educational application in collaboration with an Irish forestry company and supported by an Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher. The project brings biodiversity and sustainable forest management to life through a VR environment built on a blend of kinaesthetic and situated learning. Users step into a richly modelled Irish forest, interact with its living systems, and follow the life cycles of native tree species. The experience is designed for a broad audience, from school learners to adults with an interest in forestry, offering an accessible way to understand why Ireland’s forests are a vital, living resource.
The software stack is: Blender (for 3D modelling and texturing), Unity Game Engine in the Universal Render Pipeline (URP). A very High-Fidelity version was tested using the High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP) but this is not compatible with mobile headsets and instead will be used for higher-end tethered headsets. The main URP version is being built using OpenXR for a Meta Quest 3 but is deployable to any headset by adjusting build settings. Funding: Enterprise Ireland Innovation Voucher |
brian.vaughan@tudublin.ie |
| Brian Vaughan
Collaborators: |
School of Media | We recently completed the third in a suite of VR training applications developed in partnership with BioPharmaChem Skillnet (Aseptic training, powder handling, and general health and safety). This latest programme builds directly on feedback and insights gathered from the previous two applications, which informed both the instructional design and the overall learning experience. The application is grounded in a pedagogical model developed within VIRaL that combines situated learning with kinaesthetic learning to reduce cognitive distance for learners. By allowing trainees to perform tasks through embodied interaction within realistic, context-rich environments, the programme enhances understanding, supports skill transfer, and increases engagement with important health and safety concepts. The suite of VR applications involved a number of skills, including immersive pedagogy, instructional design, VR development, user experience, and spatial and audio design, to create a training tool that is both pedagogically robust and sector-relevant. The result is a mixed-reality learning experience co-created with BioPharmaChem Skillnet, tailored to the needs of the biopharma and chemical industries. This third application further strengthens the collaborative relationship between VIRaL and BioPharmaChem Skillnet and demonstrates the value of continued co-design in producing impactful, industry-ready immersive training solutions. All three applications were developed in Unity and used Blender to develop bespoke 3D models. Funding: The project was funded by BioPharmaChem Skillnet via the eTender process. |
brian.vaughan@tudublin.ie
|
| Hugh McCabe | School of Media | I teach a module called 3D And Immersive Technologies to our Year 3 Creative Digital Media students. This involves introducing the students to 3D tech - in particular the Blender 3D modelling software and the Godot game engine. The students are formed into groups and asked to create 3D applications that are inspired by and/or based on a selected film. This year (2025/2026) the film was Alfonso Cuaron's Children Of Men.
Software: Blender and Godot. Hardware: PCs and laptops. |
hugh.mccabe@tudublin.ie |