Aaron Bolger

Technical Officer - PhD Student - VR Enthusiast

About

Aaron works in the School of Applied Psychology in University College Cork as a Technical Officer. Aaron completed his primary B.A. in Visual and Performing Arts in Waterford Institute of Technology in 2012, focusing on the experience of art for his dissertation. With the intention of being inter-disciplined, he went on to complete his Masters in Interactive Media in University College Cork, specialising in input and navigation concepts for virtual reality.

Following on from this, he began his PhD Studentship (Part Time) in 2015 under the supervision of Dr Conor Linehan and Dr Nadia Pantidi of the School of Applied Psychology in UCC, and is currently researching the advancement of pedagogy through serious games and augmented and virtual reality technology, with a particular interest in the measurement of learning in a game environment.

Research

Publications

Media
Abstracts
  • A. Bolger, K. Pantidi, C. Linehan., " Immersive Virtual Reality in Secondary School Science Education: A Scoping Review", Irish Human Computer Interaction Conference (iHCI), Cork, 2016.
  • A. Bolger, K. Pantidi, C. Linehan., " Recognising and Measuring Problem Solving Behaviours and Interactions in Game-Based Learning", The 6th Irish Conference on Game-Based Learning (IGBL2016), Dublin, 2016.
  • A. Bolger, K. Pantidi, C. Linehan., "Measuring Game-Based Learning of Boolean Logic through Puzzle Interactions in a Minecraft World", 4th Annual Picteilin, ISBN 978-0-9930459-1-2, Dundalk, 2016.

Presentations

Conference Presentations
  • Presentation Title: " Immersive Virtual Reality in Secondary School Science Education: A Scoping Review", Poster Presentation at the Irish Human Computer Interaction Conference (iHCI), Cork, 2016.
  • Presentation Title: "Recognising and Measuring Problem Solving Behaviours and Interactions in Game-Based Learning", Oral Presentation at The 6th Irish Conference on Game-Based Learning (IGBL2016), Dublin, 2016.
  • Presentation Title: "Measuring Game-Based Learning of Boolean Logic through Puzzle Interactions in a Minecraft World", Oral Presentation for the 4th Annual Picteilin Conference, Dundalk, 2016.
Research Presentations
  • Presentation Title: "Content Problems and Difficulties in Science Education: Teachers' Views", Oral Presentation for Yearly Review at Applied Psychology UCC, Cork, 2017.
  • Presentation Title: "Immersive Virtual Reality in Education: A Scoping review", Oral Presentation for Yearly Review at Applied Psychology UCC, Cork, 2016.
  • Presentation Title: "Boole 2 School - Minecraft Boole World Day", Oral Presentation at Microsoft, Dublin, 2015.
  • Presentation Title: "Alternative User Input and Navigation in Virtual Reality", Presentation at Logitech General Assembly based on MSc research, Switzerland, 2014.
Invited Talks
  • Presentation Title: "Game-based system which measures user interactions to automatically detect users problem-solving behavior", Oral Presentation for the Interaction-Design, E-learning and Speech (IDEAS) research group meeting, Cork, 2016.
  • Presentation Title: "The Affordances of Immersive Virtual Reality in Science Education: An Introduction", Oral Presentation for the UCC Applied Psychology Lightning Talks, Cork, 2016.
  • Presentation Title: “Understanding and Constructing Experiences in Virtual Reality", Oral Presentation for the User Experience Design Summer School, WIT, Waterford, 2016.

Organisations

Cork Virtual Reality Meetup Group

Date: March 2017 - present
  • The Cork Virtual Reality Meetup runs bi-monthly in Cork city. The purpose of the meetup is to encourage professionals and enthusiasts from industry, academia, or anywhere else to come together to discuss and work with Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed reality, and other emerging technologies. Talks and group discussions are held at the meetings, as well as tech demos of some of the new interactions technologies currently available.
PATLab Research Group, School of Applied Psychology, University College Cork

Date: September 2015 - present
  • The PATLab group is the School of Applied Psychology's Human Computer Interaction research group. We meet weekly to discuss current HCI research and technology. We also get involved in larger HCI projects with other research groups in Ireland and abroad. In 2016 we organised the annual iHCI (Irish Human-Computer Interaction) conference.
Logitech Gamer UX Panel, Logitech, Cork

Date: October 2014 - present
  • The Logitech Gamer UX panel is a group involved with the pilot testing of Logitech gaming peripherals, as well as other related devices. We're occasionally contacted by Logitech to test hardware or be involved in a user experience study.
IDEAS Research Group, Department of Computer Science, University College Cork

Date: September 2014 - present
  • IDEAS is the Department of Computer Science's Human Computer Interaction (HCI) research group. We meet bi-monthly to discuss research and attend presentations by researchers currently running projects in the broad area of HCI.

Education

Visual Art at Waterford IT (2012)

Interactive Media at University College Cork (2015)

PG6003 Teaching and Learning Module for Graduate Studies

How can immersive virtual reality provide value to the teaching of science in secondary schools?

Training

  • 25-Sept-18: "Effective Team Working – Your Role" - Anne Gannon, UCC
  • 22-May-18: "UCC GDPR Training (online)" - UCC GDPR - Certificate
  • 11-May-18: "GDPR Information Session" - UCC GDPR
  • 23-March-18: "Fire Extinguisher" - UCC Health and Safety
  • 16-Jan-18: "Manual Handling" - UCC Health and Safety
  • 8-Jan-18: "VDSE Online" - UCC Health and Safety
  • 8-Jan-18: "Fire Safety" - UCC Health and Safety

  • 05-Sept-18: "F.A.I.R. Data Management" - UCC Research Support Services (RSS)
  • 24-Jan-17: "Turbocharge Your Writing" - Prof Liam Marnane
  • 7-June-16: "Beginners LaTeX" - Dr Peter Flynn

Experience

Technical Officer

Applied Psychology
Department: Applied Psychology
University College Cork (UCC)
Start: Jan 2018 - present
  • Aaron works in the School of Applied Psychology in University College Cork as a Technical Officer. He provides general technical support to students and staff of the school, develops software tools and support tools, and is involved in technical roles as part of research projects in many areas of psychology and technology. Additionally, he contributes to the development of content and formulation of modules for undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs, while also providing training and development for staff and postgraduate students in the school.

Technical Research Assistant

Applied Psychology
Department: Applied Psychology
University College Cork (UCC)
Year commencing 2016/2017
  • support and consultancy related to computer programmes ( e.g. EPrime, Driving Sim programmes, JSPsych, LimeSurvey etc) as well as data extraction from ADAP, Actiheart and other bioSignal programmes
  • work with staff to develop websites ( e.g. PsychSlam) or teaching resources (e.g. online material or interactive BB tasks)
  • work with staff to develop posters etc. Aaron has a degree is visual design.
  • work with staff to develop material for slides, posters, research papers or grants. For example, Aaron has developed an animated model the shows the interactions of components of a behavioural change intervention. This is being used in two modules in lectures and in n online tutorial. Aaron also designed the posters used on Culture Night on classical experiments.
  • update the school website, blog, twitter and so on

Teaching

Digital Literacy (Guest Lecture)
School of Applied Psychology (BA)
University College Cork (UCC)
2018
  • A guest lecture to provide technical skills to undergraduate students to assist them in their degree and career.
Munster Programming Training (Cycle 1 Senior):
University College Cork (UCC)
2017-2018
  • 4th and 5th year secondary School Students attending the MPT Senior program were taught the basics of game design through Miecraft.
Munster Programming Training (Cycle 1 Junior):
University College Cork (UCC)
2017-2018
  • 1st and 2nd year year secondary School Students attending the MPT Senior program were taught the basics of game design through Miecraft.
MPT Web Design
Munster Programming Training
University College Cork (UCC)
2016/2017
  • Secondary School Students attending the MPT program were taught the basics of web design. Technologies used:
    • HTML5
    • CSS3
    • JavaScript
    • Design
HEA Tutor (Senior Cycle)
Department: Computer Science
University College Cork (UCC)
Date: June 2017
    A one week summer camp for secondary school children to learn the basics of web design. As part of this module students learnt the basic principles of HTML, Design, and CSS. Lab work used the following technologies:
  • HTML5
  • CSS3
ICT Teacher Workshop
Department: Computer Science
University College Cork (UCC)
Date: May 2015
    Secondary School Teachers attended a workshop on the basics of recording and processing audio.
    Technologies used:
  • Audacity

Workshops

Designing for Health: User-Centered Design of Mobile Health Technologies - Course as part of PSI Division of Health Psychology Conference 2016
Department: Applied Psychology
University College Cork (UCC)
26th of May 2016
  • This workshop introduced participants to the principles and practices of user-centered design. Secondly, participants engaged in a hands-on, paper-based, rapid prototyping exercise, focused on the design of mobile health apps. The aim of the workshop was to help participants;
    • Understand the conceptual underpinnings of user centered design and rapid prototyping
    • Be able to quickly evaluate design features of mobile apps through paper prototypes
    The course was facilitated by Dr Conor Linehan in the School of Applied Psychology, and co-facilitated by myself.

Tutor/Mentor

Applied Psychology
Department: Applied Psychology
University College Cork (UCC)
Academic Year: 2015/2016
  • 1 to 3 tutoring sessions with first year Applied Psychology students covering demonstrated subjects


Demonstrator

Applied Psychology
Department: Applied Psychology
University College Cork (UCC)

Module CodeNameTopicsDemonstration Year
AP1108Research Methods Introduction to research and experiment methodologies for psychology 2015/2016
AP1105Statistics Basic statistical measures and tests for psychology experiements2015/2016

MSc Interactive Media (MScIM)
Department: Computer Science
University College Cork (UCC)

Module CodeNameTopicsDemonstration Year
CS6101Publishing and Hypermedia Systems HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP2014/2015
CS6100Authoring Processing 2014/2015
CS6104Digital Video Capture and Packaging Processing2014/2015
CS6105Future and Emerging Interaction Technologies x3d, Three.js2014/2015

Munster Programming Training
University College Cork (UCC)
IT Summer Camp (sponsored by HEA)
University College Cork (UCC)
  • June 2015
  • Modules:
    • Game Development
    • Film Studies

Contact Me

The best way to get in contact with me is via email: aaron.bolger@ucc.ie

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Boole World Project

I was involved in the Boole World Project at University College Cork, which aimed to familiarize/use an online game platform to teach Secondary and Primary School students the abstract concept of Boolean logic. This work received significant media coverage which can be seen under the research tab. A proof of concept of this project was presented to Microsoft in Dublin as part of an Outreach program and introduced to a small group of primary and secondary school students for feedback, to overall positive response. Due to the success of the project, Microsoft are providing a dedicated server on which the project is now publicly available to be accessed by Minecraft users.Softwares Used: Minecraft

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Quiz for kids with PCD

I was brought into this project in order to correct issues in the Flash program left by the previous developer, as there were some parts missing and new features needed. Essentially, the challenge was that the base .fla project file (used to edit the final program) was not available. The finalised product was, however, and needed to be decompiled and edited in order to fix the issues. The quiz is being used by the University of Southampton to gather information about children affected by the lung disease PCD. Softwares Used: Adobe Flash

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Information site and management tool for Molar Pregnancy patients

An independent web-based tool used both to educate patients and families, and also to allow the clinical nurses and consultant to keep track of patient information from GPs around Ireland. Will also allow the consultant to monitor blood test results, which is extremely important in the case of a molar pregnancy. Softwares Used: HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL, Python, Adobe Photoshop

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