Charles Hughes Archives | ��ֱ�� News

Interim Director Named for Modeling and Simulation Degree Program

Zenaida Kotala — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 20:24:59 +0000

Charles Hughes, Pegasus Professor of computer science, has been named the new interim director of the modeling and simulation degree programs. He will begin leading the ��ٱ��’s and doctoral degree programs, housed in UCF’s Institute for Simulation and Training, this fall.

Hughes is replacing R. Paul Wiegand, a research associate professor at the institute, who is leaving UCF in August for a faculty position at Winthrop ��ֱ�� in South Carolina.

Hughes is no stranger to IST. Having served on the committee that formed the institute in 1982, he is currently the co-director of the Synthetic Reality Lab at the institute, which consists of faculty researchers, affiliated faculty members, software developers, doctoral and undergraduate students, artists and digital puppeteers. His research is primarily associated with virtual learning environments including the TeachLivE project, which supports teacher practice in classroom management, pedagogy and content.

‘Mentoring is an honor and a pleasure and is, in fact, how one keeps learning.’

Mentoring students has been an important part of Hughes’ 52-year faculty career — 40 of those at UCF. He’s directed graduate and undergraduate programs at Penn State, Tennessee and UCF. He has advised 26 doctoral candidates and many undergraduates through to graduation and keeps in touch with many of them who are now working in academia, research institutes and industry. He also regularly mentors high school students who have gone on to graduate from universities including UCF, Harvard, Yale and soon Columbia.

“Mentoring is an honor and a pleasure and is, in fact, how one keeps learning,” says Hughes. “The key is to understand that effective mentoring is a two-way street, where roles regularly change so the learner becomes the teacher and the teacher becomes the learner.”

Hughes, who received his doctorate from Penn State in 1970, regularly publishes his research in the areas of virtual environments, human-centered computing, and the application of VR experiences to interpersonal-skills development. His experience and active work in the field keep him abreast of new developments, which benefit his students as well.

Hughes is co-founder and co-lead of the Learning Sciences cluster and a member of the Disability, Aging & Technology cluster. He is also co-lead of the Center for Research in Education Simulation Technology and has secondary appointments in Games and Interactive Media, Education and, of course, Modeling & Simulation.

“Dr. Hughes’ experience and passion for student success make him the ideal candidate to ensure the continued good work of these programs,” says Wes Naylor, the interim director of UCF’s School of Modeling, Simulation and Training. “His interdisciplinary work and connections will enrich the program.”

Cheryl Hines: Borrow Skills from Improv, Take Them to the Classroom

Fri, 23 May 2014 20:49:43 +0000

Nearly 100 educators from across the country gathered at the ��ֱ�� this week to learn some big lessons from five middle schoolers who have a lot to say but who aren’t actually human.

The teachers were part of the College of Education and Human Performance’s second national TLE TeachLivE conference, and the students are named Maria, Ed, CJ, Sean and Kevin. They’re all students in the virtual classroom simulator known as TeachLivE, which was developed at UCF to better prepare teachers to handle the rigors of leading a classroom.

Teachers-in-training and existing teachers can step into the simulator to practice targeted skills, such as classroom management and content pedagogy, in what’s called “virtual rehearsal.” An “interactor” from UCF controls all five avatars, which each have distinctive personalities that mirror what teachers might see in the average classroom.

Actress Cheryl Hines, a UCF alumna, kicked off the conference with a presentation about improvisation and how those skills can be applied to the classroom.

“It would be very difficult as a teacher to communicate anything with a student without connecting with them. The only way you can improvise is if you’re a good listener, so you have to listen to what someone else says, because there’s no script,” said Hines, a graduate of the Groundlings, the revered improv comedy troupe based in Los Angeles.

Hines, the star of television shows including “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Suburgatory,” spoke about the importance of playing along, assuming a relationship and making bold choices to both actors and teachers.

“With teaching, if a student has an idea or a thought or a question, you can’t shut them down and say ‘That’s a bad question,’ ‘You don’t know what you’re talking about’ or ‘Why weren’t you listening,’ any of those things. It has to keep moving in a positive direction,” said Hines. “In improv, you have to stay in the moment. You can’t plan what’s going to happen next because you don’t know. I think it’s that way with teaching.”

Throughout the two-day conference, educators attended workshops and discussions about how TeachLivE can be used as a stimulating way to prepare all different kinds of teachers.

Breakout sessions targeted math, science, preschool, counselor and other educators. New developments in TeachLivE, including a parent-teacher conference scenario and the creation of an avatar with Autism Spectrum Disorder, were also introduced.

Just 10 minutes in the simulator forces teachers to think more about their practice, said Karla Auzenne, a science instructional specialist for the Houston Independent School District, which has used TeachLivE as a preparation tool for rookie and veteran teachers.

“Even when I first met the TeachLivE students through Skype, I forgot I was talking to avatars,” said Auzenne. “They become kids to you. They come off the screen into real life. It’s a game-changer, right then and there.”

TeachLivE was created eight years ago by education professors Mike Hynes and Lisa Dieker, College of Engineering & Computer Science professor Charles Hughes, and an interdisciplinary team that included members of the Synthetic Reality Lab at UCF’s Institute for Simulation & Training.

Today, TeachLivE is delivered to more than 10,000 teachers at 37 partner universities and at other sites including the school districts in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties. A team of more than 25 at UCF supports the technology, development and partnerships.

The theme for this year’s TeachLivE conference was ludic convergence, or playful collaboration, a celebration of what the TeachLivE team calls “sandbox technology.” One group of children could come into a sandbox and create distinct castles or shapes. When they’re done, another group of kids could come in, tear down what was there and build something completely different.

That’s the nature of TeachLivE, which can be completely customized depending on the user’s objectives. What stays the same, however, is the realistic nature of the classroom.

“I’m not great at technology, but what I saw today was fascinating,” said Hines. “This is so great. You’re actually talking to a real person—different characters, but a real person.”

Conference to Focus on UCF’s Award-Winning Classroom Simulator

Mon, 19 May 2014 15:05:15 +0000

Imagine stepping in front of a classroom full of high schoolers for the first time to teach a math lesson.

You’re trying to calm your nerves and deliver content clearly and compellingly when you catch C.J. in the back row texting on her cell phone. Sean, another student, interrupts your pre-calculus lesson to tell you about a TV show he watched the night before.

Suddenly, you’ve lost your place entirely.

It is a scenario that’s typical for teachers, but thanks to an innovative teacher preparation tool developed at the ��ֱ��, it is something that practicing teachers and teachers-in-training can work through without impacting any actual students.

That’s because C.J., Sean and their classmates are avatars in a virtual classroom. The program, called TLE TeachLivE is a mixed-reality simulation environment that provides users the opportunity to practice a targeted skill, whether classroom management or content pedagogy.

Similar simulation technologies are common in medicine and aviation, but TeachLivE is the only one of its kind in education, providing a personalized learning environment customized to the unique needs of teachers-in-training or practicing teachers looking to brush up on their skills or try out new techniques.

“Suspension of disbelief is a key aspect of simulation and training. When a subject steps into the simulator that cognitively they know is not a ‘real’ situation, they begin to accept the simulation as real in a short period of time. The subject is experiencing suspension of disbelief,” said Mike Hynes, a member of the TeachLivE team and professor in UCF’s College of Education and Human Performance. “It never ceases to amaze me when I see subject after subject experience suspension of disbelief in TeachLivE.”

Hynes created TeachLivEwith education professor Lisa Dieker, College of Engineering & Computer Science professor Charles Hughes, and an interdisciplinary team that included members of the Synthetic Reality Lab at UCF’s Institute for Simulation & Training.

Last month, TeachLivE took the top prize at the NewSchools Venture Fund’s annual summit. The Learning to Teach Impact Award is given annually to a teacher-preparation program that connects teachers with opportunities for practice in real-world settings.

In 2013, TeachLivE earned the 2013 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Modeling and Simulation from the National Training and Simulation Association, an honor that’s typically awarded to military applications of modeling and simulation.

“The various awards, and especially this most recent, recognizing our impact on learning, are such a celebration of the over 25 people who are part of our team,” said Dieker. “UCF, too, should be celebrated in each award the TeachLivE team has received in that the university has a culture and climate of true partnerships, not within, but across disciplines.”

Hughes said: “This latest recognition of our collaborative work as members of the TeachLivE team is wonderful in itself, but even more so as it motivates us to continue ignoring disciplinary walls to help make a positive difference for all aspects of society.”

The TeachLivE concept began more than eight years ago. Today, TeachLivE is delivered to more than 10,000 teachers at 37 partner universities and at other sites including the school districts in Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties. A team of more than 25 at UCF supports the technology, development and partnerships.

The current version of TeachLivE requires only a typical computer, a large display and a Microsoft Kinect to allow users to move about the environment and have “natural” interactions with the avatars.

The TLE TeachLivE team says the “sandbox” nature of the program—its ability to be used in different ways and for different purposes—could also have uses in areas outside of education.

Up next for the TeachLivE team is the program’s second annual conference, which will be held at UCF May 22-23.

The conference will include presentations by institutions that use TeachLivE with opportunities to share teaching and research ideas. Actress Cheryl Hines, a UCF alumna, will kick off the conference Thursday at 3:45 p.m. in the Morgridge International Reading Center with a keynote presentation about improvisation.

Other conference sessions will focus on how “virtual rehearsal” can be used to curb teacher anxieties, train counselors and prepare early childhood educators.

UCF to Offer New Nanotechnology Degree

Thu, 27 Mar 2014 22:56:33 +0000

The UCF Board of Trustees Thursday approved a new interdisciplinary professional science ��ٱ��’s degree program that will expand UCF’s offerings in the rapidly growing field of nanotechnology.

Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study of extremely small things — detectable only with very strong microscopes — and how they can be used in a variety of fields from biology to engineering.

Examples include micro cameras used in surgery, liquids used to repair scratches on cars, stain-resistant clothes and stealth technology that cloaks planes from radar.

Thursday’s approval comes nearly 10 years after UCF opened the , which will run the new program. Students will develop the scientific knowledge necessary to make discoveries, along with the business and entrepreneurial skills they need to take those discoveries to the market.

Government agencies and academic researchers have been working hard to unravel how the nano world works. It’s one of the hottest growth industries with a worldwide market estimated at $1.2 trillion by 2020, according to Global Industry Analysts.

Students will work closely with industry partners, and the NanoScience Technology Center is interested in recruiting additional partners. The center’s faculty members already work with 21 companies. Interested companies can contact center director Sudipta Seal at sudipta.seal@ucf.edu.

The new program is expected to begin this fall with 10 students.

In other action Thursday, the Board of Trustees:

Approved a new bachelor’s degree in Writing and Rhetoric housed in the , which UCF established in 2010. The program, the only one of its kind in Florida, will address employers’ needs by producing graduates who are proficient in analyzing, creating, editing and adapting text. Students will have opportunities to work with community and business partners. The program is expected to begin this fall.

Participated in a demonstration of , which improves teacher practice and student learning by giving educators the opportunity to instruct a virtual classroom full of avatar students. The experience allows teachers-in-training to perfect their skills without impacting any real students and helps veteran teachers hone their expertise or try out new techniques. Mike Hynes, a professor in UCF’s College of Education and Human Performance, created the program with education professor Lisa Dieker, College of Engineering & Computer Science professor Charles Hughes, and an interdisciplinary team that included members of the Synthetic Reality Lab at UCF’s Institute for Simulation & Training. About 40 universities around the country now use TLE TeachLivE to train future educators, and the program has been nationally recognized by both education and simulation and training associations.

Thanked student body president Melissa Westbrook for her service as a trustee during the past year. Westbrook’s term as president ends in early May. She will be replaced on the board by newly elected student body president Weston Bayes.

Approved changes to four student fees beginning in the fall. Following the recommendations of a committee made up of a majority of students, trustees voted to increase the activity and service fee and athletic fee each by 88 cents per credit hour, to reduce the Health fee by 5 cents per credit hour, and to increase the Capital Improvement Trust Fund fee by $2 per credit hour to help pay for Library renovations. The proposed CITF fee increase will take effect only with the approval of the Florida Board of Governors.

Agreed to host the the 10th annual MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney at Bright House Networks Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 31. UCF was asked to host the game to keep it in Orlando while the Citrus Bowl is being renovated.

UCF’s Virtual Classroom Software Earns Modeling and Simulation Honor

Wed, 04 Dec 2013 19:26:13 +0000

The ��ֱ��’s innovative virtual classroom software this week received the top award from the nation’s leading training and simulation association.

TLE TeachLivE earned the 2013 NTSA Governor’s Award for Excellence in Modeling and Simulation from the National Training and Simulation Association.

The UCF software first was chosen as the winner in the NTSA’s training category and then was picked for the top prize from among other competing categories because of its noteworthy, significant and innovative contributions.

The award ceremony was held during the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference– or I/ITSEC– the modeling, simulation and training industry’s largest international trade show held each year in Orlando.

“The focus of I/ITSEC in the past has been the military applications of modeling and simulation. Awarding TLE TeachLivE with the Governor’s Award is an indication that the industry is recognizing that there are other applications, such as education. It’s an honor to be awarded for being on the cutting edge,” said Mike Hynes, a member of the TLE TeachLivE team and professor in UCF’s College of Education and Human Performance.

Hynes created TLE TeachLivE with education professor Lisa Dieker, College of Engineering & Computer Science professor Charles Hughes, and an interdisciplinary team that included members of the Synthetic Reality Lab at UCF’s Institute for Simulation & Training.

TLE TeachLivE improves teacher practice and student learning by giving educators the opportunity to instruct a virtual classroom full of avatar students.

The experience allows teachers-in-training to perfect their skills without impacting any real students. For veteran teachers, practice in a virtual classroom allows them to hone and refine their expertise or try out new techniques.

Since its creation in 2005, TLE TeachLivE has expanded to more than 20 partner sites, including the school districts in Lake and Volusia counties. A $1.5 million grant received in 2012 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is helping the program expand its reach to universities across the country.

This summer, the computer-generated classroom added three new avatars that represent middle schoolers learning English as a second language.

The TLE TeachLivE team says that the “sandbox” nature of the program— its ability to be used in different ways and for different purposes— could also have uses in areas outside of education.

UCF Gets $434k NIH Grant

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 03:54:27 +0000

The ��ֱ�� was awarded a $434,800 National Institutes of Health grant that will allow researchers there to develop a game using life-size avatars and real-life scenarios to promote sexual abstinence among Latina middle schoolers.

Anne Norris, a UCF nursing professor, and Charles Hughes, a UCF computer science professor, will work together with UCF’s Institute for Simulation & Training during the next two years on the project.

The game is intended to be played in after-school and youth outreach programs run by trained teachers and counselors. It will be designed to improve girls’ skills in responding to peer pressure to engage in sexual behavior.

To develop the game characters, Norris and her team are collecting data from focus groups of Latina students participating in the city of Orlando After-School All-Stars program based at Stonewall Jackson Middle School. In April, two groups of girls each came to UCF twice to participate in games and other activities supervised by Jeff Wirth, director of the Interactive Performance Lab at UCF’s Institute for Simulation & Training.

“Our ultimate goal is to reduce pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease among the young Latina population,” Norris said.

After the game is developed, it will be tested on a small group of Latina girls. Their progress will be studied three, six and nine months after they start playing the game.

If the game is successful for the Latina girls, Norris plans to develop a similar game for boys and girls of other ethnicities.

Source: Orlando Business Journal,