Browsing by Author "Gulec, Ulas"

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Citation - WoS: 31
Citation - Scopus: 40
A 3D virtual environment for training soccer referees
(Elsevier Science Bv, 2019) Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Yilmaz, Murat; Yılmaz, Murat; Isler, Veysi; O'Connor, Rory V.; Clarke, Paul M.; 47439; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
Emerging digital technologies are being used in many ways by and in particular virtual environments provide new opportunities to gain experience on real-world phenomena without having to live the actual real-world experiences. In this study, a quantitative research approach supported by expert validation interviews was conducted to determine the availability of virtual environments in the training of soccer referees. The aim is to design a virtual environment for training purposes, representing a real-life soccer stadium to allow the referees to manage matches in an atmosphere similar to the real stadium atmosphere. At this point, the referees have a chance to reduce the number of errors that they make in real life by experiencing difficult decisions that they encounter during the actual match via using the virtual stadium. In addition, the decisions and reactions of the referees during the virtual match were observed with the number of different fans in the virtual stadium to understand whether the virtual stadium created a real stadium atmosphere for the referees. For this evaluation, Presence Questionnaire (PQ) and Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire (ITQ) were applied to the referees to measure their involvement levels. In addition, a semi-structure interview technique was utilized in order to understand participants' opinions about the system. These interviews show that the referees have a positive attitude towards the system since they can experience the events occurred in the match as a first person instead of watching them from camera as a third person. The findings of current study suggest that virtual environments can be used as a training tool to increase the experience levels of the soccer referees since they have an opportunity to decide about the positions without facing the real-world risks.
Citation - WoS: 7
Citation - Scopus: 10
A literature survey: Is it necessary to develop a new software development methodology for virtual reality projects?
(Graz Univ Technolgoy, inst information Systems Computer Media-iicm, 2017) Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Yilmaz, Murat; Yılmaz, Murat; Isler, Veysi; 47439; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
Software development is a complex human endeavour with high failure rates. Although a variety of software development methodologies have been proposed to improve the software development process, there is no universal model for all software development organizations. Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging trend especially for the gaming industry, which should prepare itself for VR development. The goal of this study is to explore potential software development activities and determine whether designing a new software development methodology for VR projects is an important topic for software development organizations working on VR software development. For this purpose, a literature survey has been completed and 71 academic studies have been examined in detail. This study shows that no work is being conducted in the field of developing a new methodology for VR projects. However, the study does show that there are similar endeavours in the field of human computer interaction (HCI), such as game development methodology.
Citation - WoS: 9
Citation - Scopus: 15
A serious game for improving the decision making skills and knowledge levels of Turkish football referees according to the laws of the game
(Springer international Publishing Ag, 2016) Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Yilmaz, Murat; Yılmaz, Murat; 47439; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
Digital game-based learning environments provide emerging opportunities to overcome learning barriers by combining newly developed technologies and traditional game design. This study proposes a quantitative research approach supported by expert validation interviews to designing a game-based learning framework. The goal is to improve the learning experience and decision-making skills of soccer referees in Turkey. A serious game was developed and tested on a group of referees (N = 54). The assessment results of these referees were compared with two sample t-test and the Wilcoxon signed-ranked test for both the experimental group and the control group. The findings of the current study confirmed that a game-based learning environment has greater merit over the paper-based alternatives.
Citation - WoS: 10
Citation - Scopus: 12
Adopting Virtual Reality as a Medium for Software Development Process Education
(Assoc Computing Machinery, 2018) Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Yilmaz, Murat; Yılmaz, Murat; Isler, Veysi; O'Connor, Rory, V; Clarke, Paul; 47439; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
Software development is a complex process of collaborative endeavour which requires hands-on experience starting from requirement analysis through to software testing and ultimately demands continuous maintenance so as to mitigate risks and uncertainty. Therefore, training experienced software practitioners is a challenging task. To address this gap, we propose an interactive virtual reality training environment for software practitioners to gain virtual experience based on the tasks of software development. The goal is to transport participants to a virtual software development organization where they experience simulated development process problems and conflicting situations, where they will interact virtually with distinctive personalities, roles and characters borrowed from real software development organizations. This PhD in progress paper investigates the literature and proposes a novel approach where participants can acquire important new process knowledge. Our preliminary observations suggest that a complementary VR-based training tool is likely to improve the experience of novice software developers and ultimately it has a great potential for training activities in software development organizations.
Citation - WoS: 8
Citation - Scopus: 15
Applying Blockchain to Improve the Integrity of the Software Development Process
(Springer international Publishing Ag, 2019) Yılmaz, Murat; Yilmaz, Murat; Tasel, Serdar; Güleç, Ulaş; Tuzun, Eray; Gulec, Ulas; O'Connor, Rory V.; Clarke, Paul M.; 55346; Yazılım Mühendisliği; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği
Software development is a complex endeavor that encompasses application and implementation layers with functional (refers to what is done) and non-functional (how is done) aspects. The efforts to scale agile software development practices are not wholly able to address issues such as integrity, which is a crucial non-functional aspect of the software development process. However, if we consider most software failures are Byzantine failures (i.e., where components may fail and there is imperfect information on which a component has failed.) that might impair the operation but do not completely disable the production line. In this paper, we assume software practitioners who cause defects as Byzantine participants and claim that most software failures can be mitigated by viewing software development as the Byzantine Generals Problem. Consequently, we propose a test-driven incentive mechanism based on a blockchain concept to orchestrate the software development process where production is controlled by a similar infrastructure based on the working principles of blockchain. We discuss the model that integrates blockchain with the software development process, and provide some recommendations for future work to address the issues while orchestrating software production.
Citation - WoS: 10
Citation - Scopus: 13
Cengo: A Web-Based Serious Game To Increase the Programming Knowledge Levels of Computer Engineering Students
(Springer international Publishing Ag, 2019) Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Yilmaz, Murat; Yılmaz, Murat; Yalcin, Alihan Dogus; O'Connor, Rory V.; Clarke, Paul M.; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
In recent years there has been an increased use of serious games to help increase the level of knowledge and experience of individuals working in different domains. In particular serious games for educational purposes have been used in many domains including software engineering and computer science [1]. Hence, this study proposes a quantitative research approach to increase the programming knowledge levels of the first-year undergraduate students at computer engineering departments. For this aim, a responsive web platform was developed to teach the syntax and logic of the C programming language by using game elements. This environment provided students with an ability to independently investigate the C programming language continuously since the platform is always accessible. To better understand the effectiveness of the designed environment, 10 first-year computer engineering students were selected as a pilot experimental group. According to the results obtained from the user tests, this game can be used as an educational tool, which supports the traditional training methods, to increase the knowledge levels of students about the syntax and logic of the C programming language.
Citation - WoS: 0
Citation - Scopus: 1
Digital Storytelling on a Virtual Heritage Museum with Believable Agents
(Ieee, 2021) Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Yilmaz, Murat; Yılmaz, Murat; Kalan, Kaan; Dikbayir, Hasan Saygin; Merdivanli, Ogulcan; Degirmenci, Utku Mert; Clarke, Paul M.; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
The preservation of cultural heritage plays a very important role in terms of the sustainability of societies since culture is one of the most important phenomena that hold individuals together. However, although the protection of cultural heritage is a very important issue for societies, there are serious problems in the accuracy of information or access to information due to the verbal or written communication of the subjects that need to be conveyed. In particular, there is a serious decrease in the sense of belonging in individuals due to the inability to transfer cultural heritage to the younger generations correctly. At this point, the aim of the study is to teach individuals the Turkish horror culture by experiencing them in a realistic environment with various different stories in a virtual reality-based gamified system instead of teaching them in writing or verbally. For this purpose, a 3D virtual museum was developed within the scope of the study, inspired by real characters and areas, and it was aimed for individuals to learn Turkish horror culture elements through tasks in different scenarios. The developed system was tested by 5 experts in the field as a preliminary study and the realism level of the created system was measured with the comments of the experts. According to the findings, it has been determined that the level of realism offered by the designed virtual environment is sufficient to explain the Turkish horror culture to individuals.
Citation - WoS: 0
Citation - Scopus: 0
Engagement and Brand Recall in Software Developers: an Eye-Tracking Study on Advergames
(Mdpi, 2024) Akcan, Duygu; Yilmaz, Murat; Gulec, Ulas; Ilgin, Hueseyin Emre
Advergames represent a novel product placement strategy that surpasses traditional advertising methods by fostering interaction between brands and their target audiences. This study investigates the unique engagement opportunities provided by video games, focusing mainly on the 'flow experience', an intensified state of immersion frequently encountered by players of computer games. Such immersive experiences have the potential to significantly influence a player's perception, offering a new avenue for advertisements to impact and engage audiences effectively. The primary objective of this research was to examine the influence of advergames on players who are deeply immersed in the gaming experience, with a specific focus on the subsequent effects on brand recognition over time. The study involved 44 software developers, who were evenly divided into two groups for the experiment. Both groups were exposed to an identical gaming environment with the task of locating a designated product within the game. However, one group interacted with an enhanced version of the game, which included additional stimuli-such as dynamic music, an engaging narrative, time constraints, a competitive leaderboard, and immersive voice acting-to intensify the gaming experience. The experiment strategically placed various products within the game, and their detectability was assessed using eye-tracking technology. Following gameplay, participants completed questionnaires that measured their experience with flow state and brand recall. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and correlation analysis to facilitate comparisons. The findings indicated that the product associated with the primary task achieved the highest recall rate between both groups. Furthermore, eye-tracking technology identified the areas in the game that attracted the most attention, revealing a preference for mid- and high-level placements over lower-level ones.
Citation - WoS: 29
Citation - Scopus: 36
Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety of Software Engineers Using Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy
(Springer-verlag Berlin, 2017) Yılmaz, Murat; Nazligul, Merve Denizci; Yilmaz, Murat; Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Gozcu, Mert Ali; O'Connor, Rory V.; Clarke, Paul M.; 47439; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği; Yazılım Mühendisliği
Public speaking anxiety is a type of social phobia, which might be commonly seen in novice software engineers. It is usually triggered by a fear of social performance especially when the performer is unfamiliar with the audience. Today, many software engineering activities (e.g. code inspection, peer review, daily meetings, etc.) require social gatherings where individuals need to present their work. However, novice software engineers may not be able to reduce their performance anxiety during their course of education. In this study, we propose a virtual reality approach to construct a practice environment for improving novice software engineers' pubic speaking experiences. Consequently, we examine the effects of virtual reality intervention on the public speaking experience of six novice software engineers from a computer engineering department. We designed a virtual auditorium to simulate the presentation delivery environment and findings suggest that using this infrastructure for training purposes can reduce presenter anxiety levels - which is consistent with related published studies. We believe that this virtual auditorium environment can deliver benefits for students and practitioners alike in terms of addressing the anxiety that is often associated with early stage career presenters.
Citation - WoS: 4
Citation - Scopus: 5
Towards a process management life-cycle model for graduation projects in computer engineering
(Public Library Science, 2018) Yılmaz, Murat; Yilmaz, Murat; Tasel, Faris Serdar; Güleç, Ulaş; Gulec, Ulas; Sopaoglu, Ugur; 55248; Yazılım Mühendisliği; Bilgisayar Mühendisliği
Graduation projects play an important role in computer engineering careers in which students are expected to draw upon their knowledge and skills that were acquired since admission. To manage the activities of graduation projects, an iterative and incremental approach which aims continuous improvement is proposed as an alternative to a controversial delivery model. However, such integration brings up a set of challenges to be taken into account: e.g. multiple project deliveries, more labor-intensive effort from instructors, and ultimately continuous learning for all participants. One promising way to achieve such an integrated and continuous deployment velocity is to eliminate potential bottlenecks by giving student teams to receive early and continuous feedback. To this end, we propose a continuous feedback and delivery mechanism for managing the life-cycle of a graduation project through draft proposal, literature review, requirements gathering, design, implementation and testing which should produce intermediate outputs at predefined intervals. Most importantly, our approach makes it possible to quantify most of the activities involved in life-cycle process with various rubrics (i.e. measurement scales) that have been purposefully developed. The proposed model promotes the fact that all improvements should be monitored, evaluated and documented. The results of this study indicate that students who were managed using this approach produced better project deliverables and ultimately have delivered better and successful projects.