Athabasca University

The research objective of this essay is integrating multi agent systems (MAS) into networked 3D virtual learning environments (VLE). Integrating a multi agent system with a 3D virtual learning environment allows abstracting from the peculiarities of interacting with the virtual environment, so designers may focus on the pedagogical problem to solve. The focus of this research is specifically on the “how to” integrate a multi agent system into a 3D virtual learning environment This approach for integrating MAS with 3D VLE was developed by devising, implementing and testing an approach using open source technologies, namely, Open Wonderland and JADE. This approach results in a multi agent system being started by the 3D virtual learning environment when an action is done to a 3D module. Once the MAS is started it can then perform its functions and report back to the 3D virtual learning environment the result of those functions. Implementation was accomplished by adding code to the Open Wonderland sample module to start one agent of a multi agent system. A proof-of-concept using the JADE Book Trading example encouraged further implementation of a case study using a MAS named QuizMASter as an example of a educational application. Success was tested using Windows and Mac clients on the Internet connecting to the Open Wonderland virtual world and playing the QuizMASter game. This work provides a framework for building upon. Future research work would be to improve the pedagogical functionality of the QuizMASter system. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was made possible by Athabasca University, Canadian Foundation for Innovation and by Dr. Fuhua (Oscar) Lin.