Students’ focused attention is a central prerequisite for classroom learning. Research shows that teachers differ substantially in how successful they are in eliciting and guiding their students’ attention, which is often referred to as “classroom management” and “cognitive activation”. Furthermore, they may also not always be aware of their students’ attentional focus, and this may be particularly true for beginning teachers (teachers who are in the induction phase or shortly after this stage).
This research project, which is part of the research network "Human-Agent-Interaction", investigates how laypersons (and literary experts) perceive and evaluate an artificial intelligence (AI) based writing tool that produces creative output such as short narrative texts and poems. How credible, creative, and easy to read are the outputs of such a GPT-3-based writing tool?
The project aims at bridging the gap between neuroscience and instructional psychology via informatics by studying the use of brain-computer interface (BCI) methodologies for research in instructional psychology (e.g., the individual classification of working memory load in real-time). As long-term goal stands the development of an online adaptive learning environment based on physiological measures of basic cognitive processes. Specifically, the online adaption grounds on the detection and classification of specific neural signatures in the electroencephalogram (EEG) of learners by means of advanced BCI methodologies.
This dissertation project investigates the use of immersive virtual reality (IVR) as a medium of experience-based learning in museums. Two IVR-applications will be developed and integrated into several exhibitions, in cooperation with the Natural History Museum Stuttgart. The goal is to give visitors an understanding of the importance of biodiversity and its protection. Furthermore, the project will provide new insights into the use of IVR as tools of science communication in museums.
Interacting with technologies and particularly, multitouch devices such as smartphones, tablets, or large-scale monitors (e.g., in museums) has become standard in daily life. To date, however, it is very unclear how manipulating digital objects physically through these devices, influence affective processing (e.g., when encountering potentially pleasant or unpleasant stimuli).
This interdisciplinary project aims at the conception, implementation and optimization of innovative multimedia guides for museum and exhibitions. The main concept is to present digital information by utilizing interactive displays. In line with the interaction with real-world objects, the applications allow manipulation via intuitive gestures for moving, rotating and scaling digital visual information.
Advanced materials are of crucial significance for important future technologies in various fields of application, such as energy storage or biomedicine. However, due to the complexity of the hazard potential of these materials, it is not possible to make a general statement about their safety. As part of the Leibniz Research Alliance "Advanced Materials Safety", a dissertation project is investigating how immersive video technologies should be designed as a science communication format to convey content on the safety of advanced materials.
The technical development in the field of Extended Realities (e.g., Virtual Reality or 360°-Visualizations currently shows a strong dynamic development. The high degree of immersion of this technology makes it possible to create for the user an intense feeling of presence in the virtual world. It is assumed that cognitive processes create a mental model of the self in the virtual world, which generates a feeling of "being in the virtual world". However, it is unclear from a cognitive science and learning psychology perspective in what ways this form of immersion can benefit the user in knowledge contexts.
Under National Socialism, discrimination and murder were implemented with frightening efficiency with the help of bureaucratic routines. The crimes of the Nazi era could be presented as necessary and harmless processes with the use of administrative language and euphemistic terms in forms and correspondences. But how can this phenomenon be presented to visitors in an interesting, intuitive and interactive way using exemplary Nazi documents? Can visitors learn to read and assess Nazi documents with the right medium?
The project examines by means of (neuro-)physiological measures (electroencephalography, [EEG], eye tracking, pupillometry) the effects of decorative pictures on cognitive (e.g., working memory, attention) and emotional-motivational processes during learning with textual materials. Decorative pictures are commonly used in the design of instructional materials as a kind of seductive details to arouse learners' interest in the topic. However, decorative pictures have resulted in mixed effects on learning outcomes with potential reasons still matter of debate. Increased cognitive load and attentional distraction have been hypothesized as reasons for detrimental effects of decorative pictures on learning.
This project investigates the idea that the activation of specific areas in the brain is beneficial for learning about continuous processes with dynamic visualizations. These areas in the brain (the so-called human mirror-neuron-system) are used to understand and imitate actions of other persons. We addressed, whether gestures that correspond or do not correspond to the to-be-learned processes, activate the mirror-neuron-system and enhance learning outcomes.
Students with very different learning abilities take part in STEM lessons. Adaptive teaching, which considers individual prerequisites and offers personalised learning opportunities, is a promising didactic concept for dealing with heterogeneity. In the "MINT-ProNeD" project, research-based training and counselling concepts are being developed to support STEM teachers in using digital technologies for adaptive teaching and in preparing for future technologies.
Digital technologies offer opportunities to rethink and redesign art, music, and sports lessons (KuMuS). Digital technologies are a promising medium especially for the targeted promotion of individual learning requirements of pupils. To integrate these technologies innovatively and successfully into everyday life in schools, the "KuMuS-ProNeD" project aims to develop an integrative overall concept for teacher education in art, music and sport and thus complements the "MINT-ProNeD".
The use and application of interactive multi-touch displays increase continuously. Thus, touch-based user interfaces like multi-touch tables, tablets or smartphones are used in many public sector institutions and private households. These interfaces enable users to directly manipulate external representations using their hands without the requirement of an indirect interaction device (e.g., mouse). The question arises how touch-based interactions should be implemented to facilitate the processing of information.
The project „Visitors’ view on Obersalzberg“ focuses on two research questions: How can propaganda pictures get deconstructed? And how does the awareness of being in a historic place related to Nazi-history influence the perception, the processing and the judgements about associated pictures? Cooperation partner is the Institute for Contemporary History (Dokumentation Obersalzberg). Empiric findings are meant to flow into the realm of practice, the museum.
Places of remembrance linked to the history of National Socialism (NS, Nazi) are gaining importance during the last two decades. Obersalzberg is a place with references to the Nazi-regime and was used as a setting for Nazi-propaganda. Today an educational center about history and politics is located there. The project is divided into two thematic blocks: on the one hand the deconstruction of propaganda, on the other the impact of historical places.
A first experimental study already showed that prior information about the crimes that happened during the time of NS as well as the awareness of being at a place linked to that history had a negative influence on the personal mood. The negative personal mood in a next step influences the valence ratings of associated pictures. Within the project, both field studies and lab studies are conducted. Methodologically, a broad spectrum of objective (computer-based speech analyses, eye-tracking) and subjective measurements (questionnaires, rating scales) is used. Methods for the deconstruction of propaganda images are also investigated in virtual realities and with multi-touch surfaces.
The empiric findings are meant to build a basement for further psychological research as well as to get transferred to the conception of the new permanent exhibition of the Dokumentation Obersalzberg.
Video-SRS is an interdisciplinary project that focuses on supporting video learning in mathematics by exploring and improving self-regulation. It combines insights from cognitive and educational psychology, mathematics education, and computer science to develop innovative approaches to this type of learning. The use of responsible machine learning algorithms plays a significant role in this process.
