Teaching

G-BIL-WP9-a

• Design and conception of media and media content (Diekmann)
  Module handbook G-BIL-WP9

G-BIL-WP9-a

• Digitally supported collaboration (Schledjewski)
  Module handbook G-BIL-WP9

G-BIL-WP9-a

• Learning support with Digital Media (Schrader)
  Module handbook G-BIL-WP9

G-BIL-WP9-b

• Digital educational games for elementary school teaching:
  Fundamentals and practical development of game-based formats (Schrader)
  (Prerequisite for enrolment in this seminar is the successful completion of the module component G-BIL-WP9-a)
  Module handbook G-BIL-WP9

K-BIL 3b

• Virtual Spaces for use in educational science contexts (Diekmann)
  Module handbook K-BIL3 (PO 2021)
  Module handbook K-BIL3b (PO 2014)

K-BIL 3c

• Digital Ethics and Game-Based Learning (Schrader/Schwartz)
  Module handbook K-BIL3 (PO 2021)
  Module handbook K-BIL3c (PO 2014)

Learning modules in the Digital Competences module (B. A.)

• Introduction of Digital Media & Good Practice in the educational contexts (Schrader)
• Theoretical foundations of learning with media (Schrader)
• Instructional design of digital tools: introduction into multimedia design principles of design (Schrader)
• Models for planning Instruction with Digital Media (Schrader)
• Feedback and support in digital teaching-learning media (Schrader)

As part of student research projects (FoPro), it is also possible to participate in ongoing projects in the department.

Guidelines for student research projects (FoPro)

The aim of the research project is to impart basic competencies for the implementation of educational science questions in empirical research work. The focus is on learning in immersive Virtual Reality environments.

During the course of the seminar, participants develop their own research question on learning processes in Virtual Reality and go through all the steps of a quantitative research process together. Possible questions relate to emotional, motivational or cognitive processes as well as to the acquisition of knowledge when learning with Virtual Reality.

Central theoretical approaches, methodological principles and current empirical findings are taught to enable students to work on their research questions in a well-founded manner. In addition, students acquire methodological skills for planning and conducting quantitative studies in the field of education.

An accompanying seminar is offered for this research project (M-BIL 5).

Students have the opportunity to write term papers as well as Bachelor and Master theses within our Research Group. Please note that we can only supervise term papers submitted by students who have participated in our courses (e.g., within the MAP-DUF module).

Guidelines for term papers, Bachelor and Master theses
Guidelines for the use of AI in term papers and theses
Mandatory declaration of independence for theses
Mandatory declaration of independence for term papers and other written examination formats

Below you will find general topic suggestions for your work

• Design of interactive videos or video and task combinations; use of different design variations; effect on motivation, cognitive load, emotions, learning performance; use of methods to record
  performance: Term paper
  Contact: Claudia Schrader

• Gamification
  Forms and design aspects (especially with a focus on reward systems);
  Effect on motivation, cognitive load, emotions, learning performance; influence of learner characteristics (especially expertise)
  Possibility of performance: Term paper
  Contact: Claudia Schrader

• Virtual Reality
  Potentials of use; design aspects;
  Gesture-based learning & haptic experience;
  Effect on motivation, cognitive load, emotions, learning performance; influence of learner characteristics (in particular expertise)
  Possibility of performance: Term paper
  Contact: Charlotte Diekmann

Two Master’s Thesis Opportunities Available in the M.Ed. Program

From Prompt to Text: How Do Elementary School Students Use AI Support in the Writing Process?

Topic and Objective of the Theses:

As part of a survey already conducted in a research project on AI-assisted story writing in 4th grade, extensive data is available, including archived chat logs, students’ written work, and other supporting data. The master’s theses are intended to investigate how elementary school children actually use AI during the writing process and in what ways AI-generated support is integrated into, adopted, or further processed in their own texts. The focus is thus on the connection between AI interaction in the writing process and the resulting written product.

Possible sub-questions include:

•    How do children formulate their requests to the AI?
•    What patterns of AI usage emerge?
•    Which content from the AI responses is actually incorporated into the text, and what forms of incorporation can be identified (e.g., direct incorporation, adaptation, inspiration)?
•    Are there correlations between AI usage and the quality of the writing products?

Possible methodological approaches:

•    Qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz
•    Development and expansion of a category system
•    Coding and analysis of usage patterns
•    Linking process data (chat logs) and product data (texts)
•    If applicable, combination of qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods

Requirements:

•    Interest in AI in education
•    Interest in writing pedagogy and elementary school research
•    Interest in qualitative research
•    Willingness to work with large volumes of text data

If you are interested or have any questions, please contact: Matthias Herrle at mailto:herrle[at]uni-wuppertal.de or Claudia Schrader at mailto:cschrader[at]uni-wuppertal.de

Master theses on learning processes in Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality allows learners to actively engage in learning situations and to experience even complex learning content in an accessible and realistic way. This approach can  encourage deeper levels of comprehension.

In this research area, up to four master theses can be assigned. Depending on individual interest, the thesis may focus on emotional, motivational, or cognitive processes, or on knowledge acquisition during learning in an immersive Virtual Reality environment for chemistry, developed for students in grades 8 and 9.

If you are interested in writing your Master thesis on this topic, please contact Charlotte Diekmann (diekmann[at]uni-wuppertal.de).

Master theses on communication in collaborative Virtual Reality learning environments

Virtual Reality opens up new possibilities for collaborative learning processes by enabling learners to work together, solve problems, and build knowledge in shared virtual environments. In such scenarios, the quality of communication plays a central role in learning processes.

The aim of the two Master theses to be assigned is to analyze the quality and quantity of recorded communication between students during collaborative learning in Virtual Reality. The focus is on how learners interact with each other in VR and what communication patterns emerge in the process.

If you are interested in writing your Master thesis on this topic, please contact Charlotte Diekmann (diekmann[at]uni-wuppertal.de).