Team
The team includes learning scientists, designers, educational psychologists, educators, art educators, and educational technology specialists.
Prof. Dr. Anna Keune (she/her)
+49 (89) 289 - 29110
Room 443
anna.keune(at)tum.de
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1985-2313
Prof. Dr. Anna Keune is Tenure Track Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies and TUM-IAS Rudolf Mößbauer fellow at the Technical University of Munich. Anna’s research and teaching stands at the intersection of learning sciences and design. Anna investigates high and low-tech educational design technologies to advance knowledge about STEM learning, transforming what counts as participation and expanding who participates. Her research is guided by constructionist, posthumanist, and participatory theoretical commitments.
Research Staff
Santiago Hurtado, M.Ed. (he/him)
Research Assistant and Doctoral Student
+49 (89) 289 - 24374
Room 465
s.hurtado(at)tum.de
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7826-8862
Santiago Hurtado is a research assistant and doctoral student at the professorship. Santiago’s background is in educational and social psychology from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia and TUM. His research is focused on learner-centered design in STEM+C education with a focus on understanding youth practices on social media as a rich source of learning.
Živa Simšič, M.A. (she/her)
Research Assistant and Doctoral Student
+49 (89) 289 - 29111
Room 442
ziva.simsic(at)tum.de
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1688-3956
Živa Simšič is a doctoral student working as a research assistant. Živa holds a Master's degree in Arts Education from the University of Maribor, Slovenia. Her current research focuses on fostering early education in Additive Manufacturing in Construction (AMC) technologies, promoting gender equity perspectives, and sustainability awareness among youth in construction practices. In addition, Živa works on developing approaches to support AI ethics literacy in educational settings.
Daniela Villarreal Bermúdez M.Ed. (she/her)
Research Assistant and Doctoral Student
+49 (89) 289 - 29111
Room 442
d.villarreal(at)tum.de
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2004-1765
Daniela Villarreal Bermúdez is a research assistant and doctoral student at the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies. She holds a background in educational and social psychology from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and TUM. Daniela contributes to research focused on understanding the role of cultural literacy and arts-based education in fostering social cohesion.
Administrative Assistant
Iris Zezelj (she/her)
+49 (89) 289 - 24302
Room 251
iris.zezelj(at)tum.de
Student assistants
Santiago Forero (he/him)
Santiago Forero (B.S. Psychology) is a student research assistant and master student at the professorship. Santiago’s background is in educational and social psychology from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia and TUM. He is part of the AI Ethics project and is writing his master's thesis at the professorship focused on the process of designing learning activities for AI ethics literacy.
Adora Teqja (she/her)
Adora Teqja (B.A. Architecture) is a student research assistant at the professorship and supports gender-equitable introduction of Additive Manufacturing in Construction (AMC) to the public. She is assisting in technical and design oriented tasks, as well as in youth learning activities for 3D printing.
International Visitors
Nilüfer Beyza Akcan
Nilüfer Beyza Akcan (B.Sc. in Psychology) is an intern at the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies. She is a master’s student in the Learning Sciences program at Augsburg University, with a focus on Research on Learning and Instruction. Nilüfer contributes to the CLiViE project to increase the understanding of the value of cultural literacy through arts-based education for social cohesion.
Ilaria Compagnoni
Visiting Fellow, DAAD scholarship, October - December 2024
Ilaria Compagnoni is a PhD Candidate in Language Sciences at Ca' Foscari University of Venice (Italy). She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to work as a researcher at the University of Arizona (US). She received a Master’s in Language Sciences at Ca' Foscari University of Venice and a Master of Arts in Linguistics at SOAS University of London. She also taught at the University of Verona as an associate professor of digital storytelling with Artificial Intelligence, and her works have been published in international journals.
Her research interests include: (a) the implementation of Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in L2 language learning and teaching, (b) the development of cooperative strategies through task-based language activities, (c) teacher training with immersive technologies.
Prof. Dr. Eve Manz (she/her)
Visiting Professor, academic year 2023/2024
Prof. Dr. Eve Manz is a TUM Global Visiting Professor Program at the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies and the Friedl Schöller Endowed Chair for Educational Psychology. Eve is an Associate Professor of Science of Education at Boston University. The core motivation of her work is to support teachers and young people to engage in learning that builds on their capabilities to see themselves, others, and the world in new ways. Her focus is on elementary science education and on developing learning environments that engage children in science practices.
Hatice Şebnem Çetken Aktaş (she/her)
Erasmus Trainee, July 2023
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4543-422X
Hatice Şebnem Çetken Aktaş is a fellow of the Erasmus+ Doctoral Traineeship Program. She is a Ph.D. candidate and research assistant in Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Middle East Technical University, Turkey. Her research focuses on Makerspace, STEAM activities, and guided play. She worked as an educator at a movement and art center and has expertise in outdoor and risky play.
Alumni
We are grateful to the alumni of the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies.
Hilal Çalışır, M.Ed. & M.A. (she/her)
Research Assistant
Hilal Çalışır was a part-time research assistant at the professorship. She holds masters degrees in Research on Teaching and Learning (TUM, Germany) and in Early Childhood Education (YTU, Turkey). She worked on Connected Algoritmic Learning (CAL), Additive Manufacturing in Construction (AMC) research projects, and Cultural Literacies’ Value in Europe (CLiViE) project.
Gabriela Cintra (she/her)
Gabriela Cintra dos Santos (M.A. Music Education) was a student research assistant at the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies. Gabriela supported ongoing research on computational crafting with fiber crafts and is writing her Master's thesis on the impact of different school subjects in motivation and interest to learn Science.
Verena Kappes, M.Ed. (she/her)
Verena Kappes was a research assistant and doctoral student at the professorship. As a former early childhood educator, Verena holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology (LMU, Germany) with a specialization in Psychopathology and Clinical Neuroscience. Verena leveraged her practical experiences toward the study of AI ethics literacy in educational technology.
Mitsou Palomino (she/her)
Mitsou Palomino (B.A. Psychology) was a student research assistant at the Professorship for Learning Sciences and Educational Design Technologies. Mitsou supported research on the Connected Algorithmic Learning project and the Tangible Computational Design for Learning, which is the focus of her Master's thesis.
Katharina Sophia Pohl (she/her)
Katharina Sophia Pohl (B.A. Educational Science and Sociology) was a student research assistant at the professorship. She supported the CLiViE project to increase the understanding of the value of cultural literacy through arts-based education for social cohesion.