Research in this area explores how environments—physical, digital, and hybrid—shape human and non-human interactions, cognition, aesthetics and learning across scales. This includes research on the design and experience of classrooms, laboratories, nature-based environments, artefacts, and digital-physical hybrid spaces. Our work draws on diverse methodologies, including user experience design, distributed cognition, cybernetics, and spatial communication, and contributes to both theoretical understanding and practical applications in science education, communication, art, and design.
Our research, supported by substantial grants, addresses key societal challenges such as sustainability, climate change, human-centered technological development, and interdisciplinary STEM/STEAM education, focusing on engagement, inspiring environments, innovative artefacts, and creative methodologies. Ongoing projects investigate areas such as the role of environments in shaping professional learning, hybrid systems for learning and communication, and the mediation of knowledge in science and technology.
The section emphasizes collaboration across disciplines and sectors, engaging with schools, industries, and cultural institutions to create impactful learning environments. We explore how tools, technologies, and spaces mediate learning and experience, with particular expertise in participatory design, creativity, human-AI collaboration, and environmental aesthetics. Through partnerships with organizations like Innopixel and FabLab Spinderihallerne, we extend our research into real-world applications, merging academic rigor with practical innovation.
Research Areas and Expertise
- Hybrid learning environments
- Spatial communication and design
- Multiscale systems of communication
- Educational Technologies
- User experience in digital and physical systems
- Nature and environmental aesthetics
- Art, science, and technology interfacing society
- Transdisciplinary learning communities, networks, and collaboration
- Arts-based methods
- Creative learning experiences
Research Labs and Focus Areas
AI and Learning Lab: Led by Associate Professor Chunfang Zhou, this lab explores new understandings to reshape the future of learning, enhance human-AI collaboration, and foster AI literacy and competency in everyday life and professional learning experiences. Key areas include:
- Human-AI co-creative learning experiences
- AI-assisted pedagogical design
- Teacher training and professional education
- AI professional education
Section Members
- Connie Svabo, Professor, Section Head
- Chunfang Zhou, Associate Professor
- Emanuela Marchetti, Associate Professor
- Dorte Moeskær Larsen, Associate Professor
- Gitte Miller Balslev, Associate Professor
- Luís Cruz-Filipe, Associate Professor
- Michael Petersen, Associate Professor
- Karina Kiær, Postdoc
- Gabriele Characiejiene, Research Assistant
- Lisbet Foged, Communications Officer
- Gloria Nielsen, Intern
PhD Students
- Jonas Vistrup, Explainable AI and the Law
- Katrine Bergkvist Borch, Experience and Nature-based Learning Environments
- Maiken Westen Holm Svendsen, Assessment in STEM Education
- Tina Maria Brinks, Collaborative Knowledge Networks
- Karen Bollingberg, Science Pedagogy and Competence Development
- Søren Krogh Hansen, Mathematical Play Worlds
- Therese Malene Nielsen, Slow Science Pedagogy
External Funding and Ongoing Projects
- USE Programme(Novo Nordisk Foundation, 2024–2029, DKK 125 million, Co-PI): Forging Networked Change through University Science Education Research.
- LabSTEM+(Novo Nordisk Foundation, 2023–2026, DKK 4.998 million, PI): Fostering innovation in STEM teaching and learning.
- Geo & Bio Science Center Syd(Novo Nordisk Foundation, 2023–2026, DKK 1.08 million, Co-PI): Enhancing STEM education through nature-based design.
- NAFA Knowledge Ecology Projects(2023–2026, DKK 6.9 million across multiple projects, PI): Exploring professional learning communities in STEM education.
Highlighted Collaborations and Achievements
- Emanuella Marchetti’s Work: A leader in exploring the intersections of art, science, and technology, Emanuella Marchetti has contributed significantly to projects like the “Taxonomies” exhibition at Spinderihallerne. This initiative exemplifies the section’s commitment to creative, interdisciplinary exploration by showcasing how merging biotechnology, computer science, and art can foster new insights into nature, humanity, and society.
- Jonas Vistrup’s Work: Doctoral student Jonas Vistrup explores underutilized applications of AI in traffic systems, with a focus on explainable AI. His recent contributions include μXL: Explainable Lead Generation with Microservices and Hypothetical Answers, which demonstrates how AI and microservice architectures can enhance system transparency and decision-making in real-world applications.
Recent Publications
- Zhou, C., Petri, M. R., & Bhattacharyya, S. (2025). AI Literacy and Professional Development in STEM Education. In S. Papadakis (Ed.), AI Roles and Responsibilities in Education, Springer.
- Zhou, C. & Marchetti, E. (2025). Creativity and Care in Participatory Design of Social Robots. In Robophhilosophy Conference 2024: Social Robots with AI: Prospects, Risks and Responsible Methods (Vol. 6). IOS Press.
- Cruz-Filipe, L., Kostopoulou, S., Montesi, F., & Vistrup, J. (2024). μXL: Explainable Lead Generation with Microservices and Hypothetical Answers. Computing, 106(11), 3419-3445.
- Svabo, C., Shanks, M., Zhou, C., & Carleton, T. (2025). Creative Pragmatics for Active Learning in STEM Education. Springer.
Contact Person
Connie Svabo, Professor and Section Head
Email: svabo@imada.sdu.dk
Phone: +45 65 50 24 66