The research group SPiRIT – Science Projects in educational Research and Information Technology – is an interdisciplinary team at Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. The focus is on research and development in educational technologies, human-computer interaction, and educational research.

Experienced scientists and student teams from the Institute of Management and the Institute of Industrial Design use participatory approaches to develop technical solutions for interactive learning, for example, to promote environmental awareness, maker culture in education, practical integration in university teaching, or inclusive collaboration in virtual applications.

Digital competencies, user attitudes, the usability of digital artifacts, or user behavior are evaluated with different methods. For user research, the group operates the LeiKLab with eye tracking and other sensor technology. The XPeriMakerLab is established and further developed for prototype and competence development.

The group’s design science research reflects technological innovations and their interplay with society to realize innovative media and digitally supported communication in spaces. The focus is on participatory design with potential users, cultural and digital participation, as well as inclusion and integration of disadvantaged groups.

Some projects and publications address the development of environmental awareness, understanding strategies and processes for sustainable development and circular economy, and integrating negative external effects into economic activities. To communicate complex interrelationships – for example, in the case of environmental data – information representations are processed in interactive, artistic artifacts as edutainment applications while user interaction is researched.