Jessica Kathmann

Jessica Kathmann is a psychologist and PhD candidate at the Leibniz Institute for Knowledge Media (IWM) in Tübingen, affiliated with the University of Tübingen. She works in the Multimodal Interaction Lab on curiosity processes in learning with digital games, particularly through the "Kafka or Not?" project. As a lecturer at multiple German Universities of Applied Sciences, she teaches courses on psychology for game developers and related subjects while supervising student theses.

Her educational background includes an M.Sc. in Psychology from Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (2016). Prior to her current positions, she worked on the BMBF meta-project "Digitalization in the Fields of Education" (Digi-EBF) focusing on digital skills of prospective teachers and contributed to the expansion of the e-teaching.org portal. She has also managed the Institute's social media channels and participated in public relations work.

Kathmann's research centers on learning with digital games, curiosity and motivation processes, and digital skills development in educational contexts. Her work bridges educational psychology, game design, and digital media, with a particular focus on how game mechanics can enhance learning experiences and motivation in formal educational settings. She investigates how digital games can be designed to incorporate collaborative elements and cross-curricular content, particularly in language education.

Her recent publications and conference presentations demonstrate expertise in serious games, psychological principles in game design, and the application of digital media in educational settings. She has presented at numerous conferences including the Joint Conference on Serious Games, German Dev Days, and various educational research forums, sharing insights on how psychological theory can inform game development for educational purposes.

• Mathilde-Planck-Lectureship programme funding (2024-present)

As an educator, Kathmann has developed and taught courses on game psychology, social psychology, and psychology for game developers at institutions including Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, and SRH University Heidelberg. She has organized academic events such as the e-teaching.org special topic on quality in higher education with digital media and the "Together into the digital transformation!" dialogue forum connecting school practice with scientific research.