Martin Geisler

Prof. Martin Geisler is a Professor of Culture and Media at the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena (EAH) in the Department of Social Work since 2011. He leads the media education institute Spawnpoint and is the state spokesperson for the Society for Media Education and Communication Culture in Thuringia. His academic career includes a doctorate from the University of Erfurt (2008) on computer game communities and roles as a lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences in Erfurt. Geisler designs and directs the part-time 'Game and Media Pedagogy' program, focusing on media literacy, digital games in education, and animal-assisted interventions. His research spans youth media use, humor in education, and cultural pedagogy. He advises numerous students on topics like animal-assisted therapy, cyberbullying, and social inclusion. Key roles include vice-chairmanship of ImproVision theatre (2005-2014) and active engagement in art, acting, and gaming.

Education: Walter Gropius School of Art and Design; Social Education, University of Applied Sciences Erfurt.

Research Interests: Media education, digital games in pedagogy, animal-assisted methods, and youth media studies. Recent work addresses microtransactions' impact on gamers, flow in esports, and storytelling in cultural education.

Grants & Projects: Leading research on gaming pedagogy, Spawnpoint initiatives, and state-level media education advocacy. Collaborations include intercultural education via forum theatre and animal-assisted interventions in healthcare.

Labs/Teams: Directs Spawnpoint, a hub for media and game pedagogy, and coordinates interdisciplinary projects on social work with digital tools.