Thorkild Hanghøj

Thorkild Hanghøj is a Professor at Aalborg University's Department of Communication and Psychology within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. He directs ILD-LAB – Research Lab for IT and Learning Design and co-leads The Center for Applied Game Research. His research focuses on game-based learning, educational technology, and digital literacy, with affiliations including the Institute for Advanced Study in PBL and Neuroboost's Mission for Improved Wellbeing Among Children And Youth in Denmark.

Hanghøj's research examines the interplay between games and learning through dialogic perspectives, exploring how digital and analog games enhance formal education and informal literacy development. His work emphasizes collaborative learning methodologies, esports pedagogy, and design-based research approaches to educational innovation.

Recent publications demonstrate strong trends in social learning applications, particularly through esports programs for vulnerable youth, cooperative board games for upper secondary education, and systematic reviews of digital games in language instruction. The research consistently integrates interdisciplinary approaches across psychology, pedagogy, and technology design.

Major funded projects include:

• Spiljournalist.dk - journalism about games and game culture (PI since 2016)
• CEAGAR: Center for Applied Game Research (Co-PI since 2015)
• Interdisciplinary PBL through design and use of learning games (Project Participant, 2024)

He oversees ILD-LAB research initiatives and mentors students in game-based learning methodologies.