Teaching

Teaching Concept of the Chair of Socially Interactive Agents (SIA)

Guiding Principles of Teaching

The teaching at the Chair of Socially Interactive Agents (SIA) follows the principle of combining a solid foundational education with the early integration of research and practice. The goal is to systematically introduce students to scientific thinking, technological competencies, and application-oriented questions, and to gradually enable them to conduct independent research and development. We do not view teaching and research as separate areas, but rather as mutually enriching elements of academic education.

Interdisciplinarity and Evaluation

A central concern of our teaching is that students understand content in its broader context and do not apply knowledge in isolation. Due to the interdisciplinary orientation of the chair, technical solutions are always linked with theoretical foundations and appropriate evaluation methods. Especially in practice-oriented and research-based courses in higher semesters, psychological, social, and methodological aspects are considered alongside technical concepts. The aim is to enable students to critically reflect, conduct well-founded evaluations, and situate their work within scientific and societal contexts.

Practical Relevance and Field Research

Whenever possible, we actively involve students in higher semesters in field research and real-world application scenarios. Existing collaborations are deliberately integrated into teaching, allowing concepts and prototypes to be tested and evaluated beyond the university setting. Examples include projects in collaboration with senior centers, the Language Center of the University of Würzburg, as well as regional hotel businesses.

Innovative Teaching Formats

The experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic have clearly demonstrated the potential of innovative teaching formats. We view hybrid teaching as a future-oriented model that meaningfully combines digital and in-person formats, integrating flexible, individualized learning with traditional higher education. Digital offerings complement in-person teaching in a targeted way and enable new didactic approaches without replacing personal interaction. Innovative technologies are an integral part of our teaching, for example through robot-assisted tutoring as an optional supplement to the lectures Media Informatics I and II.