Træffetid: Mandage kl. 9:00-10:00

I am the leader of the Virtual Learning Lab (https://psychology.ku.dk/vll/), and head of the SCOPE (Social, Cultural, Organisational, Personality and Educational Psychology; https://scope) section at the Department of Psychology.

My main research interests include the areas of Educational Psychology, Work and Organizational Psychology, and Human Computer Interaction. I am particularly interested in research on collaboration and learning within immersive environments including virtual and extended reality, multimedia learning, instructional design, motivation, self-efficacy, process measures of learning, presence, training, psychometrics, and psychological and educational measurement.

My current research centres on comprehending the mechanisms of collaboration, learning, and behavioural change within immersive learning environments, which encompass virtual and extended reality settings. To advance our understanding of how individuals and groups learn effectively, I emphasize the fusion of laboratory studies with experiments conducted in real-world contexts, such as classrooms and organizations. This approach draws upon theories from educational psychology and related fields and contemporary research methods. Ultimately, the aim of my research is to cultivate evidence-based insights that can inform instructional designers and stakeholders in crafting more effective learning materials and to catalyse innovative research within this field.

Selected publications

Makransky G., Petersen, G. B. (2023). The Theory of Immersive Collaborative Learning (TICOL). Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-023-09822-5

Petersen, G. B., Stenberd, V. A., Mayer, R. E., Makransky, G. (2023). Collaborative Generative Learning Activities in Immersive Virtual Reality Increase Learning. Computers & Education. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104931 

Makransky, G., Mayer, R., E. (2022). Benefits of Taking a Virtual Field Trip in Immersive Virtual Reality: Evidence for the Immersion Principle in Multimedia Learning. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/1007/s10648-022-09675-4

Plechatá, A., Makransky, G., & Böhm, R. (2022). Can extended reality in the metaverse revolutionise health communication? NPJ Digital Medicine. doi.org/10.1038/s41746-022-00682-x

Petersen, G. B., Petkakis, G., & Makransky, G. (2022). A study of how immersion and interactivity drive VR learning. Computers & Education, 179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104429

Makransky, G., & Petersen G. B. (2021). The Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL): A Theoretical Research-Based Model of Learning in Immersive Virtual Reality. Educational Psychology Review, 33, 937-958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09586-2

Makransky, G., Andreasen, N. K, Baceviciute S., & Mayer R. E. (2020). Immersive Virtual Reality Increases Liking but Not Learning with a Science Simulation and Generative Learning Strategies Promote Learning in Immersive Virtual Reality. Journal of Educational Psychology, 113(4), 719-735. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000473

Major grants

2020: Co-pi for grant from EIT Health with Rober Bohm: Communicating Herd Immunity using Virtual Reality to Decrease Vaccine Hesitancy (500.000 Euros)

2019: Grant from Data+: Quantifying Body Ownership in Virtual Reality: Bridging Experimental Psychology and Data Science (1,850,000 DKK)

2017: Grant from Marked Development Fund: Revolutionary science teaching tools based on Virtual Reality (5,000,000 DKK)

2016-2020: Grant from Innovation Fund Denmark: SIPROS: Virtual Laboratory Simulations for Increased Productivity and Occupational Standards in the Biotechnology Industry (23,500,000 DKK)

2014-2017: Grant from Innovation Fund Denmark: Advanced Technology Foundation: Next-generation adaptive medical laboratory simulations based on educational measurement research (9,184,000 DKK).

2014-2016: Grant from Eurostars: Novel technology for automatic detection of emotions for cutting-edge adaptive learning solutions (1,175,000 Euros).

Education:

Doctor degree (Ph.D.), Psychology/Psychometrics    

March 2012, University of Twente, Holland

Master of Science, I/O Psychology                          

August 2004, San Diego St. University, USA

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology                                   

August 2000, University of Georgia, USA

Courses:

Executive leadership course-Pasteur Program  

Jan 2015- Nov. 2015, Harvard Business School, USA

University pedagogical course                        

Aug 2013-June 2014, U. of Southern Denmark

Work Experience:

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology                             

January 2018 – Present, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen DK

Associate Professor, Department of Psychology                             

December 2014 – December 2017, University of Southern Denmark, Odense DK

Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology                              

August 2012 – December 2014, University of Southern Denmark, Odense DK

Senior Psychometrician and I/O Psychologist                                 

March 2010 – Aug. 2012, Master Management International, Allerød, Denmark

Psychometrician and I/O Psychologist                                            

August 2005 – March 2010, Master Management International, Allerød, Denmark

Research Manager                                                                       

June 2002 – Aug 2005, Educational and Industrial Testing Service (EDITS), San Diego, U.S.A