Dorian Thomsen M.Ed.

Research Assistant

Dorian Thomsen

Bienroder Weg 82, Room 001

+49 531 391 94098

dorian.thomsen(at)tu-braunschweig.de

Office Hours: By appointment via email.

Research Focus Areas

Digital Technology in Biology Education (Focus: Immersive Virtual Reality)
The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) on Cognitive and Affective Factors in the Learning Process
Integration of IVR into High School Human Biology

Courses

Summer Semester 26:

Seminar: Teaching and Learning Natural Sciences in the Digital World (Professional Development Area: Digitalization)
Seminar: Extracurricular Biology Education (specifically: Green School) (Advanced Module 1)

Winter Semester 24/25:

Practicum: Fundamentals of the Structure and Function of Organisms (Basic Module 1)

Summer Semester 24:

Seminar: Human Biology/Health Promotion I (Fundamentals of Health Promotion, Addiction Prevention, etc.; Advanced Module 2)
Field Trips: Ecology and Environmental Education (Advanced Module 3)

Winter Semester 23/24:

Practicum: Fundamentals of the Structure and Function of Organisms (Basic Module 1)

Publications

Peer-reviewed publications

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D., & Büssing, A. G. (2026). Cognitive load and interest in immersive learning: Applying the cognitive affective model of immersive learning. Computers & Education: X Reality 9, 100173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cexr.2026.100173

Thomsen, D., & Büssing, A. G. (2024). Erarbeitung eines Kategoriensystems zum Einsatz immersiver Modelle in der Humanbiologie: eine Studie zu Lernendenvorstellungen und Einbindungsgraden. In S. Schaal, A. Lude, M. Krell, K. Kremer (Hrsg.) Lehr- und Lernforschung in der Biologiedidaktik Band 11,(143-160). Studienverlag. https://doi.org/10.25656/01:36195

Publications on Teaching Practices

Hinrichs, D., Thomsen, D., & Büssing, A. (2025). Biodiversität über Zellstrukturen sichtbar machen. Angepasstheiten des Blattaufbaus mikroskopisch untersuchen. Unterricht Biologie, 509(49), 29-33.

Thomsen, D., Matthausen, T. & Büssing, A. (2025). Immersive Virtuelle Realität im Biologieunterricht: Lerntheoretische und organisatorische Aspekte aus Sicht Lernender. MNU-Journal, 78(4), 296-302.

Thomsen, D., Posner, M. & Büssing, A. (2025). Nutzung Immersiver Modelle zur Vorbereitung einer Herz- oder Augenpräparation im Biologieunterricht. MNU-Journal, 78(4), 303-306.

Other Publications

Thomsen, D., Büssing, A., Matthausen, T., Bachmann, L., & Hilfert-Rüppell, D. (2025). Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Extended Realities in Education: Book of abstracts. Conference on Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Extended Realities in Education (INTERXR), TU Braunschweig. doi.org/10.24355/dbbs.084-202509031536-0

Scientific Presentations & Conference Papers

2026

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D., & Büssing, A. G. (2026, September). Reihungseffekte von IVR und Schweineherz-Sektion im Biologieunterricht. Vortrag im Symposium 'Das Potential von iVR für naturwissenschaftliche Erkenntnisgewinnung' (Organisiert von Prof. Dr. Stefanie Lenzer, Leander Mecklenburg, Pasco Starcevic, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Salome Flegr). Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik (GDCP). PH Heidelberg (Deutschland).

Flegr, S., Starcevic, P., Büssing, A., Thomsen, D., Voitle, F., Fechner, S., Peeters, H., Pollmeier, P., Mecklenburg, H., & Lenzer, S. (2026, September). Erkenntnisgewinnung zwischen Tradition und digitaler Innovation. Workshop durchgeführt auf der Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Didaktik der Chemie und Physik (GDCP). PH Heidelberg (Deutschland)

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D., & Büssing, A. G. (2026, August). Combing Virtual Reality and Real Dissection in Biology Lessons: Effects on Cognitive Load, Interest, Disgust, and Learning Gain. Vortrag präsentiert auf der 15. Tagung der European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB), University of Ljubljana (Slowenien).

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D., & Büssing, A. G. (2026, August). Individual characteristics in immersive virtual reality: sequencing a real and virtual dissection. Poster präsentiert auf der Tagung „The Learning Confoederatio – Navigating (Digital) Change through Evidence” der SIG 6 & 7 der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Universität Zürich (Schweiz).

Thomsen, D., Waldeyer, J., & Büssing, A. (2026, Februar). Humanbiologie immersiv erleben – Entwicklung und Evaluation einer VR-Herz-App aus fachdidaktischer und lernpsychologischer Perspektive. Poster präsentiert auf der 27. Frühjahrsschule der Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie (FDdB), Technische Universität Dresden (Deutschland).

2025

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D., & Büssing, A. (2025, September). Effekte immersiven Modellierens: Ein Vergleich von materiellen und digitalen Strukturmodellen menschlicher Herzen. Vortrag im Symposium 'Modellierkompetenz im Biologieunterricht: Desiderate fachdidaktischer Forschung' (Chairs: Prof. Dr. Moritz Krell, Prof. Dr. Annette Upmeier zu Belzen, Prof. Dr. Dirk Krüger). Internationale Tagung der Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie (FDdB) im VBIO. Universität Innsbruck (Österreich).

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D., & Büssing, A. (2025, August). Immersive Virtual Reality for Biology Education: Field Study on Cognitive Load and Interest, testing Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive Learning. Vortrag auf der 16. Tagung der European Science Education Research Association (ESERA), University of Copenhagen (Dänemark).

Thomsen, D., Hilfert-Rüppell, D. & Büssing, A. (2025, März). Weiterentwicklung eines Modells zum Lernen mit immersiver virtueller Realität (IVR): Projektskizze einer Expertenbefragung. Poster präsentiert auf der 26. Frühjahrschule der Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie (FDdB), Humboldt Universität zu Berlin (Deutschland).

2024

Büssing, A. G. & Thomsen, D. (2024, August). Presence is connected to cognitive activation: The instructional quality of virtual reality. Vortrag auf der Tagung „Instructional Design and Technology-Enhanced Learning: Current States and Future Perspectives” der SIG 6 & 7 der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Universität Tübingen (Deutschland).

Thomsen, D. & Büssing, A. G. (2024, August). Learning in Immersive Virtual Reality: Relationship between Cognitive Load and Learning Gain. Vortrag präsentiert auf der Tagung „Instructional Design and Technology-Enhanced Learning: Current States and Future Perspectives” der SIG 6 & 7 der European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI), Universität Tübingen (Deutschland).

Thomsen, D. & Büssing, A. G. (2024, Juli). Immersive, Augmented and Real Heart Models: Initial Results on Cognitive Load and Its Relationship With Learning Gains. Poster präsentiert auf der Tagung „Biology education to bridge the gap between science and society” der European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB), University Lyon (Frankreich). 10.13140/RG.2.2.20016.78084

Thomsen, D. & Büssing, A. (2024, März). Immersive, erweiterte und reale Herzmodelle: Erste Ergebnisse zum Zusammenhang zwischen kognitiver Belastung und Lernzuwachs. Poster präsentiert auf der 25. Frühjahrschule der Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie (FDdB), Leuphana Universität Lüneburg (Deutschland). 10.13140/RG.2.2.31200.90885

2023

Thomsen, D. & Büssing, A. (2023, September). Anatomie in der virtuellen Realität (VR): Eine qualitative Studie zu Vorstellungsänderungen und Einbindungsgraden eines immersiven Herzmodells. Poster präsentiert auf der Tagung „Herausforderung Zukunft“ der Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie (FDdB), Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg (Deutschland). 10.13140/RG.2.2.29039.61600

Time Period	Occupations
Since 10/2023	Research Assistant & Ph.D. Candidate; Technical University of Braunschweig, Institute for Science Education, Department of Biology and Biology Education
11/2022 – 03/2024	Substitute Biology Teacher; Erich Kästner Gymnasium, Laatzen
10/2020 – 09/2023	Student Assistant; Leibniz University Hannover, Institute for Science Education, Biology Education
04/2021 – 10/2023	Master’s Program (Master of Education (M.Ed.)); Leibniz University Hannover; Program: Teacher Education for High Schools (Biology/Chemistry)
04/2022 – 09/2023	Certificate Program; Leibniz University Hannover; Specialization: Third Subject for High School Teacher Education (Politics and Economics)
10/2017 – 03/2021	Bachelor’s degree program (Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)); Leibniz University Hannover; Program: Interdisciplinary Bachelor’s program (Biology/Chemistry)

Cell2School - Understanding Cell Cultures, Researching Infections: Stem Cells and Organoids as Modern Cell Models

In recent years, researchers have succeeded in growing cell cultures from stem cells that can mimic specific functions of various organs. These are called organoids. In modern infection research, these organoids play an important role because they enable researchers, for example, to investigate the effects of a new active substance on a specific tissue directly in the laboratory. The Cell2School project aims to provide students at various schools with insights into these innovative research approaches. Through various experiments, students can develop both their skills in gaining new knowledge and their subject-specific expertise in cell biology. In the long term, thanks to its strong connection to real-world applications and, above all, its relevance to current developments, the project could help promote an understanding of science and increase interest in careers in the natural sciences.

Further information can be found on the project website.

Project Participants

Dorian Thomsen, IFdN, Department of Biology and Biology Education

Dr. Kristin Metzdorf, HZI Braunschweig, Department of Innovative Organoid Research

Prof. Dr. Alexander Büssing, IFdN, Department of Biology and Biology Education

An Immersive Experience of Human Biology—A Discussion of Subject-Specific Pedagogical Integration and Selected Learning Psychological Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality

Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) offers exciting possibilities for educational processes. In particular, it provides opportunities to visualize abstract phenomena that cannot be directly experienced, with which students can then interact directly. However, existing IVR applications have not yet fully tapped into this potential. Therefore, the project has set itself the goal of developing a theoretically grounded application for teaching human biology contexts in biology classes. To make this possible, interdisciplinary collaboration with educational psychology plays a crucial role. The project therefore integrates theories from learning psychology and subject-specific pedagogy in the development and evaluation of the application.

The project is funded by the Research Institute for Teacher Education at the Technical University of Braunschweig as part of the 4th funding round in the open funding category for particularly innovative projects for a period of one year, from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

Further information can be found on the project website.

Project Participants

Dorian Thomsen, IFdN, Department of Biology and Biology Education

Prof. Dr. Julia Waldeyer, Institute for Educational Psychology

Prof. Dr. Alexander Büssing, IFdN, Department of Biology and Biology Education

Fachsektion Didaktik der Biologie (FDdB)

Participation in the FDdB’s Spring School and Annual Conference. For more information: https://www.vbio.de/fddb-fachdidaktik

Verband zur Förderung des MINT-Unterrichts (MNU)

Active contribution to the association’s journal. For more information: www.mnu.de

European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)

Membership for the year 2026 and active participation in the Special Interest Groups 6 & 7 conference in Zurich. For more information: www.earli.org

European Science Education Research Association (ESERA)

Membership for the year 2025 and active participation in the 2025 Annual Conference in Copenhagen. For more information: www.esera.org.

Other memberships

European Researchers in Didactics of Biology (ERIDOB)