New lab for research about digital learning

Understanding learning as it happens

The ELIT Lab will provide research infrastructure at the intersection of cognitive science, education, digital technologies and artificial intelligence. By combining different types of data, researchers can examine learning processes as they unfold. This offers detailed insights into how people engage with information, approach learning tasks and interact with digital tools. Our aim is to advance knowledge of human learning and cognition, while supporting the development of education and professional training grounded in research.

Research areas

The lab will support empirical studies of:

• Scientific reading and writing: how learners engage with texts and develop their writing.

• Learning with digital resources: how learners engage with and respond to instructional videos, simulations and other digital information.

• Human–AI interaction: how people use large language models and other generative AI tools in learning tasks.

• Science communication: how people engage with and process scientific information in digital environments.

Methods and technology

The planned infrastructure includes eye tracking, screen recording, keystroke logging, and audio and video recording. Combining these methods allows researchers to connect, for example, where a learner looks with what they type, say and do during a task. These data can help researchers investigate attention, learning strategies and interaction with digital environments. The lab’s equipment and setup are being developed with reference to established international research infrastructures in learning and human–computer interaction.

A resource for research and collaboration

The ELIT Lab aims to support researchers across Chalmers and create opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. It also has potential to support collaboration with industry partners interested in learning and specialised training. Research conducted in the lab can inform the design and evaluation of educational approaches, digital learning tools and professional training.

Establishment and funding

The ELIT Lab is being established with support from strategic funding awarded to Professor Raffaella Negretti, Professor Christian Stöhr and Professor Hans Malmström through the Chalmers Foundation’s Excellence initiative.