DITES – Digital Technologies and Social Services

Interdisciplinary Research Center
TH Köln

Campus Südstadt
Sachsenring 2-4
50677 Cologne
T: +49 221-8275-3170
E: dites@th-koeln.de

Theses, term papers & doctorate

We offer the opportunity to write your paper in cooperation with our members.
Contact us!

Director of the Research Center

Prof. Dr. Isabel Zorn

Prof. Dr. Isabel Zorn

Angewandte Sozialwissenschaften
Institut für Medienforschung und Medienpädagogik (IMM)

  • Campus Südstadt
    Ubierring 48
    50678 Köln
  • Room 224
  • Phone: +49 221-8275-3334

Research Coordination

Anna Schelling

Anna Schelling

Angewandte Sozialwissenschaften
Institut für Medienforschung und Medienpädagogik (IMM)

  • Technische Hochschule Köln
    Sachsenring 2-4
    50677 Köln
  • Room R211
  • Phone: +49 221-8275-3170

DITES - Projects of the Research Centre

In our projects, we at DITES research and develop jointly and interdisciplinary from multiple professional perspectives.

Recent Projects


BOTschafft Inklusion Logo BOTschafft Inklusion Logo (Image: BOTschafft Inklusion)

BOTschafft Inklusion promoted access to the labor market for carers. An accessible AI-based chatbot had been developed as a prototype web application. It aimed to support the promotion and maintenance of caregivers' professional activities and their social participation.


INTIA Logo INTIA Logo (Image: INTIA 2023)

INTIA (Inclusive technology ideas for everyday life) - this project was piloting participatory methods for the development of digital aids to help children and young people with special needs cope with everyday life.


Ökosysteme für Innovationen in der Sozialen Arbeit Auszeichnung und Publikation: „Ökosysteme für Innovationen in der Sozialen Arbeit“ (Image: Springer VS Verlag)

 “Ecosystems for innovation in social work: cross-organizational and cross-sector perspectives” was a DITES research project tasked with theoretically and empirically exploring the perspectives and interests of different stakeholder groups in mediatized living and working environments for the targeted initiation of innovation processes as open innovation concepts in the context of social work in Germany.

Pflegeschätze - Discovering and passing on inventions and ideas from everyday life with children in need of care: Identifying, visualizing and transferring family innovations from everyday life with children in need of care.

Ongoing research activities


ArchiLab

Teaching and learning platform for the collaborative development of software architecture - also as a basis for student projects, Bachelor's and Master's theses.

ELSI-by-Design in Agile Development of Digital Products

Integration of ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) directly into agile development processes in order to counteract negative effects during the development process.

Design patterns for hybrid education

Development of a design pattern language to overcome barriers between analog and digital forms of learning - to promote collaborative learning processes.

Gamification of programming

Description: Playful access to programming through the use of games and interactive elements that make it easier to get started with coding.

Design of innovation spaces for co-creation

Description: Researching and setting up digitally supported innovation and collaboration spaces that enable new teaching and learning concepts.

MAEWIN - Machine decision support in welfare state institutions

Investigation of AI-supported decision-making processes in social institutions to optimize and legitimize decisions while respecting democratic principles.

Modeling of social agents

Research into social agents - in collaboration with business partners - to improve the modeling of interactions in mediatized contexts.

Natural Hair Values. Identity formation with digitalization

Investigation of how digitization processes can contribute to the visualization and transformation of identity values (using the example of the “Natural Hair” movement).

Step2EthiX

Development of digital applications to strengthen the ethical and moral reflection skills of people in decision-intensive professional contexts.

The Human Default: Modeling the human being in the digital and social sphere

Interdisciplinary publication that brings together different scientific perspectives on modeling human action in digital and social systems.

Future laboratories of the city of Cologne

Establishment of an innovative space with flexible furniture and future-oriented technologies that promotes agile working methods and cross-departmental collaboration between administration and citizens.


Completed research activities


InTraHealth - Improving access to healthcare for intersex and transgender people

Development of a knowledge portal and an interactive web platform to raise awareness among professionals regarding healthcare for intersex and transgender people

Project duration: 01.09.2019 - 28.02.2023

PAGAnInI - Personalized Augmented Guidance for the Autonomy of People with Intellectual Impairments

Development of an adaptive learning and training system to help people with disabilities achieve greater independence and safe mobility

Project duration: 01.09.2019 - 31.08.2023

Stationary telepresence counseling in rural areas (STellaR)

Expansion of existing infrastructures (e.g. in family centers) to include specially equipped rooms for video counseling to ensure counseling in rural areas as well.

Project duration: 01.09.2020 - 31.08.2024

Expansion and intensification of a flipped classroom concept through the ad-hoc presentation of work results and the use of innovative video formats

Expansion through innovative video formats to make teaching more flexible.

Projektlaufzeit: 01/2017–09/2018

Digitalization of the finance function

Investigation of digitization in the financial sector by means of surveys & interviews.

Project duration: 01/10/2019 - 08/04/2020

Digitization in non-profit organizations using the case study “Communication and information concept of the department of day care facilities for children of the Diözesan-Caritasverband für das Erzbistum Köln e.V

Investigation of digitization using the case study of the Diözesan-Caritasverband Köln.

Project duration: 2019

DUAL - Digital support for relatives and caregivers

Development of digital aids for the everyday life of dementia patients.

Project duration: 01.03.2018 - 31.08.2019

GeKo:mental

Digital services to promote the mental health of young people with and without a migration background.

Project duration: 01.01.2019 - 30.06.2021

Open educational space in the Gummersbach Forum

Public research & technology presentation in a shopping center.

Project duration: 01.04.2018 - 30.09.2018

IDiT - Inclusion through digital media in vocational training

Promoting digital media skills for people with disabilities.

Project duration: 01.10.2018 - 30.09.2021

Influencers in road safety communication: concept development and pilot application

Analyzing the potential of influencers for road safety campaigns.

Project duration: 01.05.2020 - 30.04.2021

Inclusive digitalization in higher education & social work

Development of inclusive digital education concepts.

Projektlaufzeit: 01/2017–12/2017

Intervention program with smartphone app to combat school failure among young people with mental health problems in Cologne

Development of an app to support young people with school problems

Project duration: 01/2016 - 07/2019

KI-TT: AI Talks & Teams

Development of a web magazine on AI through BarCamps & interactive formats.

Project duration: 01.04.2019 - 31.12.2019

merits - Early childhood media use and language learning with social robots to promote opportunities for participation in the digital society

Researching the role of social robots in early childhood language education.

Project duration: 01.01.2018 - 31.12.2022

Models of the human being from an interdisciplinary perspective

Book project on the role of human models in digital technology development.

Project duration: 01.10.2019 - 01.06.2021

Process individualization through Digital Identity Tracker in workshops for people with disabilities

Analysis of digital identity solutions to optimize workshop processes for people with disabilities.

Project duration: 12/2016 - 02/2017

Simulation service for housing and living arrangements

Development of simulation models for age-appropriate living

Project duration:10.12.2018 - 12.12.2020

Strengthening the “S” in ESG

Development of social ESG criteria for better evaluation by investors

Project duration: 01.06.2020 - 01.04.2021

Unbiased Bots That Build Bridges (U3B): Technical Systems that Support Deliberation and Diversity as a Chance for Political Discourse

Development of AI-supported systems to promote fair political discourse

Project duration: Duration not specified

How inclusive is “digital school” in COVID times from the perspective of school social workers?

A quantitative survey on inclusion opportunities and exclusion risks of digital school education from the perspective of social work

Project duration: 05/2021 - 12/2021

Scientific monitoring and evaluation of the “Treffpunkt U25” project

Monitoring and evaluation of the “Treffpunkt U25” project, which supports hard-to-reach young people between the ages of 18 and 25 and guides them back into existing support services and vocational orientation measures.

Project duration: 2016 - 2018

Target group-oriented road safety communication via influencers in social media

Survey of the state of research and development of recommendations for action to address target groups in road safety communication via influencers

Project duration: Completed since 30.11.2019

DITES – Digital Technologies and Social Services

Interdisciplinary Research Center
TH Köln

Campus Südstadt
Sachsenring 2-4
50677 Cologne
T: +49 221-8275-3170
E: dites@th-koeln.de

Theses, term papers & doctorate

We offer the opportunity to write your paper in cooperation with our members.
Contact us!

Director of the Research Center

Prof. Dr. Isabel Zorn

Prof. Dr. Isabel Zorn

Angewandte Sozialwissenschaften
Institut für Medienforschung und Medienpädagogik (IMM)

  • Campus Südstadt
    Ubierring 48
    50678 Köln
  • Room 224
  • Phone: +49 221-8275-3334

Research Coordination

Anna Schelling

Anna Schelling

Angewandte Sozialwissenschaften
Institut für Medienforschung und Medienpädagogik (IMM)

  • Technische Hochschule Köln
    Sachsenring 2-4
    50677 Köln
  • Room R211
  • Phone: +49 221-8275-3170


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