Hector-Institut für Empirische Bildungsforschung

Dr. Skylor Zhitian Zhang

Dr. Skylor Zhitian Zhang ist Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin am Hector-Institut für Erziehungswissenschaften und Psychologie mit Schwerpunkt auf Kreativität, Begabungsforschung und Talententwicklung.

Im Fokus ihrer Arbeit steht die Erforschung effektiver Techniken und Interventionen – darunter Motivationsstrategien, Selbstregulationstraining und spielbasierte Methoden – zur Förderung von Talent und Kreativität. Als zertifizierte LEGO® Serious Play (LSP) Facilitatorin nutzt sie diese spielerische Methodik in Workshops zur Förderung von Innovation. Sie leitet regelmäßig LSP-Workshops zum Thema Entrepreneurship und Social Innovation im Rahmen des Transdisziplinären Kursprogramms.

Zusätzlich zu ihrer Forschung ist Frau Dr. Zhang im Wissenschaftsmanagement tätig. Sie war als Projektmanagerin und leitende Forscherin für das vom BMBF geförderte EU-FairPlay Projekt (seit Nov. 2023) verantwortlich, das darauf abzielt, Bildungsungleichheiten durch spielbasiertes Lernen zu verringern. Seit November 2024 ist sie die Innovationsprojektmanagerin und Koordinatorin für den AI in Education Future Fund.

Sie unterstützt zudem angehende und Nachwuchswissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler durch Coaching und Mentoring im Rahmen des Athene Mentoring Programms sowie in Zusammenarbeit mit dem DAAD.

Publikationen

  • Zhang, Z. S., & Fischer, H. (2025). Förderung der Kreativität durch Digital Game Based Learning: Mechanismen, Anwendungen und Implementierung. In Handbuch E-Learning. Wolters Kluwer.
  • Zhang, Z. S., Seemann, M., Joos, R., Suren, M., Fischer, H., & Hofmann, M. (2025). Fostering creativity through game‐based approaches: A scoping review. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 59(1), e1536. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.1536
  • Li, P., Zhang, Z. S., Hopp, M., Luo, L., & Wang, C. (2024). Is stereotypical masculinity and femininity in women associated with their creativity? An examination of gender roles and creativity. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts. https://doi.org/10.1037/aca0000714
  • Stein, C., & Zhang, Z. S. (2023). Fostering self-regulation, motivation, and creativity through gamification software iWrite. In Proceedings of the 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning / Work in Progress, 17(1).
  • Li, P., Zhang, Z. S., & Zhang, Y. (2022). How creative self‐concept leads to happiness: A multilevel chain mediating model. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 56(4), 540–552. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.545
  • Liu, T., Li, P., Zhang, S. Z., & Liu, W. (2022). Using daily creativity planning to promote creative behavior. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 57(1), 82–95. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.563
  • Li, P., Zhang, Z. S., Zhang, J., Nunez, M., & Shi, J. (2021). From implicit theories to creative achievements: The mediating role of creativity motivation in the relationship between stereotypes, growth mindset, and creative achievement. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 55(1), 199–214. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.446
  • Zhang, Z. (2021). To be or not to be creative, why? Exploring motivational aspects of creativity. (Doctoral dissertation). Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU).
  • Zhang, Z. S., Hoxha, L., Aljughaiman, A., Arënliu, A., Gomez‐Arizaga, M. P., Gucyeter, S., ... Ziegler, A. (2021). Social environmental factors and personal motivational factors associated with creative achievement: A cross‐cultural perspective. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 55(2), 410–432. https://doi.org/10.1002/jocb.463
  • Zhang, Z. S., Hopp, M., Vialle, W., & Ziegler, A. (2020). Social perceptions of a creative person: Stereotypes and prejudice of a creative student among German adolescents. Creativity Research Journal, 32(3), 246–258. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2020.1821565
  • Hopp, M. D., Zhang, Z. S., Hinch, L., O'Reilly, C., & Ziegler, A. (2019). Creative, thus connected: The power of sociometric creativity on friendship formation in gifted adolescents—A longitudinal network analysis of gifted students. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2019(168), 47–73. https://doi.org/10.1002/cad.20324
  • Zhang, Z. (2018). Creativity motivation construct development and cross-cultural validation. Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling, 60(4), 517–530.
  • Zhang, Z. (2017). Gifted education in China. Cogent Education, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2017.1364881
  • Reutlinger, M., Ballmann, A., Vialle, W., Zhang, Z., & Ziegler, A. (2015). Parental goal orientations for their kindergarten children: Introducing the Nuremberg Parental Goal Orientation Scales (NuPaGOS). Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling, 57(2), 163–178.

Workshops und Seminare

  • Baue deine Zukunft mit LEGO Serious Play Methoden
  • Team Building with the LEGO Serious Play Method
  • Fostering Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation through LEGO Serious Play
  • Co-creation Workshop: Game-based Learning and Educational Equity
  • Using Game-based Learning in Teaching Chinese
  • Creative Thinking Workshop: Six-Thinking-Hats
  • Online Workshop: How Do we Measure Creativity?
  • Introduction to Gifted Education and Talent Development
  • Motivating Creative Talents
  • Nurturing Creativity: Research Guided Programs and Strategies
  • Introduction to Gifted Education in School
  • Nurturing Creativity in the Classroom
  • Creativity and Motivation Psychology

Konferenzen

  • Crosstalk with Rober Rasmussen and Dr. Skylor Zhitian Zhang: Building Creativity and Equity Brick by Brick. EU-FairPlay Cross-talk Series, Online, 2024
  • Fostering Creativity with Game-based Approaches: a Scoping Review. 2024 Creativity Conference at SOU, 05/2024
  • EU-FairPlay: Educational Equity with Digital Game-based Learning.17th European Conference on Games Based Learning (ECGBL), Enschede, Netherlands, 10/2023
  • Creative, thus connected: The Power of Perceived Creativity on Friendship Formation among Gifted Students – A Longitudinal and Social Network Analysis. 2nd European-American Summit on Talent Development, Nürnberg, Deutschland, 09/2018
  • What makes them creatively gifted? A cross-cultural study of personal and environment factors associated with creativity achievement. 16th Conference of the European Council for High Ability (ECHA), Dublin, Ireland, 2018
     

Auszeichnungen

  • Winner of the INNOSPARKS Competition
    Educational Innovation Program, University of Tübingen [ 12/2023 ]
  • Research Funding for Creativity Promotion through the LEGO Serious Play Method
    Postdoctoral Academy for Research and Education (PACE) [ 08/2023 ]
  • Full Scholarship for Doctoral Researchers Abroad
    Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) [ Oct 2015 ]
    Full Scholarship from the Chinese Scholarship Council (CSC) for Doctoral Researchers Abroad (48 months)
  • Short-term Scholarships for Master’s Degree Exchange Students in Germany
    German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) [ Oct 2014 ]
    Short-term Scholarships for Master’s Degree Exchange Students in Germany (3 months)
  • The First Prize Scholarship for Master Students
    Beijing Normal University [ 2012 ]
  • The Provincial Government Scholarship
    Yanbian Univerisity [ 2010 ]
  • The First Prize Scholarship
    Yanbian University [ 2008 ]

Freiwilligenarbeit

  • Seit 09/2024: Career Coach for Prospective and Early Career Researchers (DAAD and Alumni Deutschland)
  • Seit 2023: Mentor, Athene-Mentoring-Programm for Female Researchers

Curriculum Vitae

seit 11/2022
Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin und Projektleiterin

am Hector-Institut für Empirische Bildungsforschung

11/2017 - 10/2021
Forscherin, technische Redakteurin und Designerin für Bildungsinhalte

am World Giftedness Center in Nürnberg

10/2015 - 11/2021
Doktorandin in Pädagogischer Psychologie

an der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

2015 - 2021
Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin und Dozentin

an der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

08/2012 - 07/2015
Master of Arts in Educational Assessment and Evaluation

an der Beijing Normal University (China)

08/2008 - 07/2012
Bachelor of Science in Chemie

an der Yanbian University (China)