Karl Steffens is psychologist and lecturer at the University of Cologne / Germany. He obtained his PhD from the University of Bonn and has been working at the universities of Bonn, Cologne, Frankfurt, Erfurt, and Barcelona (Spain). At the University of Barcelona, he conducted research in the field of ICT for a year with a grant from the European Commission (Human Capital and Mobility Programme). Since then, he participated in a number of European research projects and Networks of Excellence on technology enhanced learning and on intercultural communication, with a focus on self-regulated learning in technology enhanced learning environments (SOCRATES, LEONARDO, TEMPUS, EDU ELEARN, ELE ELEB11, KALEIDOSCOPE, STELLAR). He also made contributions on these topics in international journals and books. 

He is a member of the advisory editorial board of Computer & Education (since 2002) and of the editorial board of Technology, Pedagogy and Education (since 2009). Since 2002, he has been Convenor of the European Educational Research Association (EERA) Network 16: ICT in Education and Training. In this context, he has regularly organised symposia on the use of ICT in education at the annual European Congress on Educational Research (ECER). 

In his teaching, he focuses on learning and instruction, technology enhanced learning, motivation, emotion and personality development, competences and assessment.