Professors

Name
Position
University
Email
Phone
Date of first Email
Date of Follow-ups

Research Pubs
PhD, collaboration
Sales Lead Funnel
Marketing
Letter-writing, correspondence, email
Correspondence - one thing is like another - similarity, connection Words, meaning
Intial Contact

Percent Reply, followup
Percent non-replies, 2nd email, and later, a phone call
Spreadsheet, Tracking
Leads to a Phone Call

Form, Formation, Reformation, Information, Meaning, Understanding

Neil Mercer

Emeritus Professor of Education
University of Cambridge

https://oracycambridge.org/about-us/

Psychologist, Relationship between language and thinking, young peopple have to learn to use spoken language well, in order to inter-think, or communicate responsively, create a mega brain, by linking to together, connection between thinking and speaking, not lone genius, but rather collaboration. Best ideas come from peopple working together.

He is the Director of Oracy Cambridge, a center dedicated to advancing research and practice in oracy education. dialogic teaching and oracy (the ability to express oneself fluently through spoken language). His research focuses on how classroom dialogue, such as "Exploratory Talk," enhances collaborative learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving. His work has shaped teacher training and curriculum design globally.

https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-reflections/reflecting-communication

https://oracycambridge.org/on-holding-a-conversation/
Dr Lyn Dawes

Email: nmm31@cam.ac.uk
Phone: (+44) (0)1223 767592

Developed frameworks for analyzing classroom talk and its impact on cognitive development. Pioneered the concept of "dialogic teaching," which emphasizes interactive, meaningful dialogue between students and teachers.

Applied his research to technology-enhanced learning environments, exploring how digital tools support collaborative learning.

Words and Minds: How We Use Language to Think Together (Routledge, 2000) – Examines language as a tool for collaborative cognition. Dialogue and the Development of Children’s Thinking (Routledge, 2007, with Karen Littleton) – Links dialogue to cognitive growth in children. Interthinking: Putting Talk to Work (Routledge, 2013) – Explores how group talk drives collective intelligence. Exploring Talk in School (Sage, 2008, co-edited) – Provides practical insights into classroom dialogue.

Diana Laurillard (Faculty of Education) Concentration: Education (Learning Technology Design) Major Research: Develops frameworks for technology-enhanced learning. Notable Publication: Teaching as a Design Science (2012).

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore (Department of Psychology) Concentration: Psychology of Learning (Adolescent Brain Development) Major Research: Studies social learning in adolescence. Notable Publication: Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain (2018).

Susan Gathercole (Department of Psychology) Concentration: Psychology of Learning (Working Memory) Major Research: Investigates memory deficits and learning difficulties. Notable Publication: Working Memory and Learning (2008).

Michael Lamb (Department of Psychology) Concentration: Psychology of Learning (Developmental Psychology) Major Research: Focuses on child development and social learning. Notable Publication: Developmental Science: An Advanced Textbook (co-edited, 2015).

Anna Vignoles (Faculty of Education) Concentration: Education (Economics of Education) Major Research: Investigates social mobility and educational outcomes. Notable Publication: Widening Participation in Higher Education (2012).

Rupert Wegerif (University of Cambridge) Concentration: Education (Dialogic Education) Research Focus: Wegerif studies dialogic education, focusing on how dialogue fosters critical thinking and creativity, particularly in digital and collaborative learning environments. Notable Publications: Dialogic Education and Technology (2007, Springer) – Examines dialogue in tech-enhanced learning. Dialogic: Education for the Internet Age (2013, Routledge) – Proposes dialogic approaches for digital education. “Reasoning as a Scientist: Ways of Helping Children to Use Language to Learn Science” (British Educational Research Journal, 2006) – Explores dialogue in science education.

Carey Jewitt (University of Nottingham) Concentration: Education (Digital Learning Environments) Research Focus: Jewitt explores multimodal communication and digital technologies in education, focusing on how visual, gestural, and digital modes enhance learning. Her work bridges linguistics and educational technology. Notable Publications: The Routledge Handbook of Multimodal Analysis (2009, Routledge, edited) – Foundational text on multimodality in education. “Multimodality and Literacy in School Classrooms” (Review of Research in Education, 2008) – Examines multimodal literacy practices. “Policy, Pedagogy and Interactive Whiteboards” (2010, in Interactive Whiteboards for Education, with Gemma Moss) – Studies technology’s role in pedagogy.

Sara Hennessy (University of Cambridge) Concentration: Education (Technology-Enhanced Learning) Research Focus: Hennessy investigates how digital technologies, like interactive whiteboards, support collaborative learning and teacher professional development, especially in low-resource contexts. Notable Publications: Developing Interactive Teaching and Learning Using Digital Technologies (2014, Routledge) – Frameworks for technology in education. “Bridging Between Research and Practice” (British Journal of Educational Technology, 2010) – Explores technology integration in classrooms. “Teacher Perspectives on Integrating ICT into Subject Teaching” (Computers & Education, 2010) – Examines teacher adoption of technology.

Diana Laurillard (University of Oxford) Concentration: Education (Learning Technology Design) Research Focus: Laurillard develops models for designing technology-enhanced learning, including the Conversational Framework, which emphasizes interactive and adaptive learning environments. Notable Publications: Teaching as a Design Science (2012, Routledge) – Proposes a design-based approach to education. Rethinking University Teaching (2002, Routledge) – Explores technology’s role in higher education. “The Pedagogical Challenges to Collaborative Technologies” (International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning, 2009) – Analyzes tech-supported learning.

Paul Cairns (University of York) Concentration: Game Design (Human-Computer Interaction in Games) Research Focus: Cairns studies player experience, immersion, and usability in video games, focusing on HCI principles in game design. Notable Publications: Engagement in Digital Entertainment Games (2014, Springer) – Analyzes player immersion. “A Grounded Investigation of Game Immersion” (CHI, 2014) – Explores player engagement metrics. “Player Experience in Video Games” (Interacting with Computers, 2016).

Simon Parsons (University of Lincoln) Concentration: Game Design (AI in Interactive Systems) Research Focus: Parsons works on AI for interactive systems, including game AI and multi-agent systems for dynamic environments. Notable Publications: “Game-Theoretic Approaches to Multi-Agent Systems” (AI Magazine, 2015) – Applies AI to interactive contexts. “AI for Real-Time Strategy Games” (Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, 2012). “Learning in Multi-Agent Environments” (Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, 2018).

Pam Sammons

University of Oxford
Research Focus: Sammons studies school effectiveness, teacher quality, and educational equity, focusing on how school-level factors influence student outcomes. School Effectiveness and Equity: Making a Difference (2007, Routledge) – Examines school improvement strategies. “The Impact of School Leadership on Pupil Outcomes” (Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 2011) – Analyzes leadership effects. Effective Schools in Disadvantaged Areas (2006, Institute of Education) – Focuses on equity in education.

university of manchester Garry Crawford (Professor of Sociology, with a focus on digital culture and education) Research Focus: Digital media, gamification in education, and technology’s role in learning cultures. Publications: Video Games as Culture: Considering the Role and Importance of Games in Contemporary Society (Routledge, 2018, co-authored with Daniel Muriel) Explores the cultural impact of video games, including their educational potential for gamified learning environments. Gamification in Education: Opportunities and Challenges (Learning, Media and Technology, 2020, co-authored) Analyzes how game-based learning enhances student engagement, with case studies on digital platforms. Digital Learning Cultures (Journal of Education and New Media, 2017, co-authored) Discusses the integration of digital media in education, relevant to advances in teaching practices Laura Black (Professor of Education, focusing on communication and digital learning) Research Focus: Digital communication in education, online learning environments, and inclusive pedagogies. Publications: Digital Communication and Learning: New Paradigms for Education (Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2018, co-authored) Investigates how digital tools foster communication in online classrooms, relevant to digital education advances. Online Learning Communities: Building Engagement Through Technology (Education and Information Technologies, 2020, co-authored) Explores virtual platforms for collaborative learning, with insights into AI-driven personalization. Inclusive Digital Education: Challenges and Opportunities (Routledge, 2022, co-edited) Addresses digital tools for inclusive education, including gamified and interactive learning systems.

Julian Williams (Professor of Education, specializing in mathematics education and technology) Research Focus: Technology-enhanced learning in mathematics, digital tools for pedagogy, and educational innovation. Publications: Technology in Mathematics Education: New Tools for New Times (Research in Mathematics Education, 2019, co-authored) Examines digital platforms, including interactive apps, for teaching mathematics, with implications for educational games. Digital Pedagogies in STEM Education (British Journal of Educational Technology, 2016, co-authored) Explores technology-driven approaches to STEM learning, including adaptive systems relevant to AI tutoring. Learning Mathematics in a Digital Age (Routledge, 2021, co-edited) Discusses digital tools for personalized learning in mathematics, with potential overlap in AI-supported systems.

cambridge university Louis Major (Senior Lecturer, closely associated with digital education research) Research Focus: Digital technology for learning, computer-supported collaborative learning, and educational innovation. Publications: The Use of Computer Games in Education: A Review of the Literature (Cambridge Journal of Education, 2015) Analyzes the impact of educational games on student engagement and learning outcomes, highlighting their potential in digital education. Technology-Enhanced Learning: Evidence from a Systematic Review (Computers & Education, 2017, co-authored) Reviews the efficacy of digital tools, including AI-driven systems, in enhancing educational outcomes across diverse settings. Digital Professional Development: New Opportunities for Teachers (British Journal of Educational Technology, 2019, co-authored) Discusses how digital platforms, including AI-supported tools, can advance teacher training and pedagogical innovation.

University of Edinburgh Professor Caroline Watt Research Focus: Parapsychology, replication in psychology, and belief systems. Recent Publications: Research on replication issues in psychological science, published in Perspectives on Psychological Science. Summary: Watt’s work critically examines controversial areas like parapsychology and scientific rigor.

Sian Bayne (Professor of Digital Education, Director of the Centre for Research in Digital Education) Research Focus: Digital pedagogies, online learning environments, and the sociocultural impacts of digital education. Publications: Digital Education and the Future of Learning (Routledge, 2019, co-authored) Explores how digital technologies reshape higher education, focusing on massive open online courses (MOOCs) and virtual learning environments. The Manifesto for Teaching Online (MIT Press, 2020, co-authored with Jen Ross and others) Argues for reimagining online education as a creative, inclusive practice, with implications for digital pedagogies and AI-supported learning. Posthuman Pedagogies in Digital Education (Learning, Media and Technology, 2018, co-authored) Examines how AI and automation influence teaching practices, relevant to AI tutoring systems.

Professor Adam Moore Research Focus: Moral psychology, social power motives, and political attitudes. Recent Publications: “Moral trade-offs reveal foundational representations that predict unique variance in political attitudes” (exploring Moral Foundations Theory). Research on social power motives (dominance, prestige, leadership). Studies on belief in conspiracies and decision-making biases. Summary: Moore’s research bridges moral psychology and political behavior, using experimental methods to study intuitive judgments.

Jen Ross (Senior Lecturer in Digital Education, Co-Director of the Centre for Research in Digital Education) Research Focus: Digital cultures in education, online teaching, and speculative methods for digital learning. Publications: Speculative Futures for Digital Education (Springer, 2021, co-edited) Examines emerging technologies, including AI and virtual reality, in shaping future educational practices. Digital Education and the Creative Arts (International Journal of Education Through Art, 2016, co-authored) Explores digital tools, including game-based platforms, for creative learning in arts education. The Manifesto for Teaching Online (MIT Press, 2020, co-authored with Sian Bayne and others) Co-authored work on rethinking digital education, with implications for innovative teaching methods.

Hamish Macleod (Senior Lecturer in Digital Education, retired but influential in past research) Research Focus: Online learning communities, educational games, and technology-enhanced learning. Publications: Learning in Virtual Worlds: Research and Applications (Athabasca University Press, 2016, co-edited) Analyzes virtual environments and educational games for immersive learning, with case studies on collaborative platforms. Game-Based Learning in Higher Education (British Journal of Educational Technology, 2010, co-authored) Examines the efficacy of educational games in university settings, focusing on student motivation and learning outcomes. Digital Communities for Learning (Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 2008, co-authored) Discusses online platforms for collaborative learning, with early insights into AI-supported systems.

Judy Robertson (Professor of Digital Learning) Research Focus: Educational technology, AI in education, and game-based learning for STEM subjects. Publications: Computer Game Design: Opportunities for Learning (Computers & Education, 2012, co-authored) Investigates how designing educational games enhances student engagement and computational thinking, with case studies in school settings. AI and Education: Designing Adaptive Learning Environments (British Journal of Educational Technology, 2019, co-authored) Explores AI-driven adaptive systems for personalized learning, directly relevant to AI tutoring. Digital Storytelling in Education (Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 2017, co-authored) Discusses gamified digital tools for narrative-based learning, applicable to educational games.

Professor Debi Fry Research Focus: Child protection, violence prevention, and global education. Recent Publications: Research on preventing violence against children in schools, published in journals like Child Abuse & Neglect. Summary: Fry’s work informs global child protection policies, with a focus on safe learning environments.

Professor Judy Robertson Research Focus: Digital learning, data science in education, and gender equality in STEM. Recent Publications: Includes studies on data education for young learners and gender diversity in computing education (e.g., Journal of Computer Science Education). Summary: Robertson explores how digital tools enhance learning, with a focus on inclusive STEM education. Her work often involves practical applications in schools.