Mike Sharples

In brief

Mike Sharples is Professor of Learning Sciences and Director of the Learning Sciences Research Institute at the University of Nottingham. The LSRI is a centre of excellence for research in the learning sciences and technological innovation. Research at the Institute explores the fundamental processes and practices of learning, and how to design new technologies to enhance human learning and interaction.

Mike's research interests include human-centred design of new technologies for learning, mobile and contextual learning, and the application of studies of human cognition and social interaction to the design of novel interactive systems. He inaugurated the mLearn international conference series and is President of the International Association for Mobile Learning. He is Principal Investigator of the PI: Personal Inquiry project to support inquiry learning of 21st century science topics between formal and informal settings. Other current projects include CAPITAL (Curriculum & Pedagogy in Technology Assisted Learning) to inform the next phase of the UK's Harnessing Technology Strategy. He is leader of the Learning strand of the National Biomedical Research Unit in Hearing. As a member of the MOBIlearn European 5th Framework project he led the design and evaluation of its context awareness subsystem. His previous projects include a study of Web 2.0 technologies for learning at school and home, L-Mo with Sharp Labs Europe to develop mobile technology for language learning, the design of a Writer's Assistant, an exploration of writing as creative design, computer implementations of story generation, and the development of a knowledge-based tutoring system for neuroradiology.

Research

• Web2.0 Technologies for Learning at Key Stages 3 and 4. A project funded by Becta to investigate and describe Web2.0 (social networking and collaborative media production) activities by children to support their leanring at school and in the home.
• Personal Inquiry (PI): Designing for Evidence-based Inquiry Learning across Formal and Informal Settings. A project with the Open university, funded by the ESRC/EPSRC TEL inititive, to support 21st century science learning with mobile technologies.
•  HP Technology in Higher Education. A project funded by HP Technology for Teaching Higher Education initiative to investigate the use of tablet technologies in university teaching.
• Mobile Learning Tools for Children with Life-Threatening Allergies. A project, funded by with Dr Woolley, University of Birmingham. Supported by an award from Cadbury Schweppes Foundation.

Other

• President, International Association for Mobile Learning
•  Member of editorial board of Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
•  Member of International Review Panel for mLearn conference series