Prof Christothea Herodotou PhD, SFHEA, MSc, BA (Hons)

About

I am a Professor of Learning Technologies and Social Justice at the Open University UK and Associate Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, Quality Enhancement and Innovation. I have expertise in the design and evaluation of learning technologies that promote education opportunity and social justice, including learning analytics dashboards, online citizen science websites, and mobile game applications. I use mixed-methods research approaches (e.g., learning analytics, interviews, surveys, participatory workshops, RCTs) to co-design with end-users learning technologies that meet their needs and bring positive impact to society.

I am the academic lead of nQuire, a community and citizen science platform developed in partnership with the BBC, which supports the engagement of the public with scientific studies in ways that promote their learning and development and nQuire for students, a teaching and learning platform aiming to develop students' research skills through design thinking projects. I am also the academic co-lead of the Early Alert Indicators project, a university-wide initiative that uses predictive learning analytics to identify and support students who are struggling with their studies through early teacher interventions.I hold funding from Horizon Europe and Innovate UK (2022-2025) to design sustainable models of formal education that use design thinking and digital technologies (Augmented reality, Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Robotics, 3-D printing) - see ExtenDT2.

As Associate Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, I manage the design and delivery of activities related to two 'challenges' - set by the university's Pro-Vice-Chancellors - that aim to improve teaching, learning and assessment across the Open University: a) design and evaluation of online courses using artificial intelligence (AI) and the design of an AI digital assistant to support students, and b) design and evaluation of technological and pedagogical interventions to support students at risk of failing when joining the university. As part of the second challenge, I am leading the evaluation of a student-facing learning analytics dashboard that provide students with information about their study progress as well as recommendations of what to study in order to pass an assignment.

Completed projects - externally funded

I was a co-I on the Erasmus+ funded project "Accelerating the transition towards Edu 4.0 in HEIs - TEACH4EDU4" (2020-2023) that examined the teaching and learning of computer science university courses. I held funding from the National Science Foundation, Wellcome, and ESRC to improve the design of online citizen science platforms (Zooniverse and iNaturalist) and make science learning more accessible and productive to young people (LEARN Cit Sci) (completed in 2022). I was a co-I on MAPPS, aNuffield funded project that examined through a systematic review the value of maths apps to learning and showcased the importance of good quality feedback and levelling in supporting app learning outcomes (completed in 2022). I was the PI of the project "Democratising research through Citizen Science: A mental health pilot", which was co-funded by the Mental Health Foundation and the Open University and explored ways we can engage young people who face mental health issues with scientific research (completed 2021).I was the PI of the UKRI funded project EduCS: EDUcating Citizens and organisations in Citizen Science methodologies, that delivered a series of participatory workshops for developing citizen science capacity in organisations not normally involved in citizen science, including academic and non academic organisations such as the Royal Meteorological Society and BBC Weather.

Completed projects - internally funded

I held internal funding from the eSTEeM centre, at the Open University for a number of projects: (i) as a PI to identify effective ways feedback could be provided to students when remotely interacting with a virtual microscope - feedback was in the form of written material and synchronous on demand guidance by a teacher, (ii) as a co-I to improve the accuracy of predictive analytics of at risk students, by identifying and explaining errors in student predictions, and (iii) as a PI, I produced evidence-based recommendations as to how to improve the design of activities that make use of the virtual microscope in undergraduate courses, examining both the teachers' and the students' perspectives.

I am a fellow of the British Academy as I received a mid-career fellowship that produced evidence-based guidelines for the design of mobile applications for young children (m_Evaluate). I was an elected member of the International society for Artificial Intelligence in EDucation (IAIED)  – co-leading the public engagement stream of work (2020-2023).

Teaching

I single authored the free OpenLearn course "Children’s experiences with digital technologies" which aims to  help parents and teachers with choosing and using digital technologies such as mobile apps with children. I was the Chair of the Master course: Technology-enhanced learning: Practices and debates (H800) for three years. 

Awards

UNESCO ICT in Education Prize 2nd place (International competition with 73 entries) (Predictive learning analytics and OU Analyse) (2021)

Data IQ Award 2nd place. Category: Green data for citizen science (Citizen science and nQuire) (2021)

The Guardian Research Impact Award (Citizen science and nQuire) (2020)

Data IQ Award Best use of data by a not-for-profit organisation (OU Analyse) (2020)

Excellence in Enhancing Teaching and Learning 2020 by The Open University Recognition of Excellence in Teaching team (predictive analytics) (2020)

The Times Higher Education Finalist in Digital Innovation of the year (OU Analyse) (2019) 

Outstanding Impact on Teaching, Curriculum and Students 2019 by the OU Research Excellence Awards (Predictive analytics) (2019)

Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action, Seal of Excellence (2018)

The Open University Inaugural Engaging Research Award by the RCUK Public Engagement with Research Catalyst ‘An open research university’ (2014)

Qualifications

I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and a Honorary Associate of UCL. I received my Ph.D. degree in Digital Games and Psychology from University College London (UCL) Institute of Education with very minor amendments (4 weeks), a MSc in Education, Technology, and Society, University of Bristol, UK (with Distinction) and a BA (Hons) in Primary Education, University of Cyprus.

PhD/EdD supervision

I am currently supervising a number of PhD and EdD students.

External consultancy

I am advising on the online design and delivery of university programmes. I am an advisory board member on projects using learning analytics to support students' learning.  

Biography

Dr Christothea Herodotou is a Professor of Learning Technologies and Social Justice at the Open University UK and Associate Director of the Institute of Educational Technology, Quality Enhancement and Innovation. She has expertise in the design and evaluation of learning technologies that promote education opportunity and social justice, including learning analytics dashboards, online citizen science websites, and mobile game applications. She is the academic lead of nQuire - a community citizen science platform developed in partnership with the BBC, which supports the engagement of the public with scientific practices in ways that promote learning and awareness and nQuire for students, a teaching and learning platform aiming to develop students' research skills through design thinking projects. She is also the academic co-lead of the Early Alert Indicators project, a university-wide initiative that uses predictive learning analytics to identify and support students who are struggling with their studies through early teacher interventions. She has recently won funding from Horizon Europe to devise sustainable models of formal education that are based on co-production, design thinking and digital technologies (See ExtenDT2). In the past, she has held funding from major funding bodies including the National Science Foundation, ESRC and Wellcome to improve the design of online citizen science platforms and make science learning more accessible and productive to young people; UKRI and the Mental Health Foundation for developing community and citizen science capacity in large organisations and underserved communities; Nuffield foundation, British Academy and BERA for examining and improving the design of educational mobile applications for children. She has authored more than 120+ outputsthe great majority of which in peer-reviewed outlets and as a first author. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She received her Ph.D. degree in Digital Games and Psychology from the University College London (UCL): Institute of Education and her MSc in Education, Technology, and Society from the University of Bristol (with Distinction). She has received several awards over the years including ones from The Guardian and UNESCO. 

Publications

2025

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2012

2011

2009

Media appearances

Can maths apps add value to learning?

Nuffield funded project

Nuffield foundation | 16th July 2025

Escape with the sounds of nature – Forest 404

An exciting national experiment reopens today, aiming to shed light on how listening to nature could impact wellbeing

Open University homepage | 8th April 2020

Japan preschools using tablets to prep tots for digital age

Some studies show positive outcomes among young children using mobile devices to improve their literacy, science or math skills, but there’s little research comparing tablet-assisted learning to more conventional teaching approaches, according to a review of 19 studies by Christothea Herodotou, a lecturer at The Open University in the United Kingdom. Herodotou said it’s unclear which features might help or hinder learning.

Associated Press | 26th September 2018

Most downloaded article in recent BJET history

Congratulations! Your article was one of our top downloaded articles in recent publication history!

Wiley, BJET | 24th May 2018

nQuire shortlisted for the Guardian University Awards

nQuire has been shortlisted in the Research impact category.

OU Life | 19th March 2020

OU platform hosts investigation into fake facts about COVID-19

An investigation which tests how likely people are to believe COVID-19 related news stories, has been launched on the OU’s nQuire platform

Open unievrsity homepage | 5th May 2020

Awards

BERA BJET Fellowship

British Educational Research Association

British Academy Mid-career fellowship

British Academy

Digital Innovation of the year 2019 (shortlisted)

By The Times Higher Education (THE) for OU Analyse

Recognition for excellence in teaching 2020

Awarded by the Open University for engaging teachers with predictive learning analytics

Research Award for Outstanding impact on teaching, learning and curriculum

Awarded by the Open University for using predictive learning analytics to support learning

Research Impact Guardian Award (pending)

for engaging citizens with science via nQuire

The Open University Inaugural Engaging Research Award

RCUK Public Engagement with Research Catalyst ‘An open research university’