Dr Matt Smith

Reader (Assoc Prof) in Digital Learning Contexts and Senior Lecturer, ITE

  • Email matt.smith@wlv.ac.uk
  • Faculty FEHW
  • Campus Walsall Campus
  • School School of Education
  • Areas of expertise

    Informal and Innovative mobile and digital learning and teaching; Innovative research methods, Disadvantage; Developmental contexts, Remote and/or Marginalised  (RAOM) Communities; Global South; Development of a sophisticated personal epistemology; Primary teaching; English teaching; Flipped learning; Pedagogy; Mobile Learning; Using social media to overcome public health issues; Mixed-methodological approaches to research.

Dr Matt Smith is Reader (Assoc Prof) in Digital Learning Contexts at the University of Wolverhampton. He predominantly works on mobile and digital learning, particularly in the Globalised South and with remote and/or marginalised communities; digital literacy; and decolonisation. He co-authored a major report for the Department for International Development's EdTech Hub on lessons learned to support governments' digital responses to the educational crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Amongst other internationally-collaborative research efforts, Dr Smith has worked in Palestine focusing on developing mobile technologies for supporting the teaching of English; and across Europe, as Principal Investigator on a major Erasmus+ project supporting co-creative approaches to online education. With Prof John Traxler, Dr Smith co-edited Digital Learning in Higher Education – COVID-19 and Beyond, charting the effects of the pandemic on digital learning across the UK Higher Education sector. He is the Coordinator for the UNESCO Chair on Innovative Informal Digital Learning in Disadvantaged and Development Contexts, and is currently investigating the potential for leveraging GenAI to support remote and/or marginalised communities, as well as supporting leadership of the current UNESCO initiative on embedding an intercultural approach into digital competences, prioritising Ubuntu, which emphasizes interconnectedness and shared humanity, as the guiding principle. His new co-edited book on decolonising educational technology was published in December 2024. He is currently working on a gender equality project in the Ukraine.

 

Prior to becoming a Senior Lecturer, Matt worked as a primary teacher, English specialist and Assistant Headteacher. He is keen for children to take ownership of their learning, and to work with teachers to develop a facilitative, learner-centric method that favours exploration and social construction of learning over more traditional, didactic teaching styles.

Matt teaches two modules on the Masters in Education programme, and supervises both Masters and Doctoral thesis students. He currently has nine PhD and EdD students. Please see full bio here.

Informal and Innovative mobile and digital learning and teaching; Innovative research methods, Disadvantage; Developmental contexts, Remote and/or Marginalised  (RAOM) Communities; Global South; Development of a sophisticated personal epistemology; Primary teaching; English teaching; Flipped learning; Pedagogy; Mobile Learning; Using social media to overcome public health issues; Mixed-methodological approaches to research.

Please see more here.

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Editorial Board member of Distance Education, the Asian Journal of Distance Education and the International Journal of Educational Methodology.

Peer reviewer for PLOS One, Distance Education, the Asian Journal of Distance Education, Journal of Teacher Education, American Educational Research Journal and Educational Review amongst others. I have completed more than 180 reviews for over 50 publications in the last three years.

  • BA (Hons), 1997
  • PGCE, 1999
  • M.Ed. 2008
  • EdD in Learning and Learning Contexts, 2017
  • SFHEA, 2014

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS - please see full list here.

Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (2022). Digital Learning in Higher Education: COVID-19 and Beyond. London: Edward Elgar Publishers. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800379404 ISBN: 9781800379398.

Smith, M., Koole, M., Adam, T., Traxler, J. & Footring, S. (2024). Methodological Insights for Decolonising Research and EdTech. Educational Sciences, 14(6), 580. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060580

Bahari, A., Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2024). Examining the Impact of Chatbot-Based Language Learning Support, Adaptive Learning Algorithms, and Virtual Reality Language Immersion on EFL Learners’ Language Learning Proficiency and Self-Regulated Learning Skills. Preprints, 2024031715. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202403.1715.v1 Scott, H., Ujvari, M. & Smith, M. (2024). “Our Identity is Our Dignity”: Digital Transformations: Palestinian Aspirations, Idealism, Reality and Pragmatism. Education as Change, 28. https://doi.org/10.25159/1947-9417/13828 Qaddumi, H., & Smith, M. (2024). Implementation of Learning Management Systems (Moodle): Effects on Students’ Language Acquisition and Attitudes towards Learning English as a Foreign Language. Trends in Higher Education 3(2), 260-272. https://doi.org/10.3390/higheredu3020016 Scott, H. & Smith, M. (2024). Innovation from necessity: digital technologies, teacher development and reciprocity with organisational innovation. Open Learning: the Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680513.2024.2307627 Scott, H. & Smith, M. (2023). A Design-Based Research Approach to Developing Teacher-Student Co-creation through Interactive E:books. Preprints, 2023121474. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.1474.v1

Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2023). Distance Education under Oppression: The Case of Palestinian Higher Education. Education Sciences, 13(7), 729. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13070729

Qaddumi, H., Smith, M., Masd, K., Bakeer, A. & Abu-Ulbeh, W. (2023). Investigating Palestinian in-service teachers’ beliefs about the integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into teaching English. Educ Inf Technol., 28, 12785–12805. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11689-6

Bakeer, A., Dweikat, K. & Smith, M. (2023) The Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning on Improving the Undergraduate Students’ Speaking Skills through M-Learning. Rihan Journal for Scientific Publishing, 38, 63-93. https://rjsp.org/?p=2846

Qaddumi, H. A., Smith, M., Alawneh, Y., Shawamreh, N., Bakeer, A., & Itemizeh, M. (2023) Palestinian undergraduate learners’ foreign language classroom anxiety in online environments. Studies in English Language and Education, 10(3), 1358-1378. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v10i3.30031

Itmeizeh, M., Khalil, Z. & Smith, M. (2022). Palestinian EFL Students' Perceptions of Using Edmodo in Developing their Writing Skills. Journal of Palestine Ahliya University for Research and Studies, 1(1), 143-160. https://journal.paluniv.edu.ps/index.php/journal/article/view/41

Albino, V. A., Fernandes, I. D., Almeida, R., Santos-Silva, T. A., Smania-Marques, R., Smith, M., Traxler, J. & Santos, S. (2022). Mosquito-Borne Arboviruses in Brazil: Assessment of Apps Based on the Mobile Apps Rating Scale (MARS). Global Journal of Health Science, 14(8), 16-28. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v14n8p16

da Costa, E.G., Fernandes, I.D., Albino, V.A., Smania-Marques, R., Olinda, R., da Silva, L.F., de Lima, A.K., Barbosa Lourenço, E.M., Galisa, S.S., Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (2022). Development and validation of an evaluation scale for audiovisual production for health interventions - ZIKAMOB. Global Journal of Health Science, 14(9), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v14n9p1

Santos, S., Smania-Marques, R., Albino, V. A., Fernandes, I. D., Mangueira, F. F. A., Altafim, R. A. P., Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (2022). Prevention and control of mosquito-borne arboviral diseases: lessons learned from a school-based intervention in Brazil (Zikamob). BMC Public Health, 22(1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-12554-w

Traxler, J., & Smith, M. (2020). Data for development: shifting research methodologies for Covid-19. Journal of Learning for Development, 7(3), 306-325. https://jl4d.org/index.php/ejl4d/article/view/463/518

Traxler, J., Smith, M., Scott, H. & Hayes, S. (2020). Learning through the crisis: Helping decision-makers around the world use digital technology to combat the educational challenges produced by the current COVID-19 pandemic. EdTech Hub. https://docs.edtechhub.org/lib/CD9IAPFX

Cavalcante, A. C. P., De Olinda, R. A., Gomes, A., Traxler, J., Smith, M., & Santos, S. (2020). Spatial modelling of the infestation indices of Aedes aegypti: An innovative strategy for vector control actions in developing countries. Parasites and Vectors, 13(1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-020-04070-w Brown-Williams, Z., Rhoades, G., Smith, M., & Thompson, D. (2019). Aspiring to higher education? Choice, complexity and confidence in secondary students’ decision-making. Educationalfutures, 10(1), 31-58. https://educationstudies.org.uk/journal/ef/volume-10-1-2019 Smith, M. (2017). Using andragogy to teach pedagogy: expecting heutagogy - using against-the-grain teaching practices for desired outcomes. Research in Teacher Education, 7(1), 13-18. https://www.uel.ac.uk/research/research-in-teacher-education/volume-7-no-1-may-2017

Smith, M. (2016). An investigation into the Pedagogical Trajectories of PGCE Trainees Using Espoused 'Beliefs'. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 3(5), 16-29. http://jespnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_5_November_2016/3.pdf

Smith, M. (2016). Examining the Relationship between a Sophisticated Personal Epistemology and Desired Pedagogical Practices in Trainee Teachers. Journal of Education & Social Policy, 3(3), 48-59. http://jespnet.com/journals/Vol_3_No_3_September_2016/7.pdf

Special Issue

Koole, M., Smith, M., Traxler, J., Adam, T. & Footring, S. (2023). Decolonising Educational Technology. [Special Issue]. Education Sciences, 13. https://www.mdpi.com/journal/education/special_issues/2XT510Z1D6

Chapters in books

Smith, M., De Laet, T. & Barata, A. (2023). Learning Analytics for Co-Creation and Interactive Courseware. In: Hayes, S., Jopling, M., Connor, S., Johnson, M. (Eds) Human Data Interaction, Disadvantage and Skills in the Community. Postdigital Science and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31875-7_10

Smith, M., Scott, H. & Traxler, J. (2022). Researching Mobile Language Learning through Disruption. In H. Reinders, C. Lai & P. Sundqvist (Eds) The Routledge Handbook of Language Learning and Teaching Beyond the Classroom. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003048169

Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (2022). Education’s Liminal Space. In Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (Eds) Digital Learning in Higher Education: Covid-19 and Beyond, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishers. 

Smith, M., Morgan-Guthrie, R. & Caddick, C. (2022). Initial Teacher Education during COVID-19: adopting, adapting and inventing. In Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (Eds) Digital Learning in Higher Education: Covid-19 and Beyond, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishers.

Deepwell, M., Crookes, R. & Smith, M. (2022). Further non-teaching perspectives on aspects of the Higher Education Sector impacted by COVID-19. In Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (Eds) Digital Learning in Higher Education: Covid-19 and Beyond, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishers.

Traxler, J. & Smith, M. (2022). Digital learning after the crises: the new normal? In Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (Eds) Digital Learning in Higher Education: Covid-19 and Beyond, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishers. Smith, M., Scott, H. & De Laet, T. (2023). Learning analytics: panopticon or panacea? In R. Sooryamurthy & V. Ojang (Eds) Researching the ‘New Normal’ Social World: Methodological Adaptations and Innovations. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003386087-8 Smith, M. & Gurton, P. (2020). Flipping the Classroom in Teacher Education. In: Walker, Z., Tan, D. & Ko h, N. (Eds) Flipped Classrooms with Diverse Learners. Springer Texts in Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4171-1_13

Other outputs

Smith, M. (2024). Video: Overcoming hegemonic gateways: writing workshops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sage Research Methods: Diversifying and Decolonizing Research. https://methods.sagepub.com/video/overcoming-hegemonic-gateways-writing-workshops-in-sub-saharan-africa

Smith, M., Smale, M. & Meade, K. (2024). Tech4Teachers White Paper Improving access and digital skills for teachers: challenges and opportunities. https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Tech4Teachers-Report-2023.pdf

Smith, M., & Mcconnell, S. (2021). DFE Memoranda of Understanding for Faith Schools: a gateway to inequality? University of Wolverhampton: University of Wolverhampton. https://www.wlv.ac.uk/staff/media/departments/media-and-communications/documents/University-of-Wolverhampton-Report-May-2021-Final.pdf

Jopling, M., Johnson, M., Pascal, C., Williams-Brown, Z., Smith, M., Riordan, S., Starr, S., Bartram, B., Thompson, D., Haywood, M., Brewster, S., Connor, S. & Hayes, S. (2020). The Black Country Education Insight Report 2020. Education Observatory, University of Wolverhampton. http://educationobservatory.co.uk/black-country-education-insight-report/

Smith, M., Bramwell, L., & Littley, D. (2019). HeadStart local evaluation: qualitative perspectives from schools: Second Report. University of Wolverhampton: Education Observatory. https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/622726; see also https://www.flipsnack.com/educationobservatory/so-final-v1-3.html

Smith, M., Littley, D., Adeghe, A., & Bramwell, L. (2019). HeadStart Wolverhampton local evaluation: qualitative perspectives from schools. University of Wolverhampton: Education Observatory. https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/622451

 

Conference Presentations

Smith, M. (2023). Overcoming hegemonic gateways: writing workshops in Sub-Saharan Africa. UoW School of Education Annual Research Conference: Decolonising Research Methodologies and Methods, University of Wolverhampton, Jul 2023.

Smith, M. (2023). Overcoming hegemonic gateways: writing workshops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Research Methodology Conference (RMC-2023): Decolonising Research Methodologies and Methods, Birkbeck, University of London, Jun 2023.

Tsuma, N., Pallitt, N. & Smith, M. (2023). Writing Workshop 3: Positionality in Educational Technology Research. Sub-Saharan Africa Writing Workshop Series, online, May 2023.

Smith, M. (2023). Writing Workshop 2: decolonising research methodologies. Sub-Saharan Africa Writing Workshop Series, online, Apr 2023.

Adam, T., Moustafa, N. & Smith, M. (2023). Writing Workshop 1: Decolonising Edtech: Unpacking Conceptual Frameworks. Sub-Saharan Africa Writing Workshop Series, online, Mar 2023.

Smith, M. (2023). TEFL-ePAL: what, why, how… so what? Language and Communication in the Era of Digitalization: Challenges and Prospects conference, Al-Istiqlal University, Palestine, online, Mar 2023.

Smith, M. (2023). Informal learning and research in disadvantaged and development contexts. Diversity Conference, University of Wolverhampton, Jan 2023.

Smith, M. (2022). Learning analytics for co-creation and interactive courseware. CARNET Users Conference: postdigital education, Šibenik, Croatia, online, Oct 2022.

Koole, M., Footring, S., Traxler, J. & Smith, M. (2022). Decolonisation of digital learning spaces: innovative and appropriate research tools. XXIX International Conference on Learning, University of Valencia, Spain, online, Jul 2022.

Smith, M. & Traxler, J. (2022). A new normal has not arrived yet – reflections on where we are. Webinar book launch via ALT platform, June 2022.

Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2022). Final reflections and comments on WP2. TEFL-ePAL Management Conference, Anadolu Open University, Turkey, May 2022.

Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2022). Reflections on Progress. TEFL-ePAL Management Conference, Al-Quds Open University, Palestine, March 2022.

Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2021). Capturing Impacts. TEFL-ePAL Management Conference, online, Oct 2021.

Smith, M. & De Laet, T. (2021). Interactive courseware to connect discussion to course material: So what? ALT Conference, Belgium, July 2021. https://oerxdomains21.org/

Smith, M. & De Laet, T. (2021). Interactive courseware to connect discussion to course material: So what? (ARC 2021). University of Wolverhampton, June 2021. https://www.wlv.ac.uk/

Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2020). Online bibliographic databases and systematic literature reviews: some reflections. E-Research Online Event, University of Wolverhampton, July 2020.

Smith, M. & Gurton, P. (2019). Flipping the Classroom in Teacher Education. World Educational Leadership Symposium, Zug, Switzerland, Sept 2019.

Smith, M. & Gurton, P. (2019) Flipped Learning in ITE, HEIR Research Conference 2019, University of Wolverhampton, Sept 2019.

Smith, M. & Scott, H. (2019). Philosophies of Pedagogy. TEFL-ePAL Management Conference, Al-Quds Open University, Palestine, June 2019.

Smith, M. (2019). Symposium: HeadStart schools qualitative research. British Education Studies Association (BESA) Conference, June 2019. https://educationstudies.org.uk/abstract/symposium-childhood-resilience-and-wellbeing/

Smith, M. (2019). Leading Change in Schools:  Some reflections from research. Leadership Reform Conference, University of Wolverhampton, Feb 2019.

Brown, Z., Duncan, N., Rhoades, G., Smith, M. & Thompson, D. (2019). Aspiring to Higher Education? The complex views of secondary students. British Education Studies Association (BESA) Conference, June 2018. https://educationstudies.org.uk/conferences/archive/besa-conference-2018/paper-sessions/

Smith, M. (2015). Epistemological Beliefs of Primary PGCE Trainees. (Poster presentation). Doctoral Research Conference, University of Birmingham.

Smith, M. (2014). An Initial Qualitative Analysis of the Epistemological Trajectories of Primary PGCE Trainees. Doctoral Research Conference, University of Birmingham.

Smith, M. (2014). An Investigation into the Developing Epistemological Trajectories of PGCE Trainees as Predicated by their Espoused Pedagogies. Institute of Education Research Conference, University of Wolverhampton.

Smith, M. (2014). Becoming a Teacher: Enforced Enculturation or Active Participation? Institute of Education Research Conference, University of Wolverhampton.

Smith, M. & Boulton-Ellis, J. (2014). The use of a Learning Portfolio to reflectively assess processes rather than outcomes in Primary English ITE. Rich Exchanges, University of Wolverhampton.

 

Poster Presentations

Smith, M. (2015). An Investigation into the Developing Epistemological Trajectories of PGCE Trainees as Predicated by their Espoused Pedagogies. Poster presented at Doctoral Poster Conference, University of Birmingham, July 2015.

Prior to becoming a Senior Lecturer, Matt worked as a primary teacher, English specialist and Assistant Headteacher. He is keen for children to take ownership of their learning, and to work with teachers to develop a facilitative, learner-centric method that favours exploration and social construction of learning over more traditional, didactic teaching styles.

He currently works with a global network of partners on projects and bidding.

Enterprise, Knowledge Transfer & Consultancy

Coordinator for the UNESCO Chair on Innovative Informal Digital Learning in Disadvantaged and Development Contexts.

White Paper for Digital Poverty Alliance on the Tech4Teachers project (https://digitalpovertyalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Tech4Teachers-Report-2023.pdf )

DFID Edtech COVID-19: the research and drafting for two reports which will help governments around the world combat the educational challenges produced by the current pandemic (http://educationobservatory.co.uk/research-project-looks-at-educational-challenges-faced-by-covid-19/).

DFE Memoranda of Understanding for Faith Schools: a gateway to inequality for the Khalsa Academy (https://www.wlv.ac.uk/staff/media/departments/media-and-communications/documents/University-of-Wolverhampton-Report-May-2021-Final.pdf)

Co-created Interactive Courseware: a European digital learning project aimed at increasing student engagement using interactive textbooks.

http://tefl-epal.com (Teaching English as a Foreign Language in Palestinian HEIs): an eLearning Initiative that Bridges Educational and Socio-Political Gaps, multi-year, funded by Erasmus+, collaborator.

 

Postgraduate Research Supervision

Currently supervising nine doctoral students.

 

Other relevant professional and voluntary activities

Member of FEHW Ethics Board.

Interested in supporting doctoral students in all of my areas of interest. Please register your interest here for a PhD, or here for a professional EdD.