Professor Don Passey

Professor

Research Interests

Don is a Professor of Technology Enhanced Learning in the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University, and an Honorary Professor in the Institutes of Information Technology and Education at Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, India. He has been a long-standing member of the worldwide federation of computer societies (the International Federation of Information Processing - IFIP), and is the current chair of their Technical Committee on Education (TC3), and the vice-chair of their Technical Assembly (TA).

Don has undertaken and continues to undertake studies for international agencies, government departments in the UK, UK government agencies, and, in a number of countries, commercial and non-commercial groups, educational institutions and schools, to inform both policy and practice. His research work always focuses on links to educational policy and practice.

From 2018 to 2024, Don held the post of Director of International Strategy within the Department. His own research networks have included international organisations (UNESCO, IFIP, I4All), national agencies (Northern Ireland Department of Education Innovation Forum), companies (Squirrel Learning) and individual universities (Sunway University Malaysia, Amity University and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences India, University of the Philippines Open University, University of Waikato New Zealand, Ulster University Northern Ireland, Strathclyde University Scotland, Cardiff Metropolitan University Wales). Across this range of networks, Don has undertaken collaborative research, often leading to joint publication or edited volumes, supporting early years researchers as well as more established researchers. In recent years, Don has engaged with UNESCO (presenting at WSIS 2023), with IFIP (as Chair of the International Programme Committee (IPC) for the IFIP TC3 SAiTE 2016 Conference, Guimarães, Portugal; as Chair of the IPC for the IFIP TC3 WCCE 2017 Conference, Dublin; as Chair of the IPC for the IFIP TC3 OCCE 2020 Conference, Mumbai; as a Member of the IPC for the IFIP TC3 OCCE 2021 Conference; as a Member of the IPC for the IFIP TC3 WCCE 2022 Conference; as a Member of the IPC for the IFIP TC3 OCCE 2024 Conference), with I4All (as a Member of the Board and Working Group on Informatics in Schools), with the Northern Ireland Department of Education Innovation Forum (as research adviser and judge of the ICT Excellence Awards), with the UK Department of Education (providing evidence to POST and the Innovations Team), with Squirrel Learning, and with SMART Technologies (completing consultative research). Don's policy focus has led to outcomes that have been recognised by the groups involved (including the EU Commission), with specific reports supporting identified policy needs in the case of government departments and companies. For his engagement work with IFIP, Don has been awarded both the IFIP Silver Core Award and the IFIP Outstanding Service Award.

Don publishes regularly through a range of routes that focus on more specific research, policy and practice audiences - through journal articles, book chapters, working documents and reports, and guidelines and recommendations. Across his entire academic career, Don has had published 237 single and co-authored outputs, including 45 journal articles and 30 book chapters. Since 2018, Don's outpuits have included 17 journal articles, 3 edited books and 1 journal special issue, 9 book chapters, and 19 reports and working papers. In preparation, there is a special issue, and in planning, there are 2 books.

Don's work has focused on a number of main areas:

How emerging technologies support teaching and learning outcomes, across the age spectrum, in nursery, primary and secondary schools, as well as in further, higher, adult and professional education, focusing on development across the lifespan (lifelong learning).
Implementation and management of leading edge technologies at international, national, regional, local authority and individual institution levels.
Uses of data and development of data systems to support curriculum and educational practices.
How home and out-of-school practices (formal, non-formal and informal learning) can enhance and support learning at an individual learner level.
How technologies can support inclusion and diversity, including young people who are at risk of learning exlusion or who are 'hard to reach'.
How evaluation and research can be undertaken to support policy and practice.

Don is an editorial board member of the EAIT journal and the Education Sciences journal, and often acts as a guest editor for special issues. Currently, he is a guest editor for a special issue of the journal STEL on 'Generative Artificial Intelligence and Education'.

Listen to Don Passey talk about his research interests.

Current Research

Don is involved in:

Exploring the factors and features that have led to long-term sustained relevant inclusive digital technologies to support young people.
Investigating how individual nations have sustained long-term digital education practice and innovation, and the implications for future sustainability at national levels.
Considering the policy and practice implications of emerging technologies that include artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence.
Exploring the ways that teachers use digital technologies that can support their well-being.
Examining how uses of digital technologies during the Covid-19 pandemic have shifted and might affect long-term practices in education.
Assessing the sustainability and influences of digital access at home in socio-economically disadvantaged communities and in developing countries.

Recently completed studies have included:

Identifying ways that digital technologies are supporting wider engagement of parents and pupils in early years and nursery settings.
Exploring features and factors that can positively influence practices to support digital inclusion of excluded populations.
Examining ways that generative artificial intelligence is being developed to address specific and key challenges in education.

Don is a member of:

Research Overview

My main areas of research focus on:

Teaching and learning outcomes arising from uses of emerging, leading edge technologies, in primary, secondary, further and higher education, with concern for intergenerational and lifelong learning practices.
How home and out-of-school (formal, non-formal and informal learning) practices can enhance and support 'formal' learning at an individual learner level.
How technologies support young people who are at risk of learning exclusion or who are hard to reach.
How evaluation and research can be undertaken to support policy and practice.
Uses of data and development of data systems through applications of, for example, generative artifical intelligence, to support curriculum and educational practices.

Current Teaching

Don currently supervises many postgraduate researchers taking forward studies for their PhD awards. He has regularly convened modules across the Doctoral Programme in e-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning, and was the course director of this programme prior to and during its recent revision. This well-established programme, having run for some 18 years, takes on 25-30 doctoral students each year, all professional people undertaking the programme part-time. Prior to this programme, he was course director of the MRes in Innovation in School Practice (a course developed specifically for the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust - SSAT), and also taught on the MA in Education programme. He convened a new module for a previous undergraduate PinE programme called 'Learning in a Digital Age', and taught in a module on the same programme.

Since 2013, Don has convened modules and taught regularly on the E-research and Technology Enhanced Learning PhD programme. He currently supervises 16 PhD students. In total, Don has supported 32 PhD students in gaining satisfactory completion of their awards.

PhDs Examined

Don regularly examines PhD and EdD theses in his area of expertise - technology enhanced learning. To date, he has examined 37 theses within his own Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University, 25 theses within other UK higher education institutions, and 4 in international higher education institutions.

Professional Role

In his professional academic role, Don has wide contacts with individuals who are concerned with developing educational policy and practice. He has worked with individuals and groups who support the development of national digital education practices, in the Department for Education in England and in the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. At an international level, he has worked with individuals in many universities worldwide, within computer societies worldwide, and within international agencies including UNESCO. He has worked with and advised companies and corporations in a number of countries on digital education developments.

In a professional administrative role, until recently, Don supported the Department of Educational Research at Lancaster University as the Director of International Strategy, which led to ranges of international contacts and events for staff and students alike. Don's interests in international perspectives have been long-standing and continue beyond this role.

External Roles

Don holds a number of external roles that support his interests in enabling research on digital education to be considered by those engaged in policy and practice:

IFIP Technical Committee 3 on Education Chair
IFIP Technical Assembly Vice-chair
IFIP Digital Equity Committee Member
IFIP Finance Committee Member
Research Advisor to the Northern Ireland Innovation Forum
Consultant to the Blackpool and the Fylde PGCE Programme

PhD Supervision Interests

Uses and impacts of technologies and technology-based resources in formal educational environments

Uses and impacts of technologies and technology-based resources across informal and formal learning environments

Specific aspects of learning and how these are impacted by technologies

How technologies are used by and impact young people who find it hard to learn or who are vulnerable

Uses of data management and data handling in school-based and lifelong learning contexts

Selected Publications

Developing inclusive practices with technologies for online teaching and learning: a theoretical perspective
Passey, D. 1/08/2017 In: Bordón Revista de pedagogía. 69, 3, p. 25-40. 16 p.
Journal article

Computer science (CS) in the compulsory education curriculum: implications for future research
Passey, D. 03/2017 In: Education and Information Technologies. 22, 2, p. 421-443. 23 p.
Journal article

Educational digital technologies in developing countries challenge third party providers
Passey, D., Laferrière, T., Ahmad, M.Y., Bhowmik, M., Gross, D., Price, J., Resta, P., Shonfeld, M. 11/07/2016 In: Educational Technology and Society. 19, 3, 13 p.
Special issue

Developing mobile learning practices through teacher education: outcomes of the MLEARN pilot
Passey, D., Zozimo, J. 18/04/2016 In: Interactive Technology and Smart Education. 13, 1, p. 36-51. 16 p.
Journal article

Prólogo: Nuevas formas de enseñar usando tecnología
Passey, D. 02/2016
Foreword/postscript

New ways of learning using different forms of technologies
Passey, D. 8/02/2017
Conference contribution/Paper

Fathers and male guardians are important stakeholders in children’s education: do Lego building and scratch-like programming activities hold a key to involving them more?
Passey, D., Hawkins, G., Clift, D. 2016 In: Stakeholders and Information Technology in Education. Heidelberg, Germany : Springer Verlag p. 3-15. 13 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Inclusive technologies and learning: research, practice and policy
Passey, D. 28/12/2015 In: Social Inclusion. 3, 6, 6 p.
Editorial

Digital resource developments for mathematics education involving homework across formal, non-formal and informal settings
Radović, S., Passey, D. 1/10/2016 In: Curriculum Journal. 27, 4, p. 538-559. 22 p.
Journal article

Learning platforms and learning outcomes – insights from research
Passey, D., Higgins, S. 2011 In: Learning, Media and Technology . 36, 4, 5 p.
Editorial

Real purpose, real audience and real value: researching contributions of digital literacy to learning
Passey, D. 2011 In: Pursuing digital literacy in compulsory education. New York : Peter Lang p. 117-137. 21 p.
Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Ageing and the use of the internet – current engagement and future needs: state-of-the-art report
Milligan, C., Passey, D. 2011 Nominet Trust.
Commissioned report

Second report on the roll-out of the NGfL programme in ten pathfinder LEAs
Somekh, B., Woodrow, D., Barnes, S., Triggs, P., Sutherland, R., Passey, D., Holt, H., Harrison, C., Fisher, T., Flett, A., Joyes, G. 2002 London : HMSO. 49 p.
Book

Proceeding of stream 3 of the 17th IFIP world computer congress : telE-learning : the challenge for the third millennium.
Passey, D., Kendall, M. 2002 Norwell, Mass. : Kluwer Academic Publishers. 72 p.
Book

NGfL pathfinders : final report on the roll-out of the NGfL programme in ten pathfinder LEAs.
Somekh, B., Woodrow, D., Barnes, S., Triggs, P., Sutherland, R., Passey, D., Holt, H., Harrison, C., Fisher, T., Flett, A., Joyes, G. 2002 London : HMSO. 33 p.
Book

Developing home school links : implications for learners, learning, and learning support.
Passey, D. 2001 In: Information and communication technologies in education : the school of the future. Boston, Mass. : Kluwer Academic Publishers
Chapter

Strategic evaluation of the impacts on learning of educational technologies: Exploring some of the issues for evaluators and future evaluation audiences
Passey, D. 1999 In: Education and Information Technologies. 4, 3, p. 221-248. 28 p.
Journal article

Anytime anywhere learning pilot programme: a Microsoft UK supported programme in 28 pilot schools
Passey, D., Steadman, S., Forsyth, K., Hutchison, D., Scott, A. 1999 Reading : Microsoft UK, 16 p.
Working paper

Developing teaching strategies for distance (out of school) learning in primary and secondary schools.
Passey, D. 03/2000 In: Educational Media International. 37, 1, p. 45-57. 13 p.
Journal article

Developing home-school links: implications for learners, learning and learning support.
Passey, D. 2000 In: Information and communication technologies in education : the school of the future : IFIP TC3 WG3.1 International Conference on the Bookmark of the School of the Future, April 9-14, 2000, Viña del Mar, Chile. Boston : Kluwer p. 159-176. 18 p. ISBN: 0792372980.
Chapter

Maestro MathsAlive Evaluation Study: An Evaluation of Impacts on Learning – Final Year Summary Report.
Passey, D. 2007 Abingdon : RM. 8 p.
Book

Technology enhancing learning: Limited data handling facilities limit educational management potential.
Passey, D. 22/04/2007 In: Knowledge Management for Educational Innovation. New York : Springer p. 99-106. 8 p. ISBN: 9780387693101.
Chapter

Assessing the potential of e-learning to support re-engagement amongst young people with Not in education, employment or training (NEET) status : An independent research and evaluation study. Overview report
Passey, D., Williams, S., Rogers, C. 2008 Lancaster : Becta. 52 p.
Book

BBC News School Report 2007/2008: An Independent Evaluative Review.
Passey, D. 2008 London : BBC. 64 p.
Book

Assessing the potential of e-learning to support re-engagement amongst young people with Not in education, employment or training (NEET) status: An independent research and evaluation study. Background report
Passey, D., Williams, S., Colin, R. 2008 Lancaster : Becta.
Book

Data integration and school management systems in the United Kingdom.
Passey, D. 2008 In: School Information systems and Data-based Decision-making. Frankfurt-am-Main : Peter Lang p. 109-117. 9 p. ISBN: 9783631570302.
Chapter

First no choice, then some choice, and finally overload: A reasonable data management evolution?
Passey, D. 2009 In: Evolution of Information Technology in Educational Management. Boston : Springer p. 69-82. 14 p. ISBN: 9780387938455.
Chapter

Evolving Forms of Visualisation for Presenting and Viewing Data.
Passey, D. 2009 In: Evolution of Information Technology in Educational Management. Boston : Springer p. 155-167. 13 p. ISBN: 9780387938455.
Chapter

BBC News School Report 2008/2009: independent evaluation
Passey, D., Gillen, J. 2009 London : BBC. 134 p. ISBN: 978 1 86220 231 3.
Book

Mobile learning in school contexts : can teachers alone make it happen?
Passey, D. 01/2010 In: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. 3, 1, p. 68-81. 14 p.
Journal article

Learning mathematics using digital resources: impacts on learning and teaching for 11 to 14 year old pupils.
Passey, D. 2011 In: Learning and Teaching Mathematics with Digital Technology. Continuum International Pub. Group p. 46-60. 15 p. ISBN: 9781441184726.
Chapter

NGfL Research and Evaluation Series No. 2 – NGfL Pathfinders: Preliminary Report on the roll-out of the NGfL Programme in ten Pathfinder LEAs.
Somekh, B., Barnes, B., Triggs, P., Sutherland, R., Passey, D., Holt, H., Harrison, C., Fisher, T., Joyes, G., Scott, R. 2001 London : DfES and Becta. 28 p.
Book

Digital video technologies enhancing learning for pupils at risk and those who are hard to reach.
Passey, D. 2006 In: DIVERSE proceedings : 2005 & 2006 : 5th International DIVERSE Conference, 5th-7th July 2005, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, USA, 6th International DIVERSE Conference, 5th-7th July 2006, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK. Glasgow : Glasgow Caledonian University Press p. 156-168. 13 p. ISBN: 9781905866052.
Chapter

How can information and communication technologies support education and economic developments in multi-ethnic socio-economically disadvantaged communities
Passey, D. 2006 In: Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on intercultural communication competence : implications for learning and teaching in a globalised world, Graz, Austria, F.H. Joanneum, 2006, 24..
Chapter

Proceedings of Conference on Educational Uses of Information and Communications Technologies: 16th World Computer Congress. 21-25 August 2000, Beijing, China.
Benzie, D., Passey, D. 2000 Beijing, China : Publishing House of Electronics Industry.
Book

Anytime, Anywhere Learning Pilot Programme: A Microsoft UK Supported Programme in 28 Pilot Schools – End of First Phase Implementation (September 1998 – December 1999) Summary Report.
Passey, D., Hutchinson, D., Scott, A., Steadman, S., Forsyth, K. 2000 Reading : Microsoft UK.
Book

Technologies de l'information et de la communication: besoins curriculaires et changement institutional.
Passey, D. 1998 Paris : Recherche et Formation, INRP
Other

Supporting Learning in Isolated Environments.
Passey, D. 1997 In: ILS reader. London : Hodder and Stoughton and NCET
Chapter

Information technology : supporting change through teacher education.
Passey, D., Samways, B. 1997 London : Chapman and Hall. 379 p. ISBN: 0412797607.
Book

Summary: Group D - Home-School Links.
Passey, D., Forsyth, K., Hutchison, D., Scott, A., Williams, N. 1997 In: Preparing for the Information Age: Synoptic Report of the Education Departments' Superhighways Initiative. London, Cardiff, Belfast and Edinburgh : Welsh Office, Department of Education Northern Ireland, The Scottish Office and Department for Education and Employment 101 p.
Chapter

Virtual Workspace: An Independent Evaluative Review
Passey, D. 2007 Wolverhampton City Council & Worcestershire County Council, 67 p.
Working paper

Independent Evaluation of the Implementation of the Learning Platform LP+ across Schools: Report on Early Implementation Outcomes in Wolverhampton Local Authority
Passey, D. 2010 Lancaster University, 60 p.
Working paper

Identifying young people at risk of learning exclusion: evidence from the educational system in England.
Passey, D. 2010 In: Social Media for Social Inclusion of Youth at Risk. Leuven (Belgium) : K.U. Leuven p. 59-72. 14 p. ISBN: 9789460182532.
Chapter

Using technologies to support young people at risk of learning exclusion: considering key factors when identifying impacts.
Passey, D. 2010 In: Social Media for Social Inclusion of Youth at Risk. Leuven (Belgium) : K.U. Leuven p. 141-150. 10 p. ISBN: 9789460182532.
Chapter

Independent evaluation of the intervention study in Technology to support young people 16 to 18 years of age who are not in employment, education or training (NEET): A Local Authority Landscape Review.
Passey, D., Davies, P. 2010 Coventry : Becta, 89 p.
Other

Independent evaluation of the intervention study in Sunderland LA with young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET)- Go Create – a social, creative and practical intervention, Summary report, March 2010.
Passey, D., Davies, P., Rogers, C. 2010 Coventry : Becta, 4 p.
Other

Independent evaluation of the intervention study in Sunderland Local Authority (LA) with young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) - Final report, March 2010.
Passey, D., Davies, P., Rogers, C. 2010 Coventry : Becta, 82 p.
Other

TelE-Learning: the challenge for the third millennium
Passey, D., Kendall, M. 2002 Boston, Mass. : Kluwer Academic Publishers. 372 p. ISBN: 1402072198.
Book

On-Line Resources and Effective Teaching and Learning.
Passey, D., Hobrecht, P. 1/03/2001 In: Education 3-13 . 29, 1, p. 3-8. 6 p.
Journal article

ICT and the development of a cross-national curriculum.
Passey, D., Hobrecht, P. 2002 In: Networking the Learner: Computers in Education. Boston, Mass. : Kluwer Academic Publishers 835 p. ISBN: 1402071329.
Chapter

Technology enhancing learning: Analysing uses of information and communication technologies by primary and secondary school pupils with learning frameworks.
Passey, D. 1/06/2006 In: Curriculum Journal. 17(2), p. 139-166. 28 p.
Journal article

The Motivational Effect of ICT on Pupils: A Department for Education and Skills Research Project 4RP/2002/050-3.
Passey, D., Rogers, C.G., Machell, J., McHugh, G. 25/03/2004
Other contribution

Digital literacies in the making: Schools producing news with the BBC
Gillen, J., Passey, D. 2011 In: Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy. 2011, 1-2, p. 37-51. 15 p.
Journal article

National Education Network Safeguarding Group: Internet Safety in the Context of Developing Aspects of Young People’s Digital Citizenship
Passey, D. 2011 Lancaster : Lancaster University, 102 p.
Working paper

Independent Evaluation of the Aston Pride Phase 3 Computers in the Home Project (2009 to 2011): Final Report - March 2011
Passey, D. 2011 Lancaster : Lancaster University, 87 p.
Working paper

Implementing learning platforms into schools: an architecture for wider involvement in learning
Passey, D. 15/07/2011 In: Learning, Media and Technology . 36, 4, p. 367-397. 31 p.
Journal article

Managing quality education – identifying the learning needs of the individual, then satisfying them
Passey, D. 2011 In: Information Technology and Managing Quality Education, IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technologies . Heidelberg : Springer p. 1-10. 10 p. ISBN: 9783642197154 .
Chapter

The ‘Educational Lot’ for Young People Who Are NEET: Quality Management and Roles of Management Information Systems
Passey, D. 2011 In: Information Technology and Managing Quality Education, IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technologies . Heidelberg : Springer p. 121-129. 9 p. ISBN: 9783642197154 .
Chapter

Micro:bits in schools: UK-wide survey
01/03/2018 → 30/09/2018
Research

Sustaining lifelong learning and transitions through digital change and adapatability
15/12/2016 → 31/03/2017
Research

Digital technologies in the school
31/07/2015 → 31/08/2018
Research

Difficult life transitions: learning and digital technologies
03/02/2014 → 31/12/2014
Research

Facilitate online broadcast resource access through the ERA licence
05/02/2013 → 31/05/2014
Research

Espresso Education - report on evidence of learning impacts
27/08/2012 → 07/09/2012
Research

Exploring uses of technologies and whether these relate to certain specific characteristics of NEETS
01/04/2012 → 30/04/2012
Research

Titan Partnership iPad Project
20/02/2012 → 31/12/2012
Research

Twig Science Videos
06/02/2012 → 05/07/2012
Research

Espresso Wolverhampton Study
01/10/2011 → 29/02/2012
Research

The Little Big Planet video game in schools
01/10/2011 → 31/07/2012
Research

Evaluating the development of e-strategy across schools in Wolverhampton LA
03/05/2010 → 31/07/2011
Research