About Us

Recent Projects

2010 Consolarium Evidence – Principal Investigator. The aim of this project is to identify the educational benefits of games-based learning and how they can be transferred to other settings. The project entails carrying out research in 20 Scottish schools to identify how the Consolarium model, which supports games-based learning in Scotland, can be modified, extended and enhanced. (Funded by Learning and Teaching Scotland in partnership with Futurelab.)

2010 - 2011 Code of Everand - Principal Investigator at Futurelab. This project is being led by the Serious Games Institute, Coventry University in conjunction with TRL in Reading (an independent transport research and consultancy organisation). The project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Code of Everand for developing children's and young people's road safety behaviour. (Funded by the Department for Transport.)

2009 – 2010 Creativity in European Schools – Principal Investigator. This project was carried out in partnership with Dr Shakuntala Banaji, Institute of Education, University of London. The project analysed the role and relevance of creativity and innovation in education in EU member states. It provided a detailed analysis of how educational stakeholders understand and conceive of creative learning and innovative teaching, and presented examples of good practice within the wider context of educational policy and institutional innovation. (Funded by the EU’s Institute for Prospective Technological Studies.)

Becta funded

2010 – 2011 Games-based experiences for learning - Lead Researcher. This project aims to develop a set of principles to guide teachers on how to structure and design the most effective learning experiences for classrooms based on digital games.

2009 – 2010 Gaming in Families - Lead Researcher. This project investigated the role that computer games play in the social, leisure and informal learning activities of families; the attitudes and perceptions of family members towards the benefits and risks of playing computer games; and, in turn, to develop guidance for parents in order that the benefits of playing computer games can be achieved in family settings.

Previous Posts

Sue worked from April 2008 to May 2009 as Researcher/Coordinator on 'the Learner and their Context' project at the Department of Education, University of Oxford. The project (ongoing) is investigating learners’ uses of digital media outside formal educational environments (from age 8 to adult) across the primary, secondary, further and higher education sectors. Sue also contributed to the MSc E-Learning course.

Prior to working at Oxford University, Sue worked at the London Knowledge Lab, Institute of Education, University of London, from 2005 to 2008 on a range of projects which included the following:

• Learner voice and technology: 7 – 11 which investigated primary school children’s uses of ICTs for learning (with Neil Selwyn and John Potter; funded by BECTA)
• Courses for all? Improving access to online courses: aimed at improving accessibility to online courses for disabled students (with Will Gibson; funded by the University of London’s Centre for Distance Education)
• Media Smart: an evaluation of Media Smart’s ‘Be Adwise 2’ materials from teachers’ and students’ perspectives in a range of UK primary schools (with David Buckingham, Rebecca Willett and Shakuntala Banaji; funded by the Advertising Industry)
• Evaluation tools which reviewed existing evaluation tools for online and mixed mode courses (with Magdalena Jara and Fitri Mohamad, funded by the University of London’s Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund)
• Mediappro: investigated young people’s uses of the internet and mobile technologies (with Andrew Burn in the UK; funded under the European Commission’s Internet Safety Action Plan).

Sue also taught on a range of research methods courses at Doctoral and Masters level at the Institute of Education (2006-2008); and the IT and Society undergraduate module at London Metropolitan University (2007-2008).

Prior to working at the London Knowledge Lab, Sue carried out research within the School of Lifelong Learning and International Development, Institute of Education, University of London (1999 - 2004). Projects included:

• Reintegration: Transnational evaluation of social and professional reintegration programmes for young people (with Karen Evans, funded under the European Commission’s Leonardo scheme)
• Evaluation of delivery of literacy, numeracy and other key skills in Foundation and Advanced Modern Apprenticeships (with Karen Evans and Natasha Kersh; funded by the Department for Education and Skills)
• Tacit skills and knowledge in work re-entry (with Karen Evans; funded by the Economic and Social Research Council)
• How Higher Education enhances the employability of graduates (with Geoff Mason (NIESR), Gareth Williams and David Guile (Institute of Education); funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England).

Publications

• Selwyn, N., Potter, J. and Cranmer, S. (In press) ‘Primary schools and ICT: learning from pupil perspectives’ London, Continuum.
• Selwyn, N., Potter, J. and Cranmer, S. (2009) ‘Primary pupils’ use of information and communication technologies at school and home’ British Journal of Educational Technology, 40 (5) 919-932.
• Cranmer, S.,Selwyn, N. and Potter, J. (2009) ‘Exploring primary pupils’ experiences and understandings of ‘e-safety’ Education and Information Technologies, 14 (2), 127-142.
• Mason, G., Williams, G. and Cranmer, S. (2009) ‘Employability skills initiatives in higher education: what effects do they have on graduate labour market outcomes?’ Education Economics, 17 (1), 1–30.
• Cranmer, S. (2009) ‘Children’s understandings of safer uses of digital technologies’ Primary Leadership Today. 15.
• Burn, A. and Cranmer, S. (2007) A glass half full? Schools and young people's internet use in the UK. In Birgitte Tufte and Karin Ekstrom (Eds.) Year Book on Children, Youth and Media. Denmark: Nordicom; Goteborg University.
• Cranmer, S. (2006) ‘Children and young people's uses of the internet for homework’ Learning, Media and Technology. 31 (3), 301-315.
• Cranmer, S. (2006) ‘Enhancing graduate employability: Best intentions and mixed outcomes’ Studies in Higher Education, 31 (2), 169-184.

External Grants Held

Creativity in European Schools - this project analysed the role and relevance of creativity and innovation in education in EU member states (funded by the EU Commission’s Institute for Prospective Technological Studies); 2009 - 2010.

Learner Voice and Technology: 7 – 11 project which investigated primary school children’s uses of ICTs for learning (with Neil Selwyn and John Potter; funded by BECTA); 2007-2008.

Selected conference presentations

• Cranmer, S., Williamson, B., Grant, L. & Ulicsak, M (2010) Futures-focused perspectives on learning and participation in new media ecologies. Panel presentation at the First Annual Digital Media and Learning Conference: Diversifying Participation. University of California, San Diego, USA.
• Cranmer, S., Good, J. and Davies, C. (2009) ‘The role of family and peers in supporting the development of skills and abilities to use digital technologies’ paper presented to EU Kids Online Conference. London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, UK.
• Cranmer, S., Good, J. and Davies, C. (2009) ‘The role of family and peers in supporting the development of skills and abilities to use digital technologies’ paper presented to EU Kids Online Conference. London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London.
• Cranmer, S. and Good, J. (2009) ‘Developing awareness of safer online practices: Accounting for children’s and young people’s perspectives’ paper presented to BERA (British Educational Research Association). University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
• Cranmer, S (2009) ‘Towards an inclusive broadband society? Mainstream and excluded young people's awareness of safer on-Line practices’ paper presented to Cost 298: The Good, the Bad and the Challenging. Participation in the Broadband Society. The Copenhagen Institute of Technology, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
• Selwyn, N., Potter, J. and Cranmer, S. (2008) ‘Learners and technology 7 to 11: an investigation of primary pupils and ICT’ paper presented to BECTA Harnessing Technology Annual Research Conference, Sheffield.
• Davies, C. and Cranmer. S. (2008) ‘Giving voice to experience’ paper presented to Futurelab: Challenging Learner Voice Conference. Warwick University Conference Park, UK.
• Cranmer, S (2008) ‘Developing internet literacy within the Home: A UK perspective’ paper presented to American Educational Research Association Conference. New York, USA.
• Cranmer, S (2007) ‘Finding time for the internet’ paper presented to Cost 298: The Good, the Bad and the Unexpected. Participation in the Broadband Society. The Academy of National Economy (ANE), Moscow, Russian Federation.

Project Reports

• Ulicsak, M. & Cranmer, S. (2009) Gaming in Families. Final report. Coventry: BECTA.
• Ulicsak, M., Wright, M. & Cranmer, S. (2009) Gaming in Families. A literature review, Coventry: BECTA.
• Davies, C., Good, J. and Cranmer, S. (2009). Harnessing Technology: The Learner and their Context. Increasingly autonomous: learners using technology in the context of their family lives and beyond - 14 individual case studies. Coventry: Becta.
• Cranmer, S., Davies, C., Eynon, R., and Good, J. (2008). The Learner and their Context - Interim report: Benefits of ICT use outside formal education. Coventry: Becta
• Cranmer, S., Potter, J. & Selwyn, N. (2008) Learners and technology: 7-11, Coventry: Becta.
• Buckingham, D., Willett, R., Banaji, S. and Cranmer, S. (2007) Media Smart Be Adwise 2. An evaluation. London, Media Smart.
• Mediappro (2007) Mediappro: the appropriation of media by youth, Final Report.
• Buckingham, D., Banaji, S., Burn, A., Carr, D., Cranmer, S. and Willett, R. (2005). Assessing the media literacy of children and young People: A literature review.
• Cranmer, S., Kersh, N. et al. (2004) Putting good practice into practice. Supporting successful outcomes with literacy, numeracy and other keys skills in Foundation and Advanced Modern Apprenticeships Evaluation Report. National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy for DfES.
• Reintegration: Transnational evaluation of social and professional reintegration programmes for young people, Final Report. Flensburg: University of Flensburg. EU Commission.
• Mason, G., Williams, G., Cranmer, S., and Guile, D. (2003) How much does Higher Education enhance the employability of graduates. (Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE).

Professional bodies

• Advisory Board Member- UKCCIS (UK Council for Children's Internet Safety) Better Education Working Group (set up following Byron Report Recommendations)
• Visiting Fellow, University of Bristol
• Member of the British Educational Research Association

sue [dot] cranmer [at] futurelab [dot] org [dot] uk
0117 915 8212

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