My recent work has focused on the use of games to support learning in Singapore, with the Media Development Authority and the Information Development Agency, working with local and international institutions, learners, firms, researchers and policy-makers to explore the different ways in which games and mobile technologies might find a place in Singaporean education.

During 2007 – 2008, I worked on the Beyond Current Horizons project, a two-year foresight programme funded by the DCSF, looking at possible futures for education to 2030, in the context of social and technological change. I led the evidence-gathering and scenario construction work, commissioning and reviewing work from senior academics around the world, developing an appropriate methodology and communicating the final scenarios to policy-makers and educators through workshops and seminars.

I’m on the organising committee of the ESRC-funded seminar series Educational Futures, which aims to explore links between education research and futures studies, and on the editorial review board of the International Journal of Game-Based Learning. I’m a Research Fellow at the University of Bristol.

I made some games for other people — one called Harpbeat for the Interesting Games Festival in 2008, about invisible connections and making a giant harp out of people, and one for the Arnolfini gallery, as part of their 2009 Futurology season, about fugitives from different futures.

Presentations:

04/11

Computer Assisted Learning 2011 on analysing mobile learning applications (Manchester)

11/10

Beijing Association for Science and Technology on mobile learning games and science communication (Beijing)
XMediaLab on immersive experiences and pervasive games (Beijing)

10/10

Institute of Adult Learning on the future of work and implications for adult education (Singapore)

07/10

ESRC Educational Futures on Methods for Educational Futures Research (Nottingham)

I’ve also presented at PICNIC Young (Amsterdam, 2009), BETT (London, 2008), Fremtidens Naturfag (Århus/Tønde/Lyngby, 2007), ISFE Expert Conference (Brussels, 2007), EIEF (Edinburgh, 2005), Serious Games Summit (Washington, 2005), and numerous local seminars and conferences in Europe and the UK.

Selected publications:

• Williamson, B. & Sandford, R. (forthcoming) “Playful pedagogies: Cultural and curricular approaches to game-based learning in the school classroom”, in Felicia, P. (ed.) “Handbook of Research on Improving Learning and Motivation through Educational Games: Multidisciplinary Approaches”, IGI Global (publication 2011)
• Sandford, R., Facer, K., Williamson, B. (2011) “Constructions of games, teachers and young people in formal learning” in de Freitas, S. and Maharg, P. (eds.) “Digital Games and Learning”: Continuum, UK
• Facer, K, & Sandford, R. (2010) “The next 25 years? Future scenarios and future directions for education and technology”: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 26(1) pp. 74-93
• Sandford, R., Ulicsak, M., Facer, K. & Rudd, T. (2006) “Teaching with Games: final report”, Futurelab (http://futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/project_reports/teaching_with_games/TWG_report.pdf)
• Sandford, R. & Williamson, B (2005) “Games Handbook”, Futurelab (http://www.futurelab.org.uk/research/handbooks/03_01.htm)