Dr Ruth Wood
Faculties, departments and locations
- Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education
- Department of Education
- School of Education, Midwifery and Social Work
- Kingston Hill
Associate Professor
- Email:
- [email protected]
About
I am currently the Unit of Assessment Coordinator for Education at Kingston University. I have previously held senior leadership roles as School Director of Research and Director of Postgraduate Research in the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, shaping research strategy and supporting postgraduate development.
My research focuses on the pedagogy of educational technology, examining the dynamic relationship between learners, teachers and digital tools. I am particularly interested in the design and use of multimedia and multimodal forms of communication, and the challenges and opportunities posed by technological innovations in education. Central to my work are the evolving roles of both teacher and learner in technology-rich environments across all educational sectors.
Through my teaching and leadership, I seek to champion Kingston University’s commitment to Future Skills, ensuring students develop creativity, adaptability, digital competency and resilience. I contribute to Kingston’s world-leading research culture and its ambition to prepare graduates who can innovate and make a positive impact in diverse professional and community contexts.
Qualifications
- EdD (Kingston University)
- MA (Ed) (Kingston University)
- BA (Hons) (Kingston Polytechnic)
- Post Graduate Certificate: Embedding Learning Technologies (University of North London)
- Post Graduate Diploma:Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (University of North London)
- Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)
- FHEA
Domains
My research outputs span a wide spectrum of educational technology and pedagogy, addressing both theoretical and applied dimensions. Publications include studies on interactive whiteboards, audience response systems, mobile and online learning, and digital literacy, alongside explorations of risk, safeguarding and ethics in technology-mediated education. I have contributed to debates around creativity in learning, professional practice in teacher education, and the implications of digital innovation for curriculum design. More recently, my work engages with themes such as the metaverse, pandemic-era teaching, and future-oriented skills, reflecting an ongoing commitment to understanding and shaping technology-enhanced education.
Scholarly affiliations
- Convenor for the European Conference for Educational Research (Network 16- ICT i Education and Training)
Publications
University mathematics lecturers' experiences of teaching and learning during COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative study between Kuwait and United Kingdom
Hammad, Sali, Wood, Ruth, Hunter, Gordon and Dimitriadis, Christos, 2025, Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (21), 3, Published
A systematic review of audience response systems for teaching and learning in higher education: the student experience
Wood, Ruth and Shirazi, Shaista, 2020, Computers & Education (153), Published
Using a meta-ethnographic approach to explore the nature of facilitation and teaching approaches employed in interprofessional education
Reeves, Scott, Pelone, Ferruccio, Hendry, Julie, Lock, Nicholas, Marshall, Jayne, Pillay, Leontia and Wood, Ruth, 2016, Medical Teacher (38), 12pp 1221-1228, Published
Student teachers' perceptions of online risk
Wood, Ruth and Atkinson, Shirley, 2015, International Journal of Technologies in Learning (23), 1pp 1-10, Published
The use of the interactive whiteboard for creative teaching and learning in literacy and mathematics: a case study
Ashfield, Jean and Wood, Ruth, 2008, British Journal of Educational Technology (39), 1pp 84-96, Published
The design and development of a multimedia text for children
Wood, Ruth, 2006, The International Journal of Learning (13), 4pp 15-22, Published
Evaluation of an online multimedia, teaching and learning resource: Allsorts primary school
Wood, Ruth, Cumpson, Ian and French, Fiona, 2003, Journal of Technology and Teacher Education (JTATE) (11), 3pp 333-346, Published
Towards a new understanding: the 'Books alive! multimedia project'
Wood, Ruth, Rawlings, Anne and Ozturk, Alayne, 2003, Literacy (37), 2pp 90-93, Published
The specification and design of an interactive virtual environment for use in teacher training
French, Fiona, Cumpson, Ian and Wood, Ruth, 2001, Alt-J - Association for Learning Technology Journal (9), 1pp 50-61, Published
A review of the metaverse in higher education: opportunities, challenges and future research agenda
Ueno, Akiko, Curtis, Lucill, Wood, Ruth, Al-Emran, Mostafa and Yu, Chong (2024). In: Al-Sharafi, Mohammed, Al-Emran, Mostafa, Tan, Garry W., Ooi, Keng-Boon, (eds.), Cham, Switzerland: Springerpp 1-16 [Published]
The role of the teacher
Wood, Ruth, Jackson, Claire, Bayliss, Sandra and Usher, Nick (2021). In: Maisey, Daryl, Campbell-Barr, Verity, (eds.), London, U.K.:pp 127-142 [Published]
Mobile learning in initial teacher education
Wood, R. (2006). In: Morgan, K., Brebbia, C.A., Spector, J.M., (eds.), Southampton, U.K.:pp 51-60 [Published]
Student teacher perceptions of the use of mobile technologies for teaching and learning
Wood, Ruth, Lloyd, Elizabeth and Ashfield, Jean (2006). In: Reeves, T., Yamashita, S., (eds.)pp 2670-2674 [Published]
Young word processors at work
Wood, Ruth (2005). In: Goodwin, Prue, (eds.), London, U.K.:pp 157-166 [Published]
What could happen next?: the potential of the talking book
Wood, Ruth (2004). In: Goodwin, Prue, (eds.), London, U.K.:pp 73-82 [Published]
Bridging the gap: exploring the digital divide in ChatGPT use among UK higher education students
Uenoa, Akiko, Curtis, Lucill, Wood, Ruth, Yu, Chong and Dennis, Charles(2025). [Published]
Exploring mathematics anxiety and attitude among student teachers in the first year of their initial teacher training
Kler, Su, Dimitriadis, Christos, Hammad, Sali, Wang, Chao and Wood, Ruth(2023). [Published]
Kingston Education Research Network led workshop - introduction to educational research
Wood, Ruth and Kelly, Alison(2023). [Published]
A landscape review of the literature focussing upon the use of technology to support Problem, Case and Project based learning in Higher Education STEM disciplines.
Wood, Ruth and Malik, Manish(2022). [Published]
The realpedagogik: linking learning design research with learning design practice
Ljubojevic, Dejan, Paliokosta, Paty, Puni, Amit and Wood, Ruth(2021). [Published]
Timeless goals and timely means
Ljubojevic, Dejan and Wood, Ruth(2020). [Published]
A systematic review of the literature focussing upon the use of clicker-type technologies for teaching and learning in Higher Education
Shirazi, Shaista, Dowling, Maria and Wood, Ruth(2019). [Published]
Professionality and student attendance on an undergraduate teacher education programme in higher education
Wood, Ruth and Sartori, Daniele(2016). [Published]
Social interaction, online access and attendance on taught programmes; a cross-disciplinary student perspective.
Hendry, Julie, Wood, Ruth and Sartori, Daniele(2015). [Published]
Children reading multimodal texts
Wood, Ruth(2013). [Published]
An examination of children's interactions with multimedia texts: the development of narrative
Wood, Ruth(2012). [Published]
The mediation of online safeguarding by primary school teachers: perspectives from students completing a PGCE programme
Wood, Ruth and Atkinson, Shirley(2011). [Published]
An examination of children's experiences of multimedia text within the school and the home: implications for pedagogy
Wood, Ruth(2010). [Published]
Mobile phones and schools; the development of a taxonomy of risk
Wood, Ruth, Atkinson, Shirley, Johnson, Christopher and Phippen, Andrew(2007). [Published]
Mobile learning and initial teacher education
Wood, R.(2006). [Published]
Student teacher perceptions of the use of mobile technologies for teaching and learning
Wood, Ruth, Lloyd, Elizabeth and Ashfield, Jean(2006). [Published]
Evaluating the impact of multimedia virtual learning environments: A visit to a virtual primary school
French, Fiona, Cumpson, Ian and Wood, Ruth(2001). [Published]
An exploration of children's experiences of interactive multimedia text: a case study
Wood, Ruth Helen (2010), PhD thesis [Accepted/In press]