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Qualifications

PhD (Royal Holloway University of London, UK, 2012)

MSc Business Information Systems (Royal Holloway University of London, UK, 2006)

BSc (Hons) Computer Science (University of Cyprus, 2005)

Programme in Skills of Teaching to Inspire Learning (Royal Holloway University of London, UK, 2009)

Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA), UK (2009)

Specialization

Computer Science (Educational Technology, Software Engineering, Human Computer Interaction, Systems Analysis and Design, Database Systems, Management of Information Systems)

Employment Track

Lecturer in Computing, School of Sciences, UCLan Cyprus (September 2020 – Present)

Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Business Computing, P.A. College (2015 – 2020)

Head, Research and Development Department, P.A. College (2017 – 2020)

Adjunct Faculty, Open University of Cyprus (2015 – 2016)

Lecturer in Computer Science and Business Computing, P.A. College (2013 – 2015)

Postgraduate Teaching Assistant, Royal Holloway University of London, UK (2008 – 2010)

Memberships (Academic/Professional)

• Member, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) (2021 – Present)
• Member, International Association of Mobile Learning (IAmLearn) (2017 – Present)
• Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), UK

Research Interests

Educational technology; Learner engagement and motivation with computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL); Mobile and contextual learning (mLearning); Games-based learning and gamification; Technology and usability evaluation; Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); Smart and intelligent workplace learning environments; Inclusive educational technology; Gender inclusivity in computing; Social technologies; Employability and transferable skills development.

Roles and Responsibilities (including past roles and responsibilities)

Teaching and Course Leadership (UCLan Cyprus)

• Deputy Course Leader, BSc (Hons) Computing (2020 – Present)

• Teaching/Module Leadership: Software Development, Computer Systems and Security, Introduction to Programming, Explorations in Computing, Honours Degree (Double) Project

Previous Teaching Experience

• Teaching/Module Leadership: Systems Analysis and Design, Database Systems, Database Design and Management, Human-Computer Interaction, Software Engineering, Computer Organisation and Architecture, Networks and Communications Technology, Operating Systems, Management of Information Systems, Information Technologies and Services, Computing for Business, Project Management, Advanced Software Engineering Techniques, Object Oriented Methods in Computing, Information and Communication Systems Project Management (MSc), People and Technology (MSc), Masters Project (MSc)

Administrative Roles

• Chair, Teaching and Learning Enhancement Committee (TLEC) (2023 – Present)
• Member, Student Experience & Engagement Committee (SEEC) (2023 – Present)
• Member, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) (2023 – Present)
• Member, Teaching and Learning Enhancement Committee (TLEC) (2020 – 2023)

Selective Publications 

• Piki, A. and Markou, M. (2023). Digital Games and Mobile Learning for Inclusion: Perspectives from Special Education Teachers. The 10^th IEEE International Conference on Behavioural and Social Computing (BESC 2023), 30 October – 1 November 2023, Larnaca, Cyprus.
• Piki, A., Stavrou, E., Procopiou, A., Demosthenous, A. (2023). Fostering Cybersecurity Awareness and Skills Development Through Digital Game-Based Learning. The 10^th IEEE International Conference on Behavioural and Social Computing (BESC 2023), 30 October – 1 November 2023, Larnaca, Cyprus.
• Procopiou, A. & Piki, A. (2023). #HerMetaverseToo – Gender-based Hate and Abuse in the Metaverse: The Case of Female Athletes. The 10^th IEEE International Conference on Behavioural and Social Computing (BESC 2023), 30 October – 1 November 2023, Larnaca, Cyprus.
• Procopiou, A. and Piki, A. (2023). The 12^th Player – Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) in Football: Conceptualisation, Applications, Challenges and Future Directions. 11^th International Conference on Sport Sciences Research and Technology Support (icSPORTS 2023), Rome, Italy, 16-17 November 2023.
• Ștefan, I.A., Gheorghe, A.F., Drăgulin, B., Piki, A., Hauge, J. B., Ștefan, A. (2023). A Game Design Matrix for Evaluating the Mobile Readiness, Ease of Use and Educational Capabilities of Interactive Web-Based Activities. In Proceedings of the 22^nd Global conference on Mobile, Blended and Seamless Learning (iTLT mLearn 2023), Umhlanga, South Africa, 9-11 October 2023.
• Piki, A. (2023). Teaching and Learning in the New Normal: The role of Social Technology and Wellbeing Education. In A. Elçi (Ed.), Professional Development of Faculty Members During- and Post-Crisis State (pp. 194-199). Ataturk University Publishing House. ISBN: 978-625-6983-20-5.
• Kasenides, N., Piki, A. & Paspallis, N. (2023). Exploring the User Experience and Effectiveness of Mobile Game-Based Learning in Higher Education. In 15^th International Conference Social Computing and Social Media (SCSM) held as part of the 25^th Human Computer Interaction International Conference (HCII 2023), Copenhagen, Denmark, 23-28 July, 2023. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
• Piki, A. and Brzezinska, M. (2023). Teaching and Learning in the New Normal: Responding to Students’ and Academics’ Multifaceted Needs. In 15^th International Conference Social Computing and Social Media (SCSM) held as part of the 25^th Human Computer Interaction International Conference (HCII 2023), Copenhagen, Denmark, 23-28 July, 2023. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
• Procopiou, A., Piki, A., Stavrou, E., and Zeniou, N. (2023). Free Guy or Bad Guy: Safety, Privacy, and Security Risks for Minors in the Metaverse and Prominent Educational Considerations. In 5^th International Conference on HCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust (HCI-CPT) held as part of the 25^th Human Computer Interaction International Conference (HCII 2023), Copenhagen, Denmark, 23-28 July, 2023. Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
• Lendzhova, V., Piki, A., Markou, M., Milenkova, V., Manov, B. (2023). Affordances and Constraints of Game-Based Learning for Learners with Disabilities: Perspectives from Educators in Bulgaria and Cyprus. In Proceedings of the 19^th International Scientific Conference eLearning and Software for Education (eLSE 2023), Bucharest, Romania, 27-28 April 2023.

• Ștefan, I.A., Gheorghe, A.F., Ștefan, A., Piki, A., Tsalapatas, H. & Heidmann, O. (2022). Constructing Seamless Learning through Game-Based Learning Experiences. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning (IJMBL), Vol. 14(4), pp. 1-12, https://doi.org/10.4018/IJMBL.315625
• Piki, A., Nisiotis, L., and Alboul, L. (2022). A Preliminary Exploration of the Learning and Engagement Potential of an Intelligent Virtual Environment. In 2022 IEEE 2^nd International Conference on Intelligent Reality (ICIR 2022), 14-16 December. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICIR55739.2022.00021
• Ștefan, I.A., Gheorghe, A.F., Ștefan, A., Piki, A., Tsalapatas, H. and Heidmann, O. (2022). Constructing Seamless Learning through Game-Based Learning Experiences. Proceedings of the 21^st World Conference on Mobile, Blended and Seamless Learning (mLearn 2022), Heerlen, Netherlands, 10-12 October, 2022.
• Paspallis, N., Kasenides, N. and Piki, A. (2022). A Software Architecture for Developing Distributed Games that Teach Coding and Algorithmic Thinking. IEEE Computers, Software, and Applications Conference (COMPSAC 2022), June 27-July 1, 2022.
• Piki, A. (2022). Re-imagining the Distributed Nature of Learner Engagement in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Contexts in the Post-pandemic Era. In: Meiselwitz, G. (eds) Social Computing and Social Media: Applications in Education and Commerce. HCII 2022 (June 26-July 1, 2022). Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS), vol 13316. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05064-0_13.
• Piki, A., Andreou, L., and Markou, M (2022). Students’ Perspectives on the Emergency Transition to Online Education – A Case Study in Mathematics Education. The Proceedings of the 16^th annual International Technology, Education and Development Conference (INTED 2022), 7-8 March, 2022.
• Piki, A., Markou, M., Lendzhova, V., and Ștefan, I.A. (2022). Challenges in Piloting Gamified Learning Technology Towards Inclusive Education. The Proceedings of the 18^th International Scientific Conference eLearning and Software for Education (eLSE 2022), Bucharest, Romania, 12-13 May, 2022.

• Piki, A. (2020). An exploration of student experiences with social media and mobile technologies during emergency transition to remote education. The Proceedings of the 19^th World Conference on Mobile, Blended and Seamless Learning (mLearn 2020), November 2-4, 2020, Cairo, Egypt. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/218249 (Best Academic Paper Award).
• Piki, A., Ștefan, I.A., Ștefan, A., and Gheorghe, A.F. (2020). Mitigating the challenges of mobile games-based learning through gamified lesson paths. The Proceedings of the 19^th World Conference on Mobile, Blended and Seamless Learning (mLearn 2020), Cairo, Egypt, 2-4 November, 2020.
• Piki, A. (2017). Learner engagement in mobile computer-supported collaborative learning contexts: An integrative framework. The Proceedings of the 16^th World Conference on Mobile and Contextual Learning (mLearn 2017), October 30-November 1, 2017, Larnaca, Cyprus. ACM.
• Kekkou A., Markou M., and Piki A. (2017). The Social Contribution of Systems Development Towards Breast Cancer Awareness. Cyprus International Journal of Management. Vol. 19(1), pp. 13-20.
• Mansouri, S.A. and Piki, A. (2016). An exploration into the impact of blogs on students’ learning: Case studies in postgraduate business education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 53 (3).  pp. 260 – 273.
• Piki, A., Markou, M., and Vasiliou, A. (2016). Learning Through Play: The Role of Learning and Engagement Theory in the Development of Educational Games for Intellectually Challenged Children. International Conference on Interactive Technologies and Games (iTAG 2016). IEEE Xplore Digital Library (Best Academic Paper Award).
• Piki, A. (2014). Learner Engagement in Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Activities: Natural or Nurtured? The Proceedings of International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII 2014), Crete, Greece, 22-27 June, 2014.
• Piki, A., and Rosenberg, D. (2013). Experiential Learning Using Collaborative Technologies: Case Study in Business Computing Education. Cyprus International Journal of Management. Vol. 18(1), pp. 17-39.

• Córdoba-Pachón, J.R., and Piki, A. (2012). Facilitating project management education through groups as systems. International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 30(1), pp. 83-93.
• Piki, A. (2010). Post-Implementation Evaluation of Collaborative Technology: A Case Study in Business Education. The Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation, Vol. 13(1) pp. 77-86.

Selective Conference and Seminar Presentations 

• 2023 – Invited Presentation at the Workshop ‘EdTech in practice: the past, the chat, the future’, held during the 19^th International Scientific Conference eLearning and Software for Education (eLSE 2023), Romania. Presentation title: Time to Act through Sustainable Experiences for Higher Education Students (Time2Act@SD): Aims, Objectives and Project Vision.
• 2023 – Presentation during #ErasmusDays 2023, Cyprus. Presentation title: Sustainable Futures – A Journey through the SDGs (Time2Act@SD).
• 2022 – Invited Keynote Speaker, Roundtable session: Women in Media and Tech: Past, Present and Future in ICEM, International Council for Educational Media Annual International Conference (ICEM_IC 2022), Portugal.
• 2022 – Invited Speaker, Yömega Talk Series (webinar). Presentation title: Teaching and Learning in the New Normal: Pedagogical Approaches Responding to Social and Emotional Needs.
• 2022 – Invited Presentation at ‘The Digital Learning Ecosystem – STEM Perspectives and Renewable Energy Best Practices Workshop’, held during the 20^th National Conference of New and Renewable Energy Sources (CNSNRE 2022), Piki, A., Markou, M., and Lendzhova, V. Presentation title: Hybrid Piloting Guidelines for Gamified Learning Technology.

Selective Research Funding/Grant Capture

• Erasmus+ KA220-HED – Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education (Erasmus+ 2022-1-PT01-KA220-HED-000087984). Title: TIME2ACT@SD – Time to Act through Sustainable Experiences for Higher Education Students. Roles: Principal Investigator, Quality Assurance Lead for UCLan Cyprus, Product Owner and Task Leader. Project amount: €250.000,00 (2022-2025).

• Erasmus+ EACEA/34/2019 – Social Inclusion and Common Values – Action: the contribution in the field of education and training (Erasmus+ 621547-EPP-1-2020-1-RO-EPPA3-IPI-SOC-IN). Title: INCLUDEME – Inclusive digital environments to enable high-quality education and training for disadvantaged learners. Work Package and Task Leader. Project amount: €443.559,00 (2021-2024).

Supervision of Projects/PhDs

• A. D. (MSc): Development of an educational game for raising Cybersecurity awareness (2021-2022)

Scholarships/Awards

• Best Academic Paper Award (2020), 19^th World Conference on Mobile, Blended and Seamless Learning (mLearn 2020), Cairo, Egypt.
• Best Academic Paper Award & Prize (2016), International Conference on Interactive Technologies and Games Conference (iTAG 2016), Nottingham, UK.
• Prize & Award for Best PhD Presentation (2010), STELLAR Network of Excellence.
• Award for PhD thesis in the field of Technology-Enhanced Learning (2010), STELLAR Doctoral Academy.
• Full Research Scholarship for undertaking Doctoral studies (2007 – 2010), Royal Holloway University of London, UK.

Other Scholarly and Outreach Activities

• Invited Session Chair, 26^th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII 2024), Washington DC, USA. Thematic Area: Upskilling with Social Computing, Game-Based Learning, Educational Robotics, and AI: Challenges and Opportunities. Affiliated conference: 16^th International Conference on Social Computing and Social Media (SCSM 2024).
• Publications Chair, IEEE 2^nd International Conference on Intelligent Reality (ICIR 2022).
• Posters Co-Chair, 9^th ACM Celebration of Women in Computing (womENcourage 2022), Cyprus.
• Scientific Committee Member, International Council for Educational Media Annual International Conference (ICEM_IC 2022 and 2020), Portugal.
• Scientific Committee Member, 2^nd International Congress on 21^st Century Literacies (ICCL 2022), Portugal.
• Scientific Committee Member, 20^th National Conference of New and Renewable Energy Sources (CNSNRE 2022), Romania.
• Web Chair, EAI International Conference on Game Theory for Networks (GameNets 2021), Cyprus.
• Program Committee Member, Designing and facilitating Educational Location-based Applications Workshop (DELbA 2020), Germany.
• Editorial Board Member, Interacções (Interactions) Journal, Portugal.
• Researcher, iCOM ICT Research Centre, UK.
• Member, International Association of Mobile Learning (IAmLearn).
• Reviewer for Scientific Journals including: MDPI Education Sciences, MDPI Sustainability, Innovations in Education and Teaching International, Studies in Higher Education Journal, Interaction Design and Architectures.
• Invited Reviewer for several Academic Conferences including IEEE 2^nd International Conference on Intelligent Reality (ICIR 2022), International Council for Educational Media Annual International Conference (ICEM_IC 2022), 9^th ACM WomENcourage (2022), 18^th European Conference on Technology Enhanced Learning (ECTEL 2023), and 32^nd European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2024).