Academic CV
Bio
Innovation technologist, multimedia designer, and practice-based researcher at Coventry University. My interests focus on the intersection of technology, innovation, and education, with an emphasis on the benefits of frugal innovation, rapid development, and playful learning. With over six years’ experience designing frugal approaches to education innovation, I have been involved in a wide variety of international research projects and education initiatives.
I have amassed over twenty years’ experience in the field of multimedia design, with a career spanning a multitude of disciplines, including web development, graphic design, journalism, photography, social media, brand development, and information technology.
My research activity focuses on Frugal Education; leveraging accessible and available resources, trailing edge-technologies, and innovative approaches to create engaging, practical, and sustainable education practice.
Experience
Current roles
- Researcher: Frugal Education
Ludic Design team, Institute for Creative Cultures
Coventry University
(October 2022 to present) - Technical Operations Lead
Institute for Creative Cultures
Coventry University
(January 2023 to present)
Previous roles
- Disruptive Media Learning Technologist
Disruptive Media Learning Lab
Coventry University
(March 2015 to September 2022)
Education
Current Study
- Working towards a PhD in Frugal Education
Coventry University
United Kingdom
(Present)
Previous Study
- BA – Multimedia Design (First Class, Honours)
De Montfort University
United Kingdom
(2000 – 2003) - GNVQ – Advanced Computing & Information Technology (Distinction)
North Warwickshire & Hinckley College
United Kingdom
(1998 – 2000)
Published Papers
- Frugal Education: What, why, and how?
Future in Educational Research. Wiley. 2(3), 109-130.
Masters A.
(2024, May) - The Effectiveness of Playful Augmented Reality Media for Teaching Early-Primary Students.
European Conference on Games Based Learning. Academic Conferences International Limited.
Muhibuddin F., Dyah Utami D., NAE Hastuti B., Purnomo R., Mahon D., Masters A.
(2022, September) - A novel aspect mapping from ACES: Towards the Mapping of Learning, Playful, and Frugal Aspects for Developing 21st Century Competencies and Resilience.
European Conference on Games Based Learning. Academic Conferences International Limited.
Arnab, S., Mahon, D., Masters, A., Morini, L., Minoi, J., Mohamad, F.
(2021, September) - Designing Mini-Games as Micro-Learning Resources for Professional Development in Multi-Cultural Organisations.
Electronic Journal of e-Learning.
Arnab, S., Walaszczyk, L., Lewis, M., Kernaghan-Andrews, S., Loizou, M., Masters, A., Calderwood, J., Clarke, S.
(2021, April) - Using Frugal Education Principles and the RPG Maker MV Game Engine to Aid the Co-creation of Digital Game-based Learning Resources.
European Conference on Games Based Learning. Academic Conferences International Limited.
Clarke, S., Masters, A., Collins, B., Flynn, D., & Arnab, S.
(2020, October) - Designing Mini-Games for Micro-Learning: Open Educational Resources on Cultural Risks in Multi-Cultural Organisations.
European Conference on Games Based Learning. Academic Conferences International Limited.
Arnab, S., Walaszczyk, L., Lewis, M., Kernaghan-Andrews, S., Masters, A., Calderwood, J., Clarke, S., Loizou, M.
(2020, October) - Balance Trucks: Using Crowd-Sourced Data to Procedurally-Generate Gameplay within Mobile Games.
2018 10th International Conference on Virtual Worlds and Games for Serious Applications (VS-Games) (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
Lewis, M. R., Arnab, S., Morini, L., Clarke, S., Klopfenstein, L., Bogliolo, A., … & Masters, A.
(2018, September) - We are the Game Changers: An Open Gaming Literacy Programme.
International Journal of Game-Based Learning (IJGBL), 7(3), 51-62.
Arnab, S., Morini, L., Green, K., Masters, A., & Bellamy-Woods, T.
(2017) - EscapED: A framework for creating live-action, interactive games for higher/further education learning and soft skills development.
European Conference on Games Based Learning (pp. 968-972). Academic Conferences International Limited.
Clarke, S., Arnab, S., Morini, L., Wood, O., Green, K., Masters, A., & Bourazeri, A.
(2016, October)
Research Projects
Active Projects
- GameAid: Supporting educators in Vietnam to develop awareness, experience, and understanding of Generative AI in Education
Researcher.
(2024-2026) - FAiR: Frugal Artist-in-Residence Programme for Playful and Co-Creative Community Engagement in Environmental Awareness and Impact
Funded by Coventry University.
Researcher.
(2024-2025) - I-HEDU: Playful Co-Creation – Building the Indonesia Higher Education Disability Union
Funded by British Council.
Designer, Researcher.
(2024 – 2025) - GAI: Remixing AI-Generated Media Playfully for Education
Funded by Coventry University.
Researcher.
(2024) - Sensors: Pedagogy-driven Design for Sensor-Centric Games Experiences
Funded by UKRI.
Designer, Researcher.
(2024)
Completed Projects
- ACES: Playfulness Towards an Inclusive, Safe, and Resilient Society
Funded by UKRI (ESRC ODA).
Practice-based Researcher.
(2020 – 2023) - CreativeCulture 4.0: Teacher Training and Curriculum Implementation of CreativeCulture
Funded by Newton Impact Fund UKRI / British Council.
Practice-based Researcher.
(2020 – 2021) - CULT_RISK: Cultural Risk in the Organisation in the Globalisation Era
Funded by Erasmus+ Programme.
Innovation Technologist, Project Delivery.
(2019 – 2020) - Crowds4Roads: CROWD Sensing and Ride Sharing FOR ROAD Sustainability
Funded by European Commission H2020 programme. Practice-based Researcher.
(2016 – 2018) - CreativeCulture: Bridging the Rural Divide in STEM Ed via Culture, Design Thinking, and Gamification
Funded by Newton Ungku Omar Fund.
Practice-based Researcher.
(2017 – 2019) - The Disrupted Journal of Media Practice
Special issue—conceptualised, edited and performed collectively by Coventry University’s Centre for Disruptive Media (CDM) and the Disruptive Media Learning Lab (DMLL).
Innovation Technologist, Journal Development.
(2015 – 2018) - GameChangers: Open Game-Based Learning Programme and Community
Initially funded by Higher Education Funding Council.
Practice-based Researcher.
(2014 – Present)
Conference Activities
Speaker, Facilitator, and Co-Organiser
- Uncover your (secret) Identity
Remix Play 5: Secret Agents of Change!
Coventry University, UK.
(2023)
Keynote Speaker
- Playful Frugal Education
CreativeCulture Gamification Seminar 2021: Transdisciplinary Trends in Playful Learning.
UNIMAS, Sarawak, Malaysia.
(2021)
Presentation and Plenary Speaker
- Frugal and Playful – A Pragmatic and Emphatic view in Building Resilience in 21st Century Classroom
International TS25 Colloquium 2021: Teachers and the Industrial Revolution 4.0: Challenges and Hopes during the Covid-19 Pandemic – Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Research.
Sarawak State Education Department, Malaysia.
(2021)
Conference Presentation
- Kotoba Miners: Ludic Language Pedagogy and Frugal Education
Remix Play 4: Global Perspectives on Play, Inclusive and Equitable Education, and Social Change.
Coventry University, UK.
(2021)
Conference Presentation
- Using Frugal Education Principles and the RPG Maker MV Game Engine to Aid the Co-creation of Digital Game-based Learning Resources
14th European Conference on Games Based Learning ECGBL.
University of Brighton, UK.
(2020)
Presentation and Workshop
- Game Design Thinking: A Rapid Prototyping Workshop for Educators
Gamification in Learning Seminar 2018.
UNIMAS, Sarawak, Malaysia.
(2018)
Awards & Recognition
- Won: Bronze Award for Sustainability Education
QS Reimagine Education Awards (2023) – Project: ACES: A Community-Centred Educational Model for Developing Social Resilience through Play - Won: Gold Award for Science of Learning
QS Reimagine Education Awards (2021) – Project: GameChangers: Educators as Agents of Change Through Playful Pedagogy. - Won: Gamification in Education & Learning Award
Gamification Europe (2019) – Project: GameChangers. - Won: Outstanding Contribution to Gamification Research
Gamification Europe (2018) – Project: EscapED. - Won: Student Engagement Award
Coventry University Teaching and Learning Excellence Awards (2017) – Project: PALS (Pre-Arrival Library Support)
Resources
- Frugal Education Action Cards: A practical tool for creating frugal education designs.
Frugal Education.
Masters, A.
(2021) - Guiding Principles of Frugal Education.
Frugal Education.
Masters, A.
(2020) - Creative Culture: A blueprint for Remixing Play for Classroom Learning. Creative Cultures
Newton.
Arnab, S., Morini, L., Clarke, S., Masters, A., Beaufoy, J., Minoi, J., Mohamad, F., Ling, J., Ragai, F., Simon, M., Sakol, S., Anuar, N.
(2017) - Game Design Thinking: A Rapid Prototyping Workshop Delivery Guide for Educators.
Creative Cultures, Newton.
Masters, A., Wood, O.
(2018)
Teaching Experience
- Multiple workshops and training sessions delivered for internal and external participants.
- Co-delivery of Coventry University Add+Vantage module in Student-Led Learning (2015).