Nicola Looker

Nicola Looker is a Lecturer of Secondary Education (Computing) at Edge Hill University and a PhD student at the University of Glasgow (Centre for Computing Science Education). Her work bridges social constructivist learning theory with cognitive load theory to improve programming education, particularly focusing on diversity and broadening participation in computing science.

Her research explores how pedagogical frameworks can deepen learning, facilitate collaboration, and build programming self-efficacy in secondary school classrooms. She partners with computing teachers to test her theoretical models in real-world educational settings.

Her 2022 publication with Kallia and Cutts investigates collective argumentative reasoning in programming problem-solving, highlighting intersections between rhetoric and computer science education. This work was presented at the ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research (ICER 2022) in Lugano, Switzerland.

As a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow’s School of Computing Science, Nicola contributes to the Centre for Computing Science Education’s mission to transform computing pedagogy. Her academic journey reflects dual commitments to both education research and practical application in classroom settings.