• Technology-enhanced learning
• Online peer assessment
• World Englishes and English as a lingua franca
• English for academic purposes
• Pronunciation
• Vocabulary acquisition
• Assessment design
• Leadership in language education/higher education
• Intercultural communication

My research is focused on the enhancement of educational practice, often through the use of technology, but also based on an understanding of the nature of language. My professional activities are intertwined with this focus. These activities include leading the development of new educational programmes, reviewing and redeveloping existing programmes, as well as providing leadership/mentorship to fellow educational practitioners.

I host a range of online tools to help learners of English with  academic reading and writing in English at www.readingandwritingtools.com. These tools were developed by myself and a former colleague (Andy Snyder).

I currently supervise doctoral and master's students on the DProf TESOL and MSc TESOL/MSc International Education programmes. The following dissertations that I supervised are available to read online:

• Sho Kato: "Technology-mediated vocabulary learning in EFL classrooms in Japan: a qualitative synthesis of research"
• Jason Kushnir: "Barriers to educational technology in Japanese education: a qualitative research synthesis of post-secondary teacher views"
• Lifan Liu: "Lecturer attitudes and beliefs regarding lecturer English proficiency in EMI (English Medium Instruction) Universities: A study of users of English as an additional language in China and Japan"
• Paul Robertson: "Student and staff perceptions of student digital competencies on an English-Medium international foundation year programme in Europe, with reference to the EU’s Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp)"
• Yan Shen: "The effects of different Chinese high school English textbooks on vocabulary acquisition"
• Yilan Xu: "Chinese EFL teachers’ perceptions of the effects of subtitles types on English comprehension and vocabulary acquisition of Chinese students in secondary education"
• Xiaoxuan Zhu: "Chinese EFL teachers' perspectives on the use of Extensive Reading in Chinese primary schools"

I also contribute teaching to modules on the above programmes. Additionally, I am a mentor and assessor for HEA fellowships awarded via the St Andrews Recognition Scheme (STARS).

My previous teaching experience includes a range of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teaching, in addition to more general English language teaching with students in primary and secondary level education, as well as with adults. I have taught in the UK, China, Japan, Hungary and Canada. 

I have extensive experience of coordinating, teaching on, and managing language programmes in higher education, both in Asia and in the UK. I also have an advanced level of Japanese language ability (CEFR C1) and an intermediate level of Chinese language ability (CEFR B1).

From 2004-2010, I played bass guitar in a Japan-based indie band called "nanbanjin". Our music is available for free from the nanbanjin bandcamp site, with some of it also available on Spotify and Amazon music.