About me
Dr Helen Coker
I am an experienced learning consultant, specialist and facilitator, with over 15 years experience. This has included team development, professional learning facilitation, digital learning and instruction, leadership, online learning innovation, doctoral supervision and quality assurance. My practice is shaped by a relational approach that empowers participants to be their best.
I work with senior leaders, policy makers and international teams. My facilitation style is research-informed and practice-focused. My 'Notice, Act, Reflect' methodology stimulates critical thinking and insight, opening spaces for critical reflection.
I have a PhD in Sustainability (Digital Learning), an MA Ed (Distinction), a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and a BA (Hons) in English Literature, and I am a fellow of the HEA. I have presented at conferences and symposia across Europe, Canada, Australia, and Mexico, sharing research on digital professional learning, relational pedagogy and social justice. My work has been published in peer‑reviewed journals, and my online blog, reflects a sustained commitment to insight generation and makes research accessible to diverse audiences.
Outside of work, I enjoy travelling with my family and seeking out adventure - from skiing and mountain biking to white‑water kayaking - experiences that keep me curious, energised and connected to the world.
Selected Peer-reviewed Publications and Presentations
Coker, H., 2026. Reconceptualising digital portfolios in teacher education: postdigital and posthuman perspectives. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, pp.1-17.
Campbell, L. and Coker, H., 2025. Community, culture and care: mapping relational pedagogy in online higher education. Discover Education, 4(1), p.143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00570-y
Coker, H., 2025. Democratic Pedagogy in the Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities for Initial Teacher Education. Zeitschrift für internationale Bildungsforschung und Entwicklungspädagogik, 48(1), pp.24-30. https://doi.org/10.20377/zep-16
Coker, H., Kalsoom, Q. and Mercieca, D., 2023. Teachers’ Use of Knowledge in Curriculum Making: Implications for Social Justice. Education Sciences, 14(1), p.3. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14010003
Coker H. 2021. Harnessing Technology to Enable the Flow of Professional Capital: Exploring Experiences of Professional Learning in Rural Scotland. Professional Development in Education. 2021;47(4):651-666. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2021.1876148
Coker, H. 2020. Why does digital learning matter? Digital competencies, social justice, and critical pedagogy in initial teacher education. Journal of Teaching and Learning, 14(1), p. 133-141. https://doi.org/10.22329/jtl.v14i1.6259
Coker, H. 2019. Mediating the flow of professional capital: The potential of technology for rural teachers professional learning in Scotland. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 29(3), pp. 39-55.https://www.journal.spera.asn.au/index.php/AIJRE/article/view/234
Coker, H. 2018. Purpose, pedagogy and philosophy: “Being” an online lecturer. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 19(5), pp. 128-144.
Coker, H. 2015. Using data to see what students are doing: A critically enquiring approach to VLE development. Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 3(1), pp. 11-23.
‘Developing Democratic Pedagogy and Practice in Initial Teacher Education’, an invited contribution to the symposium Education for Democracy under Global Conditions of Uncertainty at the European Educational Research Association Conference (2024) in Nicosia, Cyprus.
‘Digital Portfolios: Preparation for a digitally infused professional setting or the thin end of a corporate wedge?’ presentation at the World Federation of Associations of Teacher Education Conference (2023) in Victoria, BC, Canada.
Teaching Online is Different seminar (invited speaker) at Dublin City University, Ireland.
‘Understanding Pedagogic Collaboration in the Online Setting’ presentation at the European Educational Research Association Conference (2017) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
‘Student Teacher E-portfolios: The emergence of student agency through structured dialogue and critical engagement’ roundtable at the Australian Teacher Education Association Conference (2016) Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.