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Georgios Thoma

Photo of Georgios Thoma

Research centres and groups

Curriculum and Pedagogy Research Cluster

Research projects

Working with Dr. Natthapoj Vincent Trakulphadetkrai (Associate Professor of Mathematics Education, University of Reading) on the Leverhulme Trust-funded research project (2025-2028), investigating the impact of mathematical storytelling on secondary school students’ mathematics learning and their self-efficacy towards the subject.

Background

I completed my PhD in Mathematics Education at Loughborough University, where my research focused on technology-enhanced mathematics learning, particularly in the areas of problem-solving, fractions, and video games. Prior to this, I obtained an MA in Mathematics Education from the University of East Anglia and a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Ioannina (Greece). Alongside my studies, I - as an overseas trained teacher - applied and gained the Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and spent a couple of years teaching secondary mathematics at an academy school in Norwich.

During my PhD, I also worked as a research assistant and as a university teaching assistant, achieving the Associate Fellowship of Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in 2024. Following my PhD graduation, I worked as a Post-doctoral Research Associate (2024-2025) on the Numeralis project (www.numeralis.co.uk), based also at Loughborough University, where I helped develop a screener for mathematical difficulties and dyscalculia, before joining the University of Reading in 2025.

Academic qualifications

  • PhD in Mathematics Education, Loughborough University (2021-2024)
  • MA with Distinction in Mathematics Education, University of East Anglia (2016-2017)
  • BSc in Mathematics, University of Ioannina, Greece (2011-2016)

Awards and honours

  • Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) – awarded in 2024
  • Research Studentship (2021-2024), School of Science, Loughborough University
  • Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) – awarded in 2017

Professional bodies/affiliations

  • British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM)
  • Early Career Researcher Network, British Academy

Selected publications

  • Thoma, G., Moeller, K., Ninaus, M., Bahnmueller, J. (2024). Collectible Content – Towards a Modular Ecosystem of Intrinsically Integrated Gameplay: The Case of Fractions. In P. Dondio, M. Rocha, A. Brennan, A. Schönbohm, F. de Rosa, K. Antti & F. Bellotti (Eds.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science: Vol. 14475. Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2023 (pp. 353–362). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49065-1_34.
  • Thoma, G., (in press). Fraction Equivalence and Reference Points on the Number Line - A Learning Game Case Study [Κλασματική ισοδυναμία και σημεία αναφοράς στην αριθμογραμμή - μελέτη περίπτωσης σε εκπαιδευτικό παιχνίδι]. In Proceedings of the Tenth Congress of the Greek Association of Researchers in Mathematics Education (GARME/ENEDIM). https://enedim10.eled.duth.gr/storage/2024/05/All_together_index_cover.pdf (p.498)
  • Thoma, G., Bahnmueller, J., Ninaus, M., & Moeller, K. (2023). From research to prototypes: Developing a digital game to foster fraction equivalence. Proceedings of the 17th European Conference on Games Based Learning, 17(1), 674-682. https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.17.1.1573.
  • Thoma, G., Bahnmueller, J., & Moeller, K. (2023). Problem solving when digging for fractions: a case study of a fraction number line game. In I. Papadopoulos & N. Patsiala (Eds.), Proceedings of the 22nd Conference on Problem Solving in Mathematics Education - ProMath 2022 (pp. 81–95). Faculty of Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. http://promath.org/docs/ProMath22_Proceedings.pdf.
  • Thoma, G., Bahnmueller, J., Lindstedt, A., Kiili, K., Wortha, S. M., Moeller, K., & Ninaus, M. (2023). Different aspects of fraction understanding are associated selectively with performance on a fraction learning game. Progress in Brain Research, 276, 63-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2023.02.003.
  • Maisey, J., Thoma, G., Moeller, K., Kiili, K., Ninaus, M. (2022). Effects of a Game-Based Fraction Estimation Task on Math Anxiety. In K. Kiili, K. Antti, F. de Rosa, M. Dindar, M. Kickmeier-Rust & F. Bellotti (Eds.), Lecture Notes in Computer Science: Vol. 13647. Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2022 (pp. 353–362). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22124-8_14.
  • Thoma, G., & Biza, I. (2019). Problem-solving techniques in the context of an educational video game: the Mudwall puzzle in Zoombinis. In Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (No. 35), Freudenthal Group, Freudenthal Institute, ERME. https://hal.science/hal-02428871.

Invited Talks

Thoma, G (2024). “From the fields to the sewers: collecting fractions through video games” — (in-person) for 2nd Year bachelor and master students, School of Primary Education, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Thoma, G. (2023 & 2025 cohorts). “Exploring games: their complexity and the human brain” — (online) for master students in Cyberpsychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.

Publications

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