Staff profile

Dimitra is an associate professor at the School of Education. She teaches undergraduate and postgraduate modules on the Arts in Education. She has been principal investigator or co-investigator in a number of research projects such as a systematic synthesis of the evidence on the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of arts education for school-aged children and a recent piece of research funded by the Nuffield Foundation about improving the primary-secondary transition in music education at the North East of England. She is one of the authors of the Sutton Trust-EEF Teaching and Learning Toolkit and is currently the lead process evaluation researcher for the Calderdale writing intervention funded by the Education Endowment Foundation.

Completed Supervisions

Musical Progression in the English Primary School: what is it, what does it look like and how do teachers realise it?

A phenomenographic approach to understanding Taiwanese music teachers’ experiences of creativity in the classroom.

Teachers' experiences of working with children with life-limiting conditions in special schools

Exploring the Special-grade Teachers’ Professional
Development at Chinese Schools.

Developing International Mindedness through the Arts in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP): An International Survey Design Conducted across all Continents.

Primary teachers’ conceptions and approaches to using visual arts in writing in Saudi Arabia. 

Information for prospective doctoral research student supervisions

Dimitra would welcome applications from prospective doctorate students on teacher education and identity, music education, creativity in education and pupil engagement.

• Creativity
• Music Education
• Teacher Education
• Pupil Engagement

• 2017: Keynote Speaker: Invited to give two keynote speeches and share the findings of her research at music network meetings with primary and secondary music teachers ran by Durham Music Services (January 2017) and by the Bradford Music Education Hub (February 2017).
• 2016: Examiner: Examiner for a PhD thesis at the University of Aberystwyth. Thesis title: "The implementation of restorative approaches in education: an exploration of two case-studies".
• 2014: Examiner: For doctoral thesis at the Institute of Education in London.
• 2013: Inspiration for Government award: Dr. Kokotsaki received the Inspiration for Government award (awarded by the Institute for Government) for her work on the Sutton Trust - EEF Toolkit.
• 2000: Fellow: Royal Society of Arts

Book review

• Kokotsaki, D. (2013). Review of Musical Creativities in Practice. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 10, 1-2

Chapter in book

• Kokotsaki, D. (2016). Engagement and creativity in music education. In P. Kostagiolas, K. Martzoukou, & C. Lavranos (Eds) (Eds.), Trends in Music Information Seeking, Behaviour, and Retrieval for Creativity. IGI Global
• Kokotsaki, D., & Katsipataki, M. (2014). Motor Skill Acquisition. In W. Thompson (Ed.), Music in the Social and Behavioral Sciences: An Encyclopedia (713-714). SAGE Publications
• Newton, D., Donkin, H., Kokotsaki, D., & Newton, L. (2012). Creativity in Art and Music. In L. Newton (Ed.), Creativity for a New Curriculum: 5-11 (62-79). Routledge

Journal Article

• Kokotsaki, D. (online). Pupil attitudes to music during the transition to secondary school
• Whitford, H., & Kokotsaki, D. (online). Enjoyment of music and GCSE uptake: Survey findings from three North East schools in England. British Journal of Music Education, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051723000438
• Nguyen, D., See, B. H., Brown, C., & Kokotsaki, D. (online). Leadership for teacher retention: exploring the evidence base on why and how to support teacher autonomy, development, and voice. Oxford Review of Education, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2024.2432635
• Kokotsaki, D., & Whitford, H. (2024). Students’ attitudes to school music and perceived barriers to GCSE music uptake: a phenomenographic approach. British Journal of Music Education, 41, 31-50. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051723000426
• Ward, S., James, S., James, K., Brown, C., Kokotsaki, D., & Wigham, J. (2023). The Benefits of Music Workshop Participation for Pupils’ Wellbeing and Social Capital: The In2 Music Project Evaluation. Arts Education Policy Review, 124(1), 37-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/10632913.2021.1903640
• Kokotsaki, D. (2023). An exploration of doctoral students’ resilience and coping strategies using Grounded Theory as the analytic lens. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 18, 173-198. https://doi.org/10.28945/5137
• Kokotsaki, D. (2022). Pupils' views about their learning in writing: a qualitative study of a primary school in the North East of England. Education 3-13, 50(2), 252-266. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2020.1849342
• Dong, L., & Kokotsaki, D. (2021). Music Achievements of Being an English Chorister. British Journal of Music Education, 38(3), 249-263. https://doi.org/10.1017/s026505172100019x
• Wiles, M. A., & Kokotsaki, D. (2021). A phenomenographic approach to understanding some Taiwanese music teachers' experiences of creativity in the classroom. Musicae Scientiae, 25(1), 111-139. https://doi.org/10.1177/1029864919852137
• See, B., Morris, R., Gorard, S., Kokotsaki, D., & Abdi, S. (2020). Teacher recruitment and retention: A critical review of international evidence of most promising interventions. Education Sciences, 10(10), Article 262. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10100262
• Wang, L., & Kokotsaki, D. (2018). Primary school teachers’ conceptions of creativity in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in China. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 29, 115-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2018.06.002
• Ferrari, D., Kokotsaki, D., Newton, D., & Newton, L. (2017). How can the understanding of analysis of sonata form movements be deepened by the use of graphic representation?. The journal of music and meaning, 14, 1-20
• Kokotsaki, D. (2017). Pupils' perceptions of attainment in music at the start of secondary school in England: a descriptive analysis. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 5(5), 120-130. https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v5i5.2353
• Kokotsaki, D. (2017). Pupil voice and attitudes to music during the transition to secondary school. British Journal of Music Education, 34(1), 5-39. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0265051716000279
• Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project-based learning: a review of the literature. Improving Schools, 19(3), 267-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480216659733
• See, B., & Kokotsaki, D. (2016). Context and Implications Document for: Impact of arts education on children's learning and wider outcomes. Review of Education, 4(3), 263-265. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3074
• See, B., & Kokotsaki, D. (2016). Impact of arts education on children’s learning and wider outcomes. Review of Education, 4(3), 234-262. https://doi.org/10.1002/rev3.3070
• Kokotsaki, D. (2016). Pupils' attitudes to school and music at the start of secondary school. Educational Studies, 42(2), 201-220. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2016.1160822
• Kokotsaki, D., & Newton, D. (2015). Recognizing creativity in the music classroom. International Journal of Music Education, 33(4), 491-508. https://doi.org/10.1177/0255761415607081
• Kokotsaki, D., White, C., & Hopkins, B. (2014). Capturing change: a review of the implementation of Restorative Approaches and its outcomes within a local authority in North East England. Online educational research journal, 5(5), Article 151
• Kokotsaki, D. (2012). Pre-service student-teachers' conceptions of creativity in the primary music classroom. Research Studies in Music Education, 34(2), 129-156. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103x12466770
• Kokotsaki, D. (2011). Student-Teachers' conceptions of creativity in the Secondary Music Classroom. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 6(2), 100-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2011.04.001
• Kokotsaki, D., & Hallam, S. (2011). The perceived benefits of participative music making for non-music university students: A comparison with music students. Music Education Research, 13(2), 149-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2011.577768
• Kokotsaki, D. (2010). Musical involvement outside School: How important is it for trainee teachers in secondary education?. British Journal of Music Education, 27(2), 151-170. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0265051710000069
• Hallam, S., Burnard, P., Robertson, A., Saleh, C., Davies, V., Rogers, L., & Kokotsaki, D. (2009). Trainee primary school teachers' perceptions of their effectiveness in teaching music. Music Education Research, 11(2), 221-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613800902924508
• Kokotsaki, D. (2007). Understanding the ensemble pianist: A theoretical framework. Psychology of Music, 35(4), 641-668. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735607077835
• Kokotsaki, D., & Hallam, S. (2007). Higher Education Music Students' Perceptions of the Benefits of Participative Music Making. Music Education Research, 9(1), 93-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613800601127577
• Kokotsaki, D. (2005). Attaining a high quality in musical ensemble performance: the pianist's perspective
• Kokotsaki, D., & Davidson, J. (2003). Investigating Musical Performance Anxiety among Music College Singing Students: a quantitative analysis. Music Education Research, 5(1), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/14613800307103
• Coimbra, D., Davidson, J., & Kokotsaki, D. (2001). Investigating the Assessment of Singers in a Music College Setting: The Students' Perspective. Research Studies in Music Education, 16(1), 15-32. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103x010160010301

Report

• Nguyen, D., See, B. H., Brown, C., & Kokotsaki, D. (2023). Reviewing the evidence base on school leadership, culture, climate and structure for teacher retention. Education Edowment Foundation
• Torgerson, C., Torgerson, D., Ainsworth, H., Hewitt, C., Kasim, A., Kokotsaki, D., Bell, K., Elliott, L., & Gascoine, L. (2018). Calderdale Excellence Partnership: IPEELL. Evaluation and Executive Summary. [No known commissioning body]
• Menzies, V., Hewitt, C., Kokotsaki, D., Collyer, C., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project Based Learning: Evaluation report and executive summary. [No known commissioning body]
• Menzies, V., Kasim, A., Kokotsaki, D., Hewitt, C., Akhter, N., Collyer, C., Younger, K., Wiggins, A., & Torgerson, C. (2016). Hallé SHINE on Manchester: Evaluation report and executive summary. Education Endowment Foundation
• Kokotsaki, D. (2015). Improving the primary-secondary transition in music education. Nuffield Foundation
• See, B., & Kokotsaki, D. (2015). Impact of arts education on the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of school-aged children. A review of evidence. [No known commissioning body]
• See, B., & Kokotsaki, D. (2015). Systematic review of the impact of arts education on the cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes of school-aged children. [No known commissioning body]
• Menzies, V., Collyer, C., Kokotsaki, D., Hewitt, C., Younger, K., Wiggins, A., & Torgerson, C. (2015). SHINE in Secondaries: Evaluation report and Executive summary. [No known commissioning body]
• Higgins, S., Katsipataki, M., Kokotsaki, D., Coleman, R., Major, L., & Coe, R. (2013). The Sutton Trust - Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit. [No known commissioning body]
• Wiggins, A., Barmby, P., Kokotsaki, D., Lyth, A., & Torgerson, C. (2009). City GATES evaluation Phase 1: Existing data analysis. [No known commissioning body]
• Hallam, S., Castle, F., Rogers, L., Crech, A., Rhamie, J., & Kokotsaki, D. (2005). Research and Evaluation of the Behaviour Improvement Programme. [No known commissioning body]
• Tymms, P., Albone, S., Barmby, P., Kokotsaki, D., Merrell, C., & Searle, J. (2005). The Performance of Newcastle Schools: Report 5 for the Commission. [No known commissioning body]