Simon worked in econometrics, programming and expert systems before moving from business to education. After teaching with the Open University he developed online learning tools for students. 

Simon's postgraduate research has been on tools that promote improved collaborative argumentation and he is currently developing the tool InterLoc for UEL. He is also working on 'Digging by Debating' which examines argumentation in large digital collections. He was previously Research Fellow at London Metropolitan University until 2007.

Research, implementation and coordination of two projects: 'Promoting inclusive critical thinking: InterLoc adaptation and integration' and '"Digging by Debating: Linking massive datasets to specific arguments'.

Research interests include collaborative argumentation and online pedagogy

Currently working on 'Analysis of argument in philosophical texts on animal psychology' and 'Collaborative argumentation by Agri-Science students'.

Selected Publications

• Ravenscroft, A., McAlister, S., & Sagar, M., (2010). Digital Dialogue Games and InterLoc: Deep Leaning Design for Collaborative Argumentation on the Web, In Pinkwart, N. Educational Technologies for Teaching Argumentation Skills, Bentham Science E-Books. 
• Ravenscroft, A., McAlister, S., & Sagar. M (2009). Digital Dialogue Games (DDGs): Cross-institutional implementation and evaluation of digital dialogue games for inclusive and personalised learning. Final Report for UK Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC), Bristol, UK, www.interloc.org.uk.
• Ravenscroft, A. & McAlister, S. (2008). Investigating and promoting educational argumentation: towards new digital practices, International Journal of Research and Method in Education (IJRME), Special Issue on Researching Argumentation in Educational contexts: new methods, new directions. Edited by Caroline Coffin and Kieran O’Halloran, Vol. 31, No 3, pp 317-335.
• Ravenscroft, A. & McAlister, S. (2006). Digital Games and Learning in Cyberspace: A Dialogical Approach, E-Learning Journal, Special Issue of Ideas in Cyberspace 2005 Symposium, Vol. 3, No 1, pp 38-51.Available online
• Ravenscroft, A. & McAlister, S. (2006). Designing interaction as a dialogue game: Linking social and conceptual dimensions of the learning process, Chapter 4 in Juwah, C. (Ed.), Interactions in Online Education: implications for theory and practice. Routledge, pp 73-90. ISBN 0-415-35741-1
• Ravenscroft, A. & McAlister, S. (2005). Dialogue games and e-learning: The InterLoc approach, Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications Volume 133, Towards Sustainable and Scaleable Educational Innovations Informed by the Learning Sciences, Looi, C., Jonassen, D. & Ikeda, M. (Eds), IOS Press, pp 355-362. ISSN 0922-6389
• McAlister, S., Ravenscroft, A & Scanlon, E. (2004). Combining interaction and context design to support collaborative argumentation using a tool for synchronous CMC, Journal of Computer Assisted Learning: Special Issue: Developing dialogue for learning, Vol. 20, No 3, pp 194-204. ISSN 0266-4909/02
• McAlister, S., Ravenscroft, A & Scanlon, E. (2004). Designing to promote improved online educational argumentation: an evaluation study, In Networked Learning 2004, (eds.) Banks, Goodyear, Hodgson, Jones, Lally, McConnell & Steeples, Lancaster & Sheffield University, pp. 541-548. ISBN 1-86220-150-1