A former teacher at Buckingham School, Dr Vicky Goodyear – now a lecturer in Sport and Exercise at the University of Bedfordshire – undertook a PhD looking at the use of the Cooperative Learning model, an educational approach focusing on group-based learning, within physical education.

In collaboration with Buckingham School’s Physical Education Department, Dr Goodyear explored the teachers’ progress via Twitter and Facebook and found social media interaction could be a way forward for teaching professionals to share information and network.

“When I began my PhD in 2010 I was very much interested in looking at how group-based teaching within the classroom was being implemented,” said Dr Goodyear, who was supported in her research by Dr Ashley Casey, lecturer in Physical Education at Loughborough University and Professor David Kirk, Alexander Chair in Physical Education and Sport at Bedfordshire.

“The teachers communicated with me via social media, with the department creating their own Twitter page and sharing their experiences with fellow Cooperative Learning teachers and I, by posting pictures and written updates of the Cooperative Learning model they were delivering.

“Prior to completing my PhD in 2013, I taught through Cooperative Learning myself and found that talking to others was key in developing my understanding of how to use the model. During my PhD, Twitter emerged as a form of communication and provided a platform for teachers to discuss their experiences of utilising the model.”

Having continued her research into social media beyond the completion of her PhD, Dr Goodyear believes there is a possibility her research could be applied to more schools in the region.

She added: “Over the last three years more departments at Buckingham School, including Maths and English, have been using the Cooperative Learning model. This is an effective approach that could be considered in other schools and in multiple subjects where we could support teachers developing their practice through social media.”

Dr Goodyear’s research paper has led to her winning the 2014 Lawrence F. Locke Graduate Student Research Award, which is sponsored by the Physical Education SIG of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

An internationally recognised accolade, Dr Goodyear will collect the award in Philadelphia, America early next month (April), at AERA’s international conference, which is expected to be attended by some 12,000 international researchers.

Photo: Buckingham School's PE Department