Joao Costa

João Costa serves as a Lecturer in Education (Sport Pedagogy) at University College Cork (UCC), contributing to the B.Ed (Hons) in Sports Studies and Physical Education. His roles span teaching modules in Sport Pedagogy, Curriculum and Assessment, Sport Psychology, Research Methods, and supporting postgraduate researchers. He actively collaborates with schools and community stakeholders through CPD initiatives and leads the Global Observatory for Physical Education (GoPE!).

• PhD in Educational Sciences - Teacher Education (2015)
• Co-Coordinator of Erasmus+ Project 'European Physical Education Observatory' (EuPEO)
• Board member of European Journal of Teacher Education and Portuguese Society of Physical Education

João's research focuses on teacher education and teaching quality, grounded in the socioecological paradigm. He explores Learning Communities, Communities of Practice, Collective Efficacy, and Instructional Alignment, with a strong emphasis on wellbeing promotion and inclusive pedagogies. His work bridges initial teacher education with school communities through international partnerships.

Recent publications highlight trends in global physical education policy (GoPE! framework), pandemic-era PE adaptations, and digital assessment tools. João employs community-based participatory research and self-study methodologies to analyze collaborative processes in teacher development.

Scientific Awards:

• 2024 - CIRTL Digital Badge for Inclusive Teaching
• 2023 - UCC Wellbeing and Welfare Award
• 2017 - Portuguese Olympic Committee Research Prize
• 2017 - Shorinji Kempo Recognition Award

João supervises research projects and collaborates internationally on initiatives like Erasmus+ projects and Horizon 2020 grants. He contributes to policy frameworks through the QualiTePE instrument and Y-PATH PE4Me curriculum, with a particular focus on inclusive education and assessment innovation.