Victoria Goodyear

Professor Victoria Goodyear is a faculty member at the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, where she holds the position of Professor in Pedagogy in Sport, Physical Activity and Health. Her work bridges education, public health, and digital technology, with a strong focus on youth wellbeing.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, an MA in Education, a PGCE in Physical Education, and a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science. She previously worked as a physical education teacher and school sport coordinator before entering academia.

Research Interests: Victoria's research centers on the role of social media and digital technologies in shaping young people’s health, identity, and learning. She investigates how digital environments impact mental health, body image, and physical activity, and how educators and coaches can be better supported through professional development. Her work emphasizes ethical considerations, safeguarding, and inclusive practices in digital spaces.

Publication Trends: Her recent articles reflect a strong focus on adolescent smartphone and social media use, school policies, mental wellbeing, and digital safeguarding. She employs mixed methods and qualitative approaches to explore complex socio-digital phenomena in education and health contexts.

• Scientific Awards:
• Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Impact on Society
• University of Birmingham Hero for the 21st Century Bodies campaign
• Best Paper Award – Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy
• Exemplary Paper Award (twice) – American Education Research Association

Advising and Grants: While specific students are not listed, Victoria leads and contributes to major funded research projects from ESRC, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, Google, and the British Academy. She has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Investigator (Co-I) on studies such as the SMART Schools Study, Project Safety Net, and research on digital literacy for teachers. Her work has directly influenced national policy, including the UK Online Harms Bill and CMO guidelines on screen time.

Labs and Teams: She is affiliated with research initiatives at the University of Birmingham, contributing to the Centre for National Training and Research Excellence and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams across public health, education, and psychology. She also serves on editorial boards of leading journals and advises on national and international policy.