Dr Kyriaki Makopoulou BSc, MSc, PhD

Dr Kyriaki Makopoulou

School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
Head of Quality Assurance
Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy
SPECS Programme Lead

Contact details

Telephone
+44 (0) 121 415 8386
Email
k.makopoulou@bham.ac.uk
Address
School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences
University 麻豆精选
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Kiki's research focuses on examining the complex process of professional learning for PE teachers and on evaluating the nature, quality and impact of school-based interventions, including Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for teachers. A particular focus is on improving teaching quality around inclusion and mental health and wellbeing. Over the last 10 years, Kiki has secured external funding to evaluate national CPD initiatives, advance knowledge on programme evaluation, and to implement novel school-based interventions, grounded in transformative and collaborative research. As a result of this body of research, which is grounded in evidence co-produced with young people and on youth perspectives, professional bodies have developed best practices for informing and training teachers who have a responsibility for young people’s health and wellbeing. This and other research has given me extensive and highly relevant experience of working with teachers, children and young people as well as other stakeholders in educational research settings.

Feedback and office hours

Please contact Kiki directly for her updated feedback and office hours as these vary per semester

Qualifications

  • PhD
  • MSc
  • BSc

Teaching

Kiki is the programme lead for BSc in Sport, Physical Education and Coaching Science. Kyriaki leads two modules:

  • Teaching and Coaching: games and athletics (Year 1) 
  • Developing Teaching and Coaching: gymnastics and dance (Year 2) 

Kiki supervises third year dissertation students. Aligned with the School’s aims, her aim is to build students’ teaching and learning capacities in order to be successful professionals in their field.

Postgraduate supervision

Kiki currently supervises a number of PhD and MSc students in the areas of Inclusion in Physical Education, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Continuing Professional Development (both formal and informal learning) for Physical Education (PE) teachers.

If you are interested in studying any of these subject areas please contact Kiki directly to discuss project availability and your research interests. 

Research

Kiki is undertaking a number of systematic reviews on teachers and students' perceptions of Inclusion in Physical Education, methodological considerations on how to conduct inclusive research, as well as available guidance documents for supporting teachers in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing in schools. One of the most recent funded completed studies was a four-year evaluation project (funded by the Youth Sport Trust) of the Sainsbury's Inclusive PE teacher training programme. 

You can find further details on relevant research activities, including full publications, in Kiki's research gate profile: 

Other activities

Kiki is a member of the following national and international associations:

British Educational Research Association (BERA), European Educational Research Association (EERA) and AIESEP. Kiki has been appointed as one of the conveners for the Annual Conference of the European Educational Research Association (Network 18: Research into Sport Pedagogy).

Kiki's most two most recent conference presentations took place in AIESEP 2022. 

You can find further details on conference presentations and publications in my research gate profile: 

Publications

Selected publications (last two years)

Tarantino, G., Makopoulou, K., & Neville, R. (2022, online). Inclusion of Children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities in Physical Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Teachers’ Attitudes. Educational Research Review.

Makopoulou, K., Penney, D., Neville, R. & Thomas, G. (2022). What sort of inclusion is Continuing Professional Development promoting? An investigation of a national CPD programme for inclusive physical education. International Journal of Inclusive Education. . Open Access

Makopoulou, K., Neville, R., Ntoumanis, N. & Thomas, G. (2021) An investigation into the effects of a short professional development course on teachers and teaching assistants' self-efficacy. Professional Development in Education.

Neville, R, Makopoulou, K & Hopkins, W. (2021) 'Effect of an inclusive physical education (IPE) training workshop on trainee teachers’ self-efficacy. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport.