Biography
Professor Richard Medcalf is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students), responsible for putting students at the centre of everything we do at Newman by promoting a focus on all aspects of the student experience from recruitment to graduation. The work of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students) involves leading on the enhancement and continuous improvement of the student experience for our diverse student body. Richard is a Professor of Higher Education and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA).
Richards’ academic background is in Sport and he continues to teach and research in his subject area. He is Vice Chair of Active Black Country, Chair of IncludeMeWM, a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (FCIMSPA(ch)), and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts Manufacturers and Commerce (FRSA). Prior to joining Newman he was Director of Institute and Associate Dean at the University of Wolverhampton.
Profile
Research Interests
Richards’ research interests lie in inclusive sport and physical activity. He has written in areas associated with Special Educational Needs in Physical Education in both Primary and Secondary education settings, and more recently has co-authored a ‘Researching Difference’ textbook which explores how we can better understand barriers to participation in sport.
Teaching
Richard has taught students from levels 3-8, in a number of HEIs and also in both distance-learning and trans-national education settings. His teaching has primarily been in the fields of sports studies and development, sports business management, sports policy and physical education. Research student supervision has focussed on understanding the impact of sports development initiatives through innovative monitoring and evaluation techniques.
Administrative Responsibilities
Richard leads on key strategic priorities for the University, focussing on the vision and strategy for a high-quality student experience for all Newman students. He has institutional and strategic responsibility for student voice, ensuring that student perspectives and the work of the Students’ Union are represented within the strategic decisions taken by the University Leadership Team. Working in partnership with Faculties, Richards’ responsibilities also include a focus on student support and student outcomes.
Membership of Professional Organisations
Principal Fellow of HEA
Chartered Fellow of CIMSPA
Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts Manufacturers and Commerce (FRSA)
Other Activities
Peer Reviewed Journal Publications
O’Leary, N., Longmore, C., and Medcalf, R. (2019). Factors influencing a Physical Education teacher’s pedagogical games practices to pupils experiencing social, emotional and mental health difficulties. European Physical Education Review, 26(2), 305-321https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X19856386
O’Leary, N., Longmore, C., and Medcalf, R. (2015) The influence of childhood experiences upon the teaching of pupils with Social and Emotional Behavioural Difficulties in Physical Education. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 15 (4), pp 247-256. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-3802.12033
O’Leary, N., Longmore, C. and Medcalf, R. (2014). The influence of occupational socialisation upon a teacher’s interpretation and delivery of Teaching Games for Understanding to pupils experiencing social emotional and behavioural difficulties. Support for Learning, 29(1), 57-75. DOI: 10.1111/1467-9604.12046
Medcalf, R. (2014). Research and Scholarship in a ‘HE in FE’ environment. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 15, pp 11-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2014.03.001
Medcalf, R. and Griggs, G. (2014). ‘I never saw him play but we were the best of friends for years’; exploring pseudosocial relationships of football manager bloggers. Communication and Sport, 3(3), 334-347. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479514542152
Medcalf, R. (2011). Pressures and Expectations of an Early Career Researcher. Journal of Qualitative Research in Sports Studies, 5 (1), pp 153-158
Burton, E. and Medcalf, R. (2011). Accessing experiences through ‘photo-voice’; children’s perceptions of motivations and barriers towards physical activity participation in rural and urban environments. Journal of Qualitative Research in Sports Studies, 5 (1), pp 19-36
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J., Hardman, K. and Visser, J. (2011). Experiences and Perceptions of Physical Education. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 16(2), p. 189-206 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13632752.2011.569409
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J. and Rhoden, C. (2006). Exploring the relationship between physical education and enhancing behaviour in pupils with emotional behavioural difficulties. Support for Learning, 21(4), p 169-174 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9604.2006.00427.
Books
Medcalf, R. and Mackintosh, C. (Eds) (2019). Researching Difference in Sport and Physical Activity. Routledge: London. https://tinyurl.com/yaouc46d
Biscomb, K., Medcalf, R., and Griggs, G. (2016). Current Issues in Contemporary Sport Development (eds.). London: Cambridge Scholars http://tinyurl.com/zzcmyv7
Book Chapters
Medcalf, R. and Longmore, C. (2022). Towards more inclusive provision. In ‘An Introduction to Primary Physical Education (2nd Ed.)’(edited by G.Griggs and V.Randall). London: Routledge https://tinyurl.com/48cfhk9v
Medcalf, R. (2019). Researching Difference. In ‘Researching Difference in Sport and Physical Activity’, (edited by R. Medcalf and C.Mackintosh). London: Routledge, pp 1-13 https://tinyurl.com/254pn39w
Medcalf, R. and Mackintosh, C. (2019). The Research Process. In ‘Researching Difference in Sport and Physical Activity’, (edited by R. Medcalf and C.Mackintosh). London: Routledge, pp 14-24 https://tinyurl.com/254pn39w
Mackintosh, C. Medcalf, R. (2019). Researching Difference and Otherness: Next Steps and Challenges in Sport and Physical Activity. In ‘Researching Difference in Sport and Physical Activity’, (edited by R. Medcalf and C.Mackintosh). London: Routledge, pp 148-157 https://tinyurl.com/254pn39w
Medcalf, R. and Biscomb, K. (2016). Opportunity through Sport. In ‘Current Issues in Contemporary Sport Development’ (edited by K. Biscomb, R.Medcalf and G.Griggs). London: Cambridge Scholars, pp1-8 http://tinyurl.com/zzcmyv7
Griggs, G. and Medcalf, R. (2015). Inclusive Pedagogy in PE. In ‘Infusing Inclusive Pedagogy Across the Curriculum’ (edited by J. Deppeler, T. Loreman and R. Smith). UK: Emerald http://tinyurl.com/zubm5up
Medcalf, R. (2012). Towards more inclusive provision. In ‘Physical Education in the Primary School: An Introduction’ (edited by G.Griggs). London: Routledge, pp 195-207 http://tinyurl.com/dykx5mh
Medcalf, R. (2012). Experiencing Physical Education through the filter of Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. In ‘Transforming Troubled Lives; Strategies and Interventions with children and young people with Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties’ (edited by J.Visser). UK: Emerald, pp 193-210 http://tinyurl.com/ccb4f9f
Medcalf, R. (2011). Inclusion: Issues of SEBD in Physical Education. In ‘Contemporary Issues in Physical Education: International Perspectives’ (Eds. K. Hardman & K. Green). Meyer and Meyer, pp.90-104. http://tinyurl.com/crs2kl
Other Publications / Reports
Bidwell, R., Rumble, A. and Medcalf, R. (2011). Sherborne Developmental Movement; The use of Peer Assisted Learning within Sherborne @ Sunfield. Report to Sunfield School, Clent.
Medcalf, R. (2010). The Experiences and Perceptions of Children and Young People with SEBD. SEBDA News, Issue 21 Spring/Summer 2010, p 24-27. Available at http://www.sebda.org/resources/newsletter21.asp
Medcalf, R. (2006). ‘Acknowledging the importance of Physical Education for children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties – A series of Case Studies’. Available at http://www.behaviour4learning.ac.uk/viewArticle.aspx?contentId=11872
Medcalf, R. (2005). The importance of Physical Education for children with SEBD: a small research study. SEBDA News, Issue 7 Autumn 2005, p 28-29. Available at http://www.sebda.org/upload/dl/Newsletter/SEBDA_News_7F.pdf
Invited Conference Papers
Medcalf, R. (2010). Listening to Pupils with SEBD; The importance of context and Interpretation. Invited workshops at the 57th SEBDA National Annual Conference, Manchester, UK
Peer Reviewed Conference Proceedings
Longmore, C., O’Leary, N. and Medcalf, R. (2013) The influence of childhood experiences upon the teaching of pupils with Social and Emotional Behavioural Difficulties in Physical Education. Paper presented at British Educational Research Association (BERA)Conference at University of Sussex, September 3-5, 2013.
Longmore, C., O’Leary, N. and Medcalf, R. (2013) The influence of occupational socialization on a first year Physical Education teacher teaching pupils experiencing Social and Emotional Behavioural Difficulties. Paper presented at British Educational Research Association (BERA) Conference at University of Sussex, September 3-5, 2013.
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J.J., Hardman, K., Kidman, L. and Visser, J. (2010). Accessing the Experiences and Perceptions of Children and Young People in Physical Education. Congress of the International Association of Physical Education in Higher Education (AIESEP), La Coruna, October 2010
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J., Hardman, K. and Visser, J. (2010). Experiences and Perceptions of Physical Education. SEBDA 2012 International Conference, Oxford, September 2010
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J.J., Hardman, K., Kidman, L. and Visser, J. (2010). Accessing the Experiences and Perceptions of Children and Young People in Physical Education. Researching Young Lives, University of Limerick, April 2010
Medcalf, R., Visser, J. and Marshall, J.J. (2009).The Experiences of Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Physical Education. Oral paper to be presented at the 3rd International Conference for Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, Roehampton, London.
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J.J., Visser, J. and Hardman, K. (2008). Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and their experiences of physical education. Oral paper presented at the 2008 International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS), Guangzhou, China.
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J.J., Visser, J. and Hardman, K. (2008). Interpretivist case study methodologies; implications when researching children’s experiences in physical education. Oral paper presented at the 16th Biennial conference of the International Society for Comparative Physical Education and Sport (ISCPES), Macau, China
Medcalf, R. (2005). The Use of Physical Education as a cathartic function for adolescents suffering from Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD). Oral paper presented at the BASES Student Conference, Aberystwyth (Best Applied Research Award)
Other Conference Papers
Medcalf, R., Marshall, J.J., Visser, J. and Hardman, K. (2008). Methodological considerations when listening to the voices of children with social emotional and behavioural difficulties in physical education. Oral paper presented at the Student Conference of the 2008 BERA Annual Conference, Edinburgh.
Medcalf, R. (2008). Children with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and their experiences of physical education. Oral paper presented at the University of Birmingham/University of Worcester Research Sharing Day
Medcalf, R. (2008). Ethical Considerations when working with children. Oral paper presented as part of Staff Development Series, School of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Worcester
Medcalf, R. (2007). Measuring Impact in Education. Oral paper presented at the Fourth Postgraduate International Student Conference on Challenging Educational Research: Reflections on theory and experience, University of Leicester
Medcalf, R. (2006). Examining the impact of PE on pupils with EBD; Environment or Empowerment? Oral paper presented at the Graduate Research School Student Conference, University of Worcester.
Medcalf, R. (2005). The Use of Physical Education as a cathartic function for adolescents suffering from Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD). Oral paper presented at the 2005 Bases Student Conference, Aberystwyth, Wales.