Allyson Goodchild
Senior Tutor in Education Studies
I am the course co-ordinator for the BA (hons) Applied Education degree designed for teaching assistants and support staff working in education settings. I was initially tasked with establishing and leading our university campus centre in the Peterborough area for work based professionals wishing to study part-time in their locality. I have subsequently developed a flexible, blended learning version of the degree as well as a full time option. My research has focused on how part-time, mature students can be supported to succeed in higher education and teaching assistants’ professional experiences within the workplace.
Previously, I worked in education for over twenty years, culminating in Headship of a large primary school, before moving into Higher Education. I have also worked as a consultant for Human Scale Education, visiting schools around the country to support them in developing their school environments.
Qualifications
- BEd (Hons) - Bulmershe College of Higher Education
- MA Education (Distinction) - University of Bedfordshire
- FHEA (Fellow of Higher Education Academy)
Teaching Expertise
- Skills for education studies
- Primary education
- The learning environment
- The curriculum and assessment
- Professional practice
Research Interests
- Supporting mature students who are returning to education
- The practicalities of building emotionally literate organisations
- The professional experiences of teaching assistants
- Understanding how the Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) system can better support students on Applied courses
Publications
- Goodchild, A. (2024) ‘Beyond “paraprofessional”: Empowering and equipping teaching assistants to develop a sense of identity’, in Hopkins, N and Thompson, C. (eds.) Reflections on identity. London: Springer
- Connolly, S. and Goodchild, A. (2021) ‘Starting to see the ‘bigger picture’: ways of developing professional and paraprofessional understandings of behaviour, curriculum and the learning environment’, in Wearmouth, J. and Lindley, K. (eds.) Bringing the Curriculum to Life. London: Open University Press
- Goodchild, A., and Butler, C. (2020). ‘Building the foundations for academic success: learning from the experiences of part-time students in their first semester of study’, Widening participation and lifelong learning, 22 (2), pp. 135-161
- Goodchild, A. (2019) ‘Part-time students in transition: supporting a successful start to higher education’, Journal of further and higher education, 43 (6), pp.774-787
Conference Presentations
- Nethercott, K., Siddons, K., and Goodchild, A. (2023) ‘Understanding how the PAT System can better support students on Applied courses’, Teaching Beyond the Curriculum. AMPS Education: Live online presentation
Research Projects
- The role of the PAT in supporting students on applied degrees
- The professional experiences of teaching assistants