Mr Julian Smith

Principal Lecturer and Head of Curriculum for the Department of Sport

  • Email julian.smith@wlv.ac.uk
  • Faculty FEHW
  • Campus Walsall Campus
  • School School of Sport
  • Areas of expertise

    I have been a member of Academic Board and represented sport on the Faculty Student & Education Committee (FSEC) and Faculty Collaborative Management Committee (FCMC). Through these committees I have contributed to assessment and enhancement of areas such as the student experience, student outcomes, and the standard of awards . I also lead the department’s preparation for, and involvement in, Assessment Boards, including Chairing the Boards and liaising with External Examiners, and have led 3 Periodic Reviews. I have oversight of the sport Continuous Monitoring and Improvement process, and our work with External Examiners and Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRBs). As a member of the University Quality Panel (UQP) I have been involved in several validations across the university and overseas. I have taken the role of Chair for multiple validations, including those with UK and international partners. I am also the Link Tutor for the Department of Sport. I have previously acted as External Advisor for the validation of a Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching at Grŵp Llandrillo-Menai in collaboration with Bangor University, and as an External Examiner at the University of Derby. I have experience of successful bid writing and have engaged in research in two diverse areas: education and sports performance. In relation to bid writing, I was the lead on a successful OfS bid for £6m which resulted in significant refurbishment and development of facilities within the school.

I am currently a Principal Lecturer and Head of Curriculum for Sport at the University of Wolverhampton. I am also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I completed my BSc (Hons) in Human Movement Science at the University of Liverpool in 1992, and then completed a PGCE at the College of St Mark and St John in Plymouth from 1994 – 1995. I began my career teaching Physical Education at Bowbrook House School in Worcestershire, before moving into Further Education at Shrewsbury College of Arts and Technology in 1998. There I took on several roles, including Course Leader for the HND in Sports & Exercise Science, and Football Academy Director. Whilst at Shrewsbury College I also completed an MSc in Applied Sport & Exercise Science at the University of Wolverhampton. I joined the University of Wolverhampton as a Senior Lecturer in 2004 and was appointed as a Principal Lecturer in 2007. My current post is Principal Lectuer and Head of Curriculum for the Department of Sport, and I was previously interim Head of the School of Sport for 12 months. I have considerable experience of academic leadership and of leading and developing initiatives to improve student experience and managing curriculum change, not least during the COVID-19 pandemic

 

My research interests focus on learning and teaching. I am also interested in sports performance and agility testing and training research.

I am a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA)

M.Sc. Applied Sport and Exercise Science. The University of Wolverhampton

2000 – 2002       

PGCE in Secondary Education. The College of St Mark and St John

1994 –1995        

B.Sc. (Hons) Human Movement Science. The University of Liverpool

1989 – 1992       

1.       Angwin, E., and Smith, J. (2011). The impact of playing position and level on the fitness characteristics of female soccer players. Journal of Sports Therapy, 4(1), 19 – 23.

2.       Cloak, R., Nevill, A., Smith, J., Wyon, M. (2014). The acute effects of vibration stimulus following FIFA 11+ on agility and reactive strength in collegiate soccer players. Journal of Sport and Health Science. DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2014.03.014.

3.       Groves, M., Bowd, B., and Smith, J. (2010) Experiential learning of study skills in sports students. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 34(1), 11 – 22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03098770903477060

4.       Groves, M., Leflay, K., Smith, J., Bowd, B., and Barber, A. (2013). Encouraging the development of higher-level study skills using an experiential learning framework. Teaching in Higher Education 18(5), http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2012.753052

5.       Groves, M., Sellars, C., Smith, J., Barber, A. (2015). Factors affecting student engagement: a case study examining two cohorts of students attending a post-1992 university in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Higher Education, 4(2), 27 – 37. http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v4n2p27

6.       Nevill, A. M., Okojie, D.I., Smith. J., O’Donoghue, P.G., and Webb, T. (2019) ‘Are professional footballers becoming lighter and more ectomorphic? Implications for talent identification and development’, International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 14(3), pp. 329–335. Available at: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=s3h&AN=136915948&site=ehost-live (Accessed: 19 June 2020).

7.       Smith, J., Cloak, R., Lahart, I., Williams, D. (2014). The Development of a Field Based Test of Unplanned Agility. The Asian Journal of Exercise and Sports Science, 11(1), 27 – 35.

8.       Smith, J., Groves, M., Bowd, B., and Barber, A. (2012). Facilitating the development of study skills through a blended learning approach. International Journal of Higher Education, 1(2), 108 – 117. http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v1n2p108

9.       Smith, J., and Lane, A.M. (2009). Agility training, agility and dribbling skills in soccer players: effects of a 4-week intervention in Duncan, M. and Lyons, M. (eds.) Advances in Strength and Conditioning Research. Nova Publishers. ISBN: 978-1-60876-661-1

10.   Smith, J., and Morrison, D. (2012). The characteristics of professional and semi-professional football players following off-season and pre-season training periods. Journal of Sports Therapy, 5(1), 18 – 24.

11.   Smith, J., Sayers, A., and Nevill, A. (2011). The reliability and validity of the reactive agility t-test. Journal of Sports Therapy, 4(1), 40 – 44.

 

Conference Presentations

1.       Hancox, C., and Smith, J. (2006). Small-sided games and soccer specific endurance performance. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, 11th – 13th September 2006, University of Wolverhampton (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2007, 25(3), 358).

2.       Smith, J., Forbes, A., Ward, G., and Nevill, A.M (2022). Transition into Higher Education: students’ experiences of an extended, four-week induction module. Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference 2022: Teaching in the spotlight: Where next for enhancing student success? 5th – 7th July 2022, Northumbria University, Newcastle.

3.       Smith, J., and Galloway, S. (2006). The predictive validity of the ‘Arrow Agility Test’ for university soccer players. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, 11th – 13th September 2006, University of Wolverhampton (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2007, 25(3), 364).

4.       Smith, J., and Galloway, S. (2006). The reliability and discriminant validity of the ‘Arrow Agility Test’ for soccer players. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, 11th – 13th September 2006, University of Wolverhampton (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2007, 25(3), 363 - 364.)

5.       Smith, J., and Lafotanoa, T. (2006). The characteristics of professional and amateur international rugby union players. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, 11th – 13th September 2006, University of Wolverhampton. (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2007, 25(3), 364 – 365).

6.       Smith, J., and Lane, A.M. (2003). The impact of a four-week training programme on changes in self-efficacy, self-set goals and agility performance among soccer players. Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group Conference, 28th – 30th July 2003, The University of Wolverhampton.

7.       Smith, J., and Lane, A.M. (2005). The impact of a four-week agility training programme on agility and dribbling skill in college footballer. British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference, 4th – 7th September 2005, Loughborough University (Journal of Sports Sciences, 23(11/12), 1298 – 1299).

8.       Smith, J., Nevill, A.M., Alger, M. (2024). Block & semester modes of delivery: the impact on student outcomes in different demographic groups. The 12th European Conference on Education (ECE2024), July 11th – 15th 2024, SOAS and University College London (UCL), United Kingdom.

9.       Smith, J., Williams, D., Lahart, I., and Cloak, R. (2012). The reliability and validity of the reactive arrow agility test (RAAT). International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS), 19th – 24th July 2012, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow.