Although research has shown a strong positive relationship between using information technology and social media for educational purposes and involvement in quality educational practices (Greenhow & Gleason, 2012), little is known about its effect on undergrads beliefs about different topics. Whilst some studies show the potential of social media to facilitate pedagogical change of secondary physical education teachers (Goodyear, Casey, & Kirk, 2014). Others recommend the use of metaphors (Tannehill & MacPhail, 2012) as they promote teacher reflection and change of teaching (coaching) practice. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of using Twitter and some Google Apps, to facilitate (or not) change of first year undergrads beliefs about coaching youth sport. Specifically, we focused on two main “hot” beliefs: (1) sampling or specializing; and (2) traditional teaching (coaching), or teaching games for understanding (TGfU). Two intact classes (n=63) of first year undergrads (18±1.33 years old) experienced a course semester “Youth sport”. Every week were taught three workshop hours and one hour practical lesson. The practical lesson was delivered by every student’s team using either a traditional or TGfU model. After the lesson some students had to take representative pictures and videos to be shared through critical and reflective tweets using the hashtag #fid1415. They also had to share through YouTube a team reflection of the lesson. Along every unit they voluntary participated in a Hangouts on Air, which debate about the main unit topics. Data about the students’ beliefs were gathered from a Google Form (with questions type “paragraph text”, and “scale” and using Autocrat to give an instant feedback and a diploma), from the tweets, and from the individual interviews (n=10). All qualitative data were analyzed through inductive analysis and constant comparison by the two authors. Two major themes (reflection and engagement) will be discussed in terms of the implications for undergrads learning.

Greenhow, C., & Gleason, B. (2012). Twitteracy: Tweeting as a New Literacy Practice. The Educational Forum, 76, 463-477. Goodyear, V., Casey, A., & Kirk, D. (2014). Tweet me, message me, like me: using social media to facilitate pedagogical change within an emerging community of practice. Sport, Education and Society, 19(7), 927-943. Tannehill, D., & MacPhail, A. (2014). What examining teaching metaphors tells us about pre-service teachers' developing beliefs about teaching and learning. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 19(2), 149-163.