Advancing the Quality of Educator-Student Relationships through Learning Communities: Ideas and Insights from an LC

Susan LEE^1,*, Corinne ONG Pei Pei², Amelyn Anne THOMPSON¹

Centre for English Language and Communication, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Residential College 4 (RC4), NUS

*elclmss@nus.edu.sg

Lee, S., Ong, C., & Thompson, A. A.(2025). Advancing the quality of educator-student relationships through learning communities (LCs): Ideas and insights from an LC [Lightning talk]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2025, 10 December, National University of Singapore. . https://ctlt.nus.edu.sg/hecs-2025/abstracts/hecs2025-lt-corinne-o/

Sub-Theme

Building Learning Relationships

Keywords

Learning communities, student-educator relationship, perceptions, rapport, boundaries, wellness

Introduction

Literature has associated good student-educator relationships (SER) with students’ learning and thriving. Tormey (2021) proposed that students’ perceptions of the emotional quality of SER make a valid dataset for measuring SER. He concluded that students’ perceptions of the teacher’s warmth, trust, and admiration are critical in fostering positive SER. While Tormey proposed a student-centred definition, the educators’ perceptions and wellbeing should be considered too, especially if students looked to them for emotional support.

In addressing the quality of educators’ interactions with students, Hagenauer et al. (2022) recognised that teachers provide support at various levels, from the academic/professional level to the interpersonal/private level. The observation justifies a need to understand what characterises “support” or a “caring relationship” to students at the academic and personal level, and its impacts on both educators and students for care.

To examine the impacts of qualities of a supportive student-educator relationship (SER), this paper distils learning from an NUS learning community (LC) that sought to understand the qualities and practices that characterise SER and its impacts on educators and students. Underlying this purpose was the LC’s interest in discovering the dynamics of student-educator relationships that motivate learning and support teachers’ wellbeing in our classroom. We hoped that this can, in turn, contribute to a body of good practices that higher-education educators across disciplines, can access to advance quality student-educator relationships.

Building our sharing on literature mostly framed in the Euro-American context, the LC considered cultural sensitivities along with the changing profiles of students in the NUS Asian-global demographic blend. We also discussed the experiences of engaging students outside the classroom as interest group advisors and residential fellows, to understand perceptions of engagement in various contexts. The LC identified five major themes and related questions that could elucidate SER, with reference to the extant scholarship and their personal teaching experiences.

Findings

This paper details the findings from the first two meetings:

Perceptions of care: Reflections on the definitions and perceptions of teachers’ care for students.
Establishing rapport: How efforts are made to connect with students while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Theme 1 drew on Pranjic (2021)’s recommendations of caring behaviours like sharing of teaching philosophy and opening opportunities to co-create content. LC members shared they perceived care for students as a combination of personal commitment, moral duty, and professional duty. Figure 1 summarises members’ methods of expressing care.

Figure 1. LC members’ expressions of care for students
(Source: Authors’ own)

Student appreciation of a caring relationship may be observable in students’ actions, such as their initiation of conversations with educators or willingness to participate in classes. Role conflicts, however, could arise, and there is a need for balance between professional boundaries and fairness.

On Theme 2, LC members discussed rapport-building, defined as “an overall feeling between two people encompassing a mutual, trusting, and pro-social bond” (Frisby & Martin, 2010, p. 147), achieved through effective teaching behaviours (Frisby & Munoz, 2021). Our aims included:

To build trust and facilitate collaboration
To remove barriers (anxiety) that hamper learning
To motivate class attendance
To model openness in creating a safe space, e.g. establishing ground rules.

Fig. 2 provides examples of our attempts to build rapport.

Figure 2 . LC members’ attempts to build rapport
(Source: Authors’ own)

We also discussed well-intended strategies that could be counterproductive, prompting us to be mindful of student perceptions of bias, extensive discussion of personal matters, and engagement outside class time.

Moving Forward

The LC continues to explore themes on SER, including the impact of care on educators’ wellbeing. After each discussion on literature and practices, members committed to action plans to experiment new practices in specific courses. In time, the LC hopes to share our findings to advance good practices in SER.

References

Frisby, B., & Martin, M. (2010). Instructor-student and student-student rapport in the classroom. Communication Education, 59(2), 146–164. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634520903564362

Frisby, B., & Munoz, B. (2021). Love me, love my class: instructor perceptions of rapport building with students across cultures. Communication Reports, 34(3), 137–150. https://doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2021.1931387

Hagenauer, G., & Volet, S. E. (2014). Teacher-student relationship at university: an important yet under-researched field. Oxford Review of Education, 40(3), 370-388. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2014.921613

Pranjic, S. S. (2021). Development of a caring teacher-student relationship in higher education. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 12(1), 151-163. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2021.1.151.163

Tormey, R. (2021). Rethinking teacher-student relationships in higher education: a multidimensional approach. Higher Education, 82, 993-1011. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-021-00711-w

Sadaf Ansari

Ridge View Residential College

A teaching–learning intervention that emerged through a serendipitous partnership prompted by a student’s innovative use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools for text-to-image generation. This innovation informed the integration of GenAI into coursework to address a recurring challenge faced by students. It resulted in enhanced student engagement, redirected cognitive effort toward the iterative refinement of ideas to achieve higher-order learning outcomes, and improved students’ perceptions of their own learning capability. Given students’ greater propensity to use GenAI relative to educators (Mollick, 2023). This exploratory pedagogic approach contributes to ongoing discussions about “emerging digital learning futures” (Ross, 2023) and demonstrates the potential of meaningful partnerships when educators synthesize students’ insights through collaborative course enhancement (Cook-Sather, Bovill, & Felten, 2014). In shifting the pedagogical emphasis from “what works” to the possibilities of “what if” (Ross, 2023), the intervention underscores the importance of engaging students as partners in learning and teaching with GenAI (Mollick, 2024).

Andre Matthias MUELLER

Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (SSHSPH)

Our freshman course for 900 healthcare students across four disciplines systematically integrated evidence-based teaching and learning activities to develop attitudes and skills for person-centered care. Prominently featured were perspective-taking exercises, where students “walked in the shoes” of individuals from the Singapore community, including a person with a disability, an LGBTQ+ member, and a previously incarcerated single mother. This enabled students to reflect on diverse factors impacting health and their role in supporting people. This challenged narrow biomedical views, fostering a holistic understanding of patient care. Post-course surveys showed 81% of students desired to support patients holistically, demonstrating enhanced learning.

“Understanding that a patient is more than a diagnosis, a case and a prescription as there are more factors underlying their medical condition that cannot be remedied with therapeutics.”

“My most significant learning […] being able to identify the socio-economic factors impacting a person’s health and then being able to come up with social prescriptions to tackle the socio-economic factors. It is a really important aspect of healthcare and it helps us uplift a person holistically not just medically.”

“This module has opened my eyes to see that the job scope goes beyond the clinical aspect of healthcare, but as healthcare professionals we are to provide holistic and empathetic care as well.”

Kankana Mukhopadhyay

College of Alice and Peter Tan

We conducted STEER Nepal, a short-term overseas experiential learning programme as a team. Reflecting on our teaching practices we designed a SoTL research which highlighted pathways to strengthen the pedagogy of reflection and debrief in enhancing student learning. Based on our experience we have come to strengthen our belief that when pedagogies are thoughtfully and intentionally designed with the learning context and the learners in mind, experiential learning can be an effective medium to develop students’ critical thinking and compassion.

“There’s a lot of real life content that we can take away from the lectures.”

“The course is very fun and informative! It is also such an encouraging space. :)”

“The unique concept of class and out of class application.”

“The content and the learning centered on nepal and its community. it was very interesting and interactive, and I’m excited to go on the field trip too.”

“Very refreshing and unique, vastly different from all my other courses. Gives a very different perspective to learning.”

FOO Maw Lin

Dept of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

In our work we present the course design of HS2904, a new interdisciplinary course in CHS on Battery Electric Vehicles. This course is co-taught by one lecturer from Department of Chemistry, FoS and another from Department of Economics, FASS. We have made integration and connection of disciplinary concepts as the key learning outcome of our course and designed our learning activities correspondingly. Activities include group project work in multidisciplinary teams and game-based learning. As our course has no disciplinary prerequisites, we have found that laying the necessary disciplinary foundations early in our course is crucial for disciplinary integration to occur.

“Content are made friendly to all disciplines regardless of background.”

“Interactive and good opportunity to work with people from different majors as well as hear ideas from different disciplines.”

“It [HS2904] has achieved its aim of being an interdisciplinary module as it spans across many disciplines and allowed students to gain an in–depth understanding of the different fields.”

“I enjoyed the utilization of two disciplines [chemistry and economics] in the context of a narrative (EVs) to provide a link between these two disciplines in real world applications.”

“I liked that the lectures were well-paced and the lecturers made it engaging by adopting different teaching methodologies, such as through gamification of concepts.”

KUAN Yee Han

Tembusu College

I redesigned a multidisciplinary course, UTS2114 “Technologies and Ageing in Singapore” using Herrington and Oliver’s (2010) authentic learning model to foster real-world problem-solving, empathy, and community engagement. Through interventions such as community-partnered assessments, immersive fieldwork, and reflective practices, I was able to improve student engagement. Peer reviews and qualitative analyses further affirmed growth in pedagogical competency and student relationships. I also shared these practices with colleagues through CTLT workshops, advocating for authentic learning across disciplines. This sustained effort not only deepened students’ learning experiences but also broadened their civic impact by equipping them to co-create solutions for ageing-related challenges in Singapore.

“…invited me to reflect on the important relationships in my life, allowing me to form an emotional connection with the concept of ageing.”

“…creates an environment where I can genuinely step away from the usual classroom mindset and fully immerse myself in thinking… It’s the one class each week that feels like a refreshing break while still being deeply insightful and impactful.”

“…critically and fairly evaluate the strengths in our solutions and ask good questions to further stimulate our thinking…I emerged with a much stronger mental problem–solving framework that will bode well for my future academic and non–academic endeavours alike.”

“…encourage me to challenge my preconceived notions, ultimately improving my critical thinking skills.”

Eunice NG Shi Qi

Ridge View Residential College

Learning about sustainability can be overwhelming and may trigger confusion or disengagement within students. To address this, I applied a learner-centred approach to sustainability education, implementing thoughtful scaffolding to support student learning without compromising their independent exploration. This included unpacking implicit cognitive processes and developing critical thinking skills required for analysing sustainability issues. In turn, students were able to apply sustainability frameworks taught to real-world issues with greater confidence and depth. Students also became more proficient in their spontaneous interactions with our community partners. These created a learning environment where my students remained engaged and appropriately challenged throughout the course.

“As an aspiring entrepreneur, the course has deepened my appreciation for the power of grassroots organizations and their role in driving meaningful, community-based change. It helped me understand how these initiatives operate, build trust, and sustain long-term impact. This has inspired me to envision a future where my entrepreneurial efforts are rooted in local contexts, guided by inclusive practices, and focused on creating solutions that are not just innovative but also socially and environmentally grounded.”

“This course has enabled me to take action to address sustainability challenges. Before this course, I was honestly oblivious to sustainability. I knew challenges existed, but I didn’t really take any effort to try and solve it. Now that I see how some communities are involved in this, I was honestly inspired. I even tried to sign up for a session on Repair Kopitiam because I really enjoyed my session then!”

“This course gave me a much better understanding of the specific sustainability issues covered in the course. Beforehand, I was mainly aware of the more commonly discussed issues of climate change, and the vague idea that “recycling” equals “good”. The course gave me more context for the unique difficulties in different waste management sectors and helped me to think more critically about ways to improve sustainability.”

“The field trips deepened my understanding of the Ecologies of Community Participation by showing that participation is not just about inclusion but also power, agency, and systemic barriers. I initially saw it as a structured process, but real-world examples revealed its complexity—some groups had more influence while others faced resource constraints. Seeing facilitators, boundary spanners, and decision-makers interact highlighted that participation is fluid and shaped by both formal and informal networks.”

Jason PHAN Shiaw Hwa

Centre for English Language Communication

I avoid telling students to think critically; they have heard enough of that. Instead, I try to show them what it is to pursue and care about truth—giving them vivid experiences of it. This involves designing every class to have constructive conflicts, surprises and meaningful dialogue. The class therefore unfolds in response to their concerns and ideas, within a broad lesson structure.

“He teaches philosophy, writing, and thinking in a way that is approachable, yet in a way that is inspiring and encourages us to dig deeper in our understanding and interpretation of the world. He helped me to really appreciate the moral dilemmas in the systems we live in. It built on my interest in philosophy, allowing me to explore academic writing and thinking. He always gave us the opportunity to think deeply and share our views, allowing us to build up the ideas intuitively and naturally, and giving us ample space to express varying opinions and moral views on issues.”

“My favourite mod of the semester, helped me think and processs information in a more systematic way.”

“Jason is an exceptionally engaging lecturer. His ability to unpack dense philosophical theories into clear, bite–sized explanations keeps the class both interested and challenged. By consistently prompting us to question assumptions and evaluate arguments on their own merits, he cultivates a classroom culture of genuine critical thinking rather than passive absorption.”

Emily Jean DALTON

NUS College

I adopt interdisciplinary and imaginative approaches to teaching medieval literature that help students understand knowledge as situated within a history of ideas and encourage them to connect these ideas to political, social, and cultural questions from our contemporary moment. For instance, in “Real and Imagined Animals,” students examined digitised manuscripts of medieval bestiaries, generated questions they might ask as historians encountering these textual artifacts, and engaged with critical theory exploring the materiality of parchment, considering the tension between (animal/human) skin as inscribable surface and envelope of identity. Students also created their own bestiary entries reflecting current conceptions of animality and anthropocentrism..

“Professor Dalton’s teaching approach balanced in-depth analysis of primary texts with a concise yet rich overview of the broader medieval literary traditions, offering us a holistic understanding of the works we studied. She consistently incorporated relevant secondary and contextual materials, ranging from audiovisual media and film to poetry, op-eds, and multimedia resources, deepening our engagement with the texts and encouraging interdisciplinary and cross-temporal thinking. For instance, she guided us in exploring medieval elegies as precursors to contemporary and personal expressions of grief, making complex material resonant and accessible to her students. Her pedagogy invited us not merely to interpret literature, but to respond to it both critically and creatively.”

“[An] inclusive and dialogic approach defined all three modules I took with Dr. Dalton. While close, evidence-based reading remained central, we were always encouraged to negotiate and co-interpret meaning alongside her. In Dr. Dalton’s classroom, students were thus never passive recipients of knowledge but fellow thinkers with unique insights to be exchanged in the true spirit of interdisciplinary learning. This cultivated an environment where we felt safe, valued, and inspired to contribute—sparking not only active participation but also a genuine curiosity about others’ perspectives and, naturally, Dr. Dalton’s own extensive expertise, which often drew from diverse disciplines such as music, art, architecture, philosophy, and religious studies.”

“I first studied Literature and Humanities under Professor Dalton in my first year, and developed a love for the discipline due to her effective pedagogy. Despite teaching a class of students from diverse academic backgrounds, she successfully engaged everyone through various pedagogical methods. For instance, Professor Dalton would set clear learning outcomes for each literary work, and explore them through thoughtfully designed small group discussions, debates, role-plays, and filmmaking activities. Such avenues for learning and expression were instrumental in helping visual and kinesthetic learners such as myself understand our texts more meaningfully. I also found this pedagogical approach quite inclusive, as many of my classmates who had never studied literature also found themselves captivated by Professor Dalton’s classes and excellent facilitation.”

“I have taken three classes under her –– on real and imagined animals; on death, mourning, and memory; and finally, on magic, the supernatural, and romance. Prof. Dalton’s electives revolve around palatable and intriguing modern themes that bring out the timeless appeal of medieval literature. Furthermore, the reflections and secondary readings that I took away from these modules proved helpful to other forms of literary study, and I believe this can be said even for subjects beyond literature. On top of class handouts, Prof. Dalton also prepares slide decks, videos, and printouts of manuscript writing and illustrations for the class to refer to. I also fondly remember her Middle English “cheat sheet” that she prepared in all three of her elective classes in a bid to teach the pronunciation of Middle English texts, even though we mostly study the translated versions. I think these little efforts really add up to enhance one’s interest in medieval culture beyond the studied text. As someone who had entered college without an interest in medieval literature, and who thought of it as having to do with ‘boring knights fighting,’ I was surprised to conclude college by writing about chivalry for my final year Capstone project –– knights had become anything but boring.”

“By experiencing these seminars, I have not only broadened my knowledge about medieval literature itself, but I have also developed the flexibility needed in forming new research ideas.”

Carissa FOO Cai Li

NUS College

Student-directed learning is important in encouraging curiosity and openness. Giving students insights and glimpses through anecdotes, visual aids into unfamiliar worlds can be decentering at first, but the learning experience reorientates students to become more attentive in their lives, to be better readers of the world. From the creative assignment to outside-classroom activities, my pedagogy is shaped by my belief that the classroom should be hospitable to other worlds, to the sites of interests in the texts, so students have a tangible picture of a distant life that gradually become brick and mortar to them.

“Prof Foo is an outstanding educator. She is extremely adept in responding and building upon insights in class to reveal eye–opening epiphanies about the material analysed.”

“A dedicated teacher that respects your thoughts and shares an in depth analysis every lesson.”

“Prof Foo truly goes above and beyond in her goal to help us become better scholars.”

“She gives us eureka moments.”

Julius BAUTISTA

NUS College

I implemented a systems‑thinking approach to develop a humane, civic pedagogy that “breaks open the classroom.” In my teaching of the NUSC Capstone Impact Experience Project, students learned bamboo propagation, design, and construction while partnering with Filipino NGOs to work collaboratively for the benefit of society at large. To address student concerns about workload‑for‑credit, I scaffolded preparatory, in‑situ, and post‑trip activities through the student-run IG BAMbackyardigans. I strengthened faculty teaching capacity and pedagogical research by founding the Service Impact Learning Community (SILC). I also facilitated university outreach through producing and hosting the globally syndicated IEx podcast.

“Dr. Bautista is a thoughtful and passionate professor, and I can see that he is sincere and helpful in delivering his lectures and tutorials.”

“The field trip allowed us to gain a first-hand exposure to better understand what is actually in the course … which made everything learned a lot more impactful and enjoyable.”

“I really love how engaging the classes are. Being able to talk to the guest speakers allows me to gain a new perspective of the scholarly readings. Furthermore, although I was not very used to the debates, I am glad that I had this opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and contributed to the discussion.”

“The [Bamboo] garden has enhanced their overall experience by providing an inclusive and supportive learning environment that promotes a ‘feeling of ownership’ over their learning, and meaningful ‘bonding’ opportunities among residential peers.”

“The ability to step out of the classroom and work with partners across Southeast Asia is an invaluable experience that I will never forget.”

Cyrus HO Su Hui

Dept of Psychological Medicine

I have transformed psychiatry education at NUS through immersive, student-centred innovations that enhance engagement, empathy, and clinical competence. I co-developed the award-winning MAGIC programme, which uses virtual reality to simulate agitation management, and MyAwareness, a mobile game that enhances mental health literacy and empathy through narrative storytelling. I also lead observed clinical interviews, interdisciplinary teaching, and produce widely used student guidebooks. These initiatives create authentic, accessible learning experiences that bridge theory and practice. Grounded in evidence-based pedagogy and reflective practice, my work equips future doctors with the critical thinking, compassion, and readiness needed to meet real-world mental health challenges.

“Dr Cyrus really teaches me things beyond the textbooks, especially how to ask sensitive questions to patients. He is very patient in explaining all the concepts and always goes the extra mile to ensure I understand completely. He is also very dedicated to clarifying our doubts and often sacrifices his break time to offer additional teaching. I have genuinely learnt to become a more empathetic clinician who considers different perspectives, for example, in interviewing patients with grief, I now always remember to think about their caregiver stress, potential guilt, and so on.”

“Dr Ho is a great tutor who is highly invested in our learning and desires for us to do our best to improve. He provides many opportunities for us to ask questions and practise OSCEs, and I am very appreciative that he takes the time for us to explore our misunderstandings, such as by probing us further with more questions in case discussions. Thank you, Dr Ho!”

“Dr Cyrus is very clear in highlighting the key important things that we need to know in Psychiatry, while also reminding us to be sensitive and empathetic when interacting with patients.”

“Dr Cyrus has been a great mentor to learn from, both clinically and in research. I have had the humbling opportunity to embark and publish a variety of works with Dr Cyrus. May I humbly thank him for his guidance over the past few years.”

“Engaging and encouraging tutor, enjoyed the interactive sessions planned (e.g. picking a medicine out of the bag for sharing, OSCE revision).”

TAN Kong Bing

Dept of Pathology

I maintain a supportive and student-centered teaching philosophy, aiming to bridge medical science and clinical relevance. My hallmark classroom activity is a Dermatology-Pathology card game where medical students match disease-indicating clues to specific skin disease conditions. The students work in small groups, and peer discussion and clinicopathological reasoning is fostered. Students remark that this interactive approach keeps them engaged and helps in their learning. As the department’s education director since 2013, I help coordinate various curricular, assessment and education-related administrative activities. I enjoy teaching and helping to mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals, pathologists and educators..

“Allowing students to participate in fun group activity”

“Gives everyone equal opportunities for answering questions”

“Interactive and engaging and he invited clarification of any questions”

“Good method to have us all involved in thinking, through assigning cases”

Manjari Lahiri

Dept of Medicine

I have been involved in diverse opportunities, from creating and directing the Distinction Programme in Innovation and Quality in Healthcare, which facilitated resident doctors-in-training to deliver impactful clinical projects, to leading the Asia-Pacific Rheumatology Practice Course to meet the unique learning needs of generalists through small-group, case-based learning. Currently, as Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department of Medicine and NUSMed Phase 5 director, I have strived to improve faculty engagement, curriculum delivery, assessment design and critical thinking, all of which have improved educational quality, strengthened faculty commitment, and garnered consecutive posting excellence awards, building a thriving community of practice..

Shefaly Shorey

Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies

I reimagined and revitalised the Honours Programme for final-year nursing undergraduates by redesigning the NUR4104B course based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. Key enhancements included a bridging workshop, a comprehensive resource guide, structured thesis advisory, peer mentorship, and collaborations with librarians and biostatisticians. Optional coaching was also introduced to support student well-being. These initiatives improved research preparedness, reduced stress, and fostered critical thinking and self-directed learning. Now adopted as the standard teaching model at NUS Nursing, the redesign reflects a holistic, evidence-based approach that promotes resilience, inclusivity, and lifelong learning in nursing education.

“Professor Shefaly’s passion for teaching and research is truly inspiring, and it has made a significant impact on my learning experience. Professor Shefaly’s ability to explain complex concepts in an accessible way has helped deepen my understanding and interest in the subject. She was always actively approaching her students and always providing us an avenue for us to share our thoughts and opinions with her or for us to ask questions as well. She was always willing to go through all kinds of methods to help her students not only for this module but for other modules as well as her student’s personal life as well. As an educator, she makes her students’ own feelings always feel valid and heard. She always takes their concerns and feedback very seriously and handles it in a very sensible and respectful manner. As an educator, you can always see and feel her genuine passion in everything that she does for her students as well as her teachings.”

“Dr Shefaly is a passionate professor, a great teacher and understanding Year Four head. Her lectures are engaging, entertaining and useful. For our honours, we were provided with indepth resource guide. I really am appreciative of the resource guide as it is well structured and comprises of all the necessary information, instruction, guide and appendices to help us with our thesis. Dr Shefaly is perceptive and open to students concern and feedback. She demonstrates a high level of knowledge and empathy. Her core strength lies in creating a safe environment for her students to express their concerns and feeback. The students feel safe to ask for help as Dr Shefaly always strives to help her students to the best of her abilities, dealing with difficult situations tactfully.”

“Prof Shefaly inspires me. In this module, though the mode of teaching is purely lectures in sem 1, it achieves the goal of effectively supporting students in writing their thesis, be it a primary qual/quant or secondary research. The pace of the lectures and the expectations for students are clearly communicated at the start, this helps prepare students to learn and apply their knowledge. The open discussion forum on canvas and emails are ways students can seek advice and support from, in a timely and productive way. These are all amazing things, but what sets Prof Shefaly apart is her consistent dedication to her students’ well–being and providing well–structured support for all her students. All of us were encouraged and touched by how she genuinely cares for us through words and actions. A great example of this: during one lecture she actively sought student feedback and took steps to ensure that our mental well–being and learning journey in our honours year was not compromised, and it was done in a respectful and authentic way that truly displayed humility and effective leadership. I’m not sure if she’ll see this but I hope she knows that our batch really appreciates her hard work and dedication to research and education, and amazing work ethic that is just so cool and truly inspires all of us.”

“There is a lot of passion behind her teaching and she is someone who cares a lot about her students. Can tell she always tries to help her students the best she can and listens intently to student feedback.”

“Dr Shefaly is a very kind lecturer, she puts her students needs first and she ensure that their wellbeing is met too. She also teaches and explains content clearly. Dr Shefaly is always there for us and she values our feedback, constantly seeking to improve the module and ensuring we get the help we need. Thank you very much Dr Shefaly for all your hard work.”

TENG Woon Chien, Cecilia

Dean's Office (Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health)

In the public health internship course SPH3001, I developed a reflection journal for students to individually interrogate their learning more deeply, and a group-level reflection activity using Google Docs to encourage collaborative learning. The prompts in these activities were informed by the DEAL model (Ash & Clayton, 2009). Analysis of student reflections showed an increase in the proportion of reflection submissions evidencing deeper reflection over time, with some reflections documenting perspective transformation, suggesting that critical reflection had occurred. Students appreciated being given protected time to process their own internship experience and learnt about diverse public health roles from their peers.

“(The reflection journal) allows one to crystalize [sic] the learning and experience gained…”, and “think back on the things learnt and intentionally seek to improve weaknesses.”

“I managed to hear what/how my other peers were doing in their different internships”

“(The group-level reflection session) was really helpful as it helped me to reflect on my progress and what I had accomplished so far, and thereafter reassess and make changes to my goals…”

HUANG Yuting

Dept of Statistics & Data Science

In DSE3101 “Practical Data Science for Economics”, we developed a project-based course that mirrors the full data science pipeline. Students worked in teams based on their strengths—front-end and back-end development—to build full-stack applications. This fosters collaboration, self-directed learning, and problem-solving. While the course is challenging, it brings out the best in our students. Students delivered innovative data products, such as dashboards on Singapore’s cycling infrastructure. I believe this course empowers students to connect theory with practice and make meaningful impacts beyond the classroom.

“One of my favorite things about this course is that the focus is on something very practical and useful for data scientists in the real world.”

“The front-end/back-end team structure helped me understand how real data science teams work. I gained both technical skills and confidence to pick up new tools independently.”

“The roadshow was a highlight. It was motivating to present our project to others and see how far we’d come. I never expected to build something like this in an undergraduate course.”

CHNG Hui Ting

Dept of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences

I co-developed and co-taught an interdisciplinary course, HS2912 “Polymaths: Innovating between Art and Science” with A/P Maiya Murphy from FASS. In this course, we integrated knowledge and processes from the arts and sciences to develop observational exercises and interactive classes to facilitate students’ development of polymathic thinking skills. Through self-reflection, group projects and visits to the museums, students also gained insight into how their discipline relates to the diverse disciplines of their peers, and even to their own avocations. This course contributes to developing interdisciplinary citizens who will innovate to solve the complex problems of today’s world.

“I initially only took this class because it fit my schedule nicely. However, I am now truly interested by the concept of polymathy, and look forward to applying these concepts to my life moving forward”.

“The interactive activities and how the content taught is very relevant and can be related to our present lives.”

“It gets you to reflect on yourself—something that most classes and the education system in general lacks.”

“The course was an interesting foray into the integration of the arts and the sciences, and I learned more from my contemporaries and group mates, seeing things through lenses I would never have thought to before.”

“I really enjoyed the course content and modes of teaching. I liked how personally relevant they made module. I enjoyed how the module challenges my current way of thinking and allows me to see past my previous lines of thinking. I enjoyed how we were able to visit the museums at NUS as well. I liked how hands–on this module is, and that I got to learn novel information I would not be able to in other courses. This module really felt like an interdisciplinary course under CHS.”

WANG Fei

Dept of Mathematics

I successfully implemented mass tutorials in my classes through a carefully designed combination of content delivery methods. By integrating structured recordings, interactive reviews, targeted problem-solving techniques, and ample practice exercises, I significantly enhanced student engagement, evident from consistently high attendance rates. This comprehensive approach also translated into tangible improvements in students’ academic performance, reflected clearly in their quiz scores, homework quality, and exam results.

“He actively supports our learning through well-structured class quizzes. These quizzes help reinforce key concepts and make the lessons easier to understand. His thoughtful teaching approach has greatly improved my grasp of the subject.”

“He provides different ways for us to learn better, clearly and concisely explaining concepts, formulas, and their applications.”

“He makes calculus easier… He even explains each step in detail, simplifying expressions clearly and engagingly.”

“He teaches calculus systematically by recapping, going through exercises, and quizzes, which reinforce concepts. He also uses engaging analogies, making lectures interesting and enjoyable.”

“Prof Wang introduces concepts through insightful, concrete examples, exposing us to clever ways of applying calculus to solve various kinds of problems.”

KIM Jung Eun

Dept of Food Science & Technology

I have generated inclusive and supportive learning environment by applying multiple strategies. For undergraduate students, I introduced innovative analytical methods in related to the human nutrition and applied the actual measurement to the students during the lecture. I also inspired students to read scientific articles and be critical to the existing theories and dogmas, while learning from published literatures. For the postgraduate level, I designed not only discuss session about high-quality research papers to improve their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills but group presentation session so that students can sharpen their communication skills, both oral and written. Moreover, throughout the levels, the multidisciplinary approach is required to understand the human nutrition therefore, I designed the contents of all modules across disciplines including clinical nutrition, food science, biochemistry, immunology, medicine and public health. Collectively, these strategies allowed students to enhance their engagement, to advance their learning objective and educational goal and promote their ability to think critically and creatively.

“Clear teaching, content well drafted, both a good researcher and lecturer i feel, based on the insight she gives when reviewing studies on nutrition. One of the few lecturers that is capable in showing her strength in her field (research) and still able to articulate it to her students through teaching.”

“Very good at delivering lesson content and sets high expectations for learning. Prompts us to think critically about lesson material and we always walk away from class learning something new that will be helpful for our work outside of lessons.”

“The teacher possesses a solid foundation of professional knowledge, in–depth research and unique insights into his subject area. She is able to integrate cutting–edge academic achievements with classroom teaching, exposing students to the latest knowledge dynamics.”

“She encourages critical thinking and class participation, allowing students to actively engage with the material and develop deeper insights.”

LOO Eng Kiat, Alvin

Dept of Food Science & Technology

My teaching philosophy is to impart industry-relevant skills that empower students for success in the food sector, focusing on hands-on experience, data analysis, and the application of scientific findings. The courses I develop has a strong emphasis on real-world applications, including field trips to food companies for direct industry exposure. For courses on nutrition, the focus is on interpreting scientific literature and encouraging students to form their own judgments about the most effective nutritional guidelines. Additionally, I have initiated ongoing research into laboratory practicals specifically tailored for teaching food quality assurance.

“He encourages students.”

“I love his tutorials because it is quite open ended, allowing us to choose a variety of interesting topics on our own.”

“In my opinion, Dr Loo has done a very good job to bring the contents of this module to life. Alongside the guest lecturers, it has been more engaging then I expected initially.”

I feel that the course not only highlights an important aspect of the food manufacturing process, it also allows students to have a firsthand experience of how a food manufacturing plant is like from the various field trips to Kitchen Haus, Mead Johnson and Barry Callebaut. The method of assessment also makes sense as it assesses students based on real–world competencies where technology (i.e. excel) will be utilised to assess the efficacy of the production process.”

HOANG Truong Giang

Dept of Chemistry

I believe effective teaching cultivates engaged learners, sharpens their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and humbly inspires a commitment to lifelong learning. My aim is to prepare students for a dynamic professional landscape through active classroom learning and practical, real-world applications. To further enrich students’ learning experiences, I actively collaborate with industry experts and organise impactful experiential learning opportunities focused on real-world sustainability challenges.

“Dr Hoang have the ability to make difficult topic easier for us to understand, it’s like magic”

“Very engaging. Helps students to think critically”

“Helped me understand organic chemistry in a way I never did before. Lessons were always interesting, with a good balance of examples, and theory.”

“He taught the lecture content so well that I slowly regain my confidence in organic chemistry again.”

“He is one of the best lecturers that you could ever hope for.”

TAN Wei Ling, Stella

Dept of Biological Sciences

Since I joined NUS as Adjunct Associate Professor in 2004/2005; and later full-time Associate Professor in 2017, I have been helming the Minor (and eventually Master) in Forensic Science programme. My professional background is that of a Deputy Senior State Counsel, Deputy Public Prosecutor and Deputy Director (Sex Crimes) at Attorney-General Chambers, and I was Lead Prosecutor for a wide range of criminal offences including murder, rape, and drug trafficking. In these cases, Forensic Science played an important role by providing objective evidence in Court, aiding the Court to make a determination of guilt or innocence. In this capacity, I witnessed the importance of having a comprehensive base of forensic science education for the different players in Court, especially the forensic scientists. In my capacity, I have also worked intensely with many experienced forensic expert witnesses, and I have invited them to lecture for our Forensic Science curriculum.

My milestones in education as are follows:
(1) Setting up the entire forensic science programme from scratch for both Forensic Science undergraduate and postgraduate programme.
(2) Being the first Master of Science programme in our Department to receive full support from the Senate and Ministry of Education (MOE), and we started our Master of Forensic Science Programme in 2020.
(3) Being one of the leaders in NUS to incorporate virtual reality and augmented reality in our curriculum for effective teaching (we have been featured by MOE in their educational news article “MOE School Bag – The Education Website: Investigating crimes – in virtual reality (5 11 Oct 2020)” https://www.schoolbag.edu.sg/story/investigating-crimes-in-virtual-reality/

In my 20 years of teaching in NUS, I teach big-sized classes, medium-sized and small-sized classes. I employed experiential learning in my classes, with sessions of moot court as the highlight for the classes at the end of each semester.

In my capacity as Assistant Dean (Undergraduate Programme and Student Life) and Programme chair of NUS Forensic Science programme, I helped to set up the inaugural Global Science Summer Programme (GSSP) in July 2018, offering a total of four bite-sized courses in Data Analytics and Forensic Science. Each course was pitched at a level suitable for students in any major/discipline to partake. Students in Forensic Science courses delved into the fascinating world of forensic evidence from crime scene to court. The global programme blended academic rigor with diverse social opportunities. Students gained new skills through small-class lectures and practicals, such as case studies and real-world projects, on cutting-edge scientific topics. Through cultural immersion excursions, they experienced Singapore’s multi-cultural and multi-faceted society. The GSSP, which is open to students from universities worldwide, provides an ideal platform for students to broaden their academic and cultural horizons. The mix of cultures and knowledge encourages students to flourish both academically and socially, whether it is in and outside of the classroom.

“Prof Stella is very passionate in her teaching and I believe that this translates to a very enjoyable and eye–opening learning experience for an introduction to forensics science. She genuinely cares about what her students would learn from her course, while also showing genuine concern for the wellbeing of her students. It makes her a very inspiring figure to me and she had made me want to pursue forensic science in the future.”

“Good teaching attitude and always ready to help out students in need.”

“She is extremely passionate in the field of forensics and always manages to be engaging in class using class kahoots (helps keep me awake in evening classes) :)”

“She is an extremely friendly professor who will ignite our interests during lessons.”

“Prof stella is really the most inspirational prof I know. Her dedication and care for her student really shines during every minute of her lesson. She believes and motivates each and every one of us. She is really such an inspiration and deserves her best. Her classes are also really humorous and funny, and she never ceases to grab my attention in class even when i am tired.”

LIM Xin Xiang

Dept of Biological Sciences

Through my teaching practice, I have come to appreciate how student motivation, purposefully designed learning environments, and active learning experiences reinforce one another to support deep and meaningful learning. I design environments that promote participation and engagement, from hands-on simulations to student-led co-creation of learning materials. These approaches allow students to connect more personally with the content, build confidence, and take ownership of their learning. I have observed that when students are actively involved and supported in an environment that values their contributions, their motivation increases, and learning outcomes improve.

“He uses relatable examples and engaging classroom activities to help us grasp concepts, which has been able to effectively enhance my learning!”

“Dr Lim quoted many real-life examples. He was able to bring his personal experience working in the private sector and share it at appropriate moments to highlight the importance and usefulness of the points that he is trying to teach.”

“Dr Lim demonstrates exceptional strength in logic and reasoning, fostering a clear understanding of complex concepts among students. His friendly demeanor creates a welcoming and supportive learning environment, encouraging students to engage actively in class discussions and seek assistance when needed.”

“Dr Lim introduced engaging group activities during his lectures, which not only served to reinforce learning by immediately putting it into practice, but also helped students know their group mates better, whom they will be working in the lab with.”

“He effectively facilitates discussions within the students so that learning can be achieved from within the group and also from other students.”

CHAN Zhi Wen, Ian

Dept of Biological Sciences

As an educator, my ultimate goal is to spark real change in each student I meet and subsequently inspire them to make their mark in the world. In my data analysis courses, for example, I build not only my students’ ability, but also their mindset—to help them see themselves as competent data analysts and develop the confidence to use the skill be effective science communicators. This goal, to catalyse change in my students, guides all my decisions: from identifying learning outcomes, to creating learning activities, and eventually deciding how to assess my students.

“Ian has actually made me like R and statistics, […] the module I was most fearful of is now my favourite module!”

“I am now a lot more confident with statistical analyses and I’ll definitely apply [it] in my own research!”

“[Ian] provided a really healthy and supportive environment for us to speak out and be heard, I felt like I really improved a lot within […] a semester.”

“Dr. Ian has been cultivating a classroom environment where students are encouraged to explore, question, and connect with the material on a deeper level. His innovative teaching methodologies engage us to participate in class and learning.”

“I am a 29-year-old exchange student. I have studied and worked in conservation in many different countries and prof Ian is by far the educator that has inspired me the most.”

Helena M WHALEN-BRIDGE

Dean's Office (Law)

I’ll focus in this statement on the importance that knowing students has to teaching and learning in a graduate law course, Singapore Common Law of Contract. Knowing these students from civil law countries would seem to present a list of deficiencies: students speak English as a second language; they are learning a different method of analysis; and they lack familiarity with basic aspects of the legal system. Before I took over the course a number of years ago, deficiencies defined these students in my Faculty. However, students in this course also hold impressive potential, not only to excel at common law reasoning, but to bring their comparative knowledge to bear on legal problems across jurisdictions and cultures, and to achieve even more profound comparative knowledge than their undergraduate common law cousins. The course is therefore designed differently from an undergraduate course, i.e. by reusing cases for different learning points, to enable these students to overcome their considerable challenges and obtain the skill and knowledge excellence they are capable of. Seeing students’ challenges for what they are, but recognising the students as more than their deficiencies, and then meeting their challenges in course design, is what this course aims to do.

“One day in class:

“Prof, we realize that some of the legal principles we’ve studied are like Chinese proverbs. Can we share one?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“There is a proverb which says ‘It doesn’t matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice.’ This is like common law and equity, which have different rules but may accomplish similar things.”

“Well done. But tell me, how are these ideas different? The colour of the cat doesn’t matter, but does the structure of rules matter, for example can an equitable rule set a lower standard that undermines a common law rule?””

Benny TAN Zhi Peng

Dean's Office (Law)

Benny specialises in pedagogy where his students continue to benefit beyond the 12 weeks of classes. In particular, he value-adds to his students by maximising their interest in and retention of what is taught, encouraging deeper learning and a passion for learning, and helping them become more workplace/industry-ready. He achieves this by employing a learner-centric approach, focussing on transferable knowledge and skills, and utilising activities and assessment tasks that promote discovery learning. That he has successfully achieved such impact is corroborated by multiple evidence including: validation from senior industry leaders, student feedback over many years, peer review, and alumni references.

“Hi Prof, I just wanted to drop a big thank you for teaching me Criminal Law this year. Your syllabus was so thoughtfully crafted, and your classes have been nothing short of entertaining and thought-provoking… today I attended a court hearing for an extended family member, and I found myself able to appreciate the sentencing discussion given by the Judge. Had it not been for your classes, I think I would’ve felt that the law had mistreated her, left with a deep sense of unease. But today, I was able to sit through the hearing and accept the sentencing with an open heart, because I truly understood the mechanics behind it…”

“[Benny’s] framework of teaching goes beyond preparing us for the final examination, but his syllabus and lesson focus on preparing us for real-life Criminal Law practice and internships…”

“…He does not seek to confine us to rote learning, but rather strives to open our eyes to legislative intent and ambiguities within the law. An absolute class of an educator…”

DU Hongjian

Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering

I believe engineering education should be applied and responsive to the evolving demands from professional society. I introduced a design competition modelled on real-world practice. Students worked in teams to design Singapore’s first zero-energy building and presented the solutions to professional engineers. The outcomes were significant. Students in the competition-based cohorts (2023 and 2024) scored higher in design-related assessments compared to the control group. This suggests the competition helped lift weaker students while allowing stronger students to demonstrate deeper mastery. The competition-based learning led to international recognition and adoption to universities in Hong Kong and China.

“The design project, gave me a good idea of what to expect and the considerations and thought process that goes behind building a structure.”

“This course really deepens our understanding of structures as it covers all parts of the building (from load to slabs to footings).”

“Questions and feedback by the panel of judges was helpful in allowing us to understand areas of improvements better! It was also insightful to have the opportunity to see how other groups approach the project.”

“It helped us apply what we have learnt to the floor plan of an actual building, pushing us to consider real life conditions and estimate whether the dimensions make sense.”

“This competition gave me insights on how to design structural members based on requirements which really emulated what work would be as a structural engineer.”

KHOO Eng Tat

Dean's Office (College of Design & Engineering)

I enhance teaching and learning by fostering interdisciplinary education through AI and Immersive Reality in CDE3301 and CDE4301 innovation and design projects, enabling students to solve complex real-world challenges. As course coordinator and lecturer for CDE4301A “Ideas to Startup” and coordinator of the EDIC Entrepreneur Fellowship, I nurture innovation and the startup community. I further advance innovation and design leadership by driving interdisciplinary collaboration with Medicine, NUH, and FASS, enriching student learning and translation of outcomes. As Assistant Dean of the College of Design and Engineering, I drive research translation and startup initiatives, bridging academia with industry and societal impact.

“Prof Khoo has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication to student’s success, profound expertise in his subject area, and an unwavering commitment to education. His approach to teaching is deeply rooted in empathy and support.”

“As a teacher, he has been able to broaden my horizons and allow me to think critically. This is done through consistent feedback sessions as well as connecting us students with subject matter experts to interact with.”

“Prof Khoo is a caring and personable professor who is always approachable and willing to lend a listening ear. He is genuinely concerned for his students and always encourages them to pursue their goals.”

“Passionate, Encouraging – always believe that students should try to expand their horizons beyond academics and tries his best to support that by sourcing for resources or contacts.”

“Prof Khoo gives clear and concise feedback and is always ready to help us whenever we need it. He is also very encouraging and passionate and that makes me passionate about VR too.”

Adrian CHONG Zhun Min

Dept of the Built Environment

My teaching centers on self-directed independent learning, which I believe is key to acquiring new skills and fostering life-long learning. To support this, I provide explicit learning outcomes for each lecture and assignment, instructive videos and authored an open-source online book, R for Building Energy Simulation, to guide students through technical content at their own pace. I also created an anonymous online forum and use minute papers to gather continuous feedback. This structured yet flexible approach balances autonomy with support, enabling students to build confidence in applying simulation skills to design buildings that are energy efficient and sustainable.

“I like this style of learning because I can learn at my own pace in comparison with the passive instructive style learning.”

“The use of the open-source book combined with the instructive video is useful in cultivating a self-directed learning habit. As we are not micro-managed, we have to put in effort to be on track.”

“Prof Adrian is approachable and takes feedback during the semester and will change accordingly to help us advance our learning.”

Terrence TAN Chun Liang

Dept of Architecture

I prepared a textbook and online teaching material to introduce blended learning elements into the course, so that I could free up more time to introduce more interesting activities to enhance learning for students. Learning journeys to prominent urban greening spaces and talks by industry partners were organised to let students gain first-hand experience to components of urban greenery covered in this course. In addition, students were tasked to create bite-size videos documenting their learning. These videos were used as part of their assignment submission to minimise the abuse of AI-generated content.

“Learned a lot of new things from this module and there was and the learning structure could be applied in our assignments”

“Learning through various materials was good like going outdoors and seeing things up close”

“Engaging with students”

“Showcasing differences between theoretical and applied concepts”

“Sharing his passion for landscape architecture; ability to teach in different formats (traditional lecture, field trip, hands–on with equipment, and guest presentations)”

“Really very engaging and well-structured lecture from City scale, Precinct scale and down to Plant scale. Would say it is the best module i have ever taken in my university life.”

Filip BILJECKI

Dept of Architecture

For teaching, I find inspiration in management books, as I believe that leadership, communication, and organisation principles apply also to academia and can considerably enhance how we guide, educate, and support students. These often provide frameworks for fostering autonomy, trust, and effective feedback—qualities that are as essential in the classroom as they are in leadership.

“I appreciate how this course has opened my eyes to the world of GIS and its related tools, demonstrating their effectiveness not only in enhancing my learning in this course but also in applying these skills to other subjects. Each lecture excites me as it introduces new concepts and tools, sparking my curiosity and motivating me to improve myself in line with the advancements in technology.”

“Discovering urban problems from a data perspective.”

“Help me get started with R and the application of urban planning in the shortest time.”

“The course allows me to analyse architecture and urban design at a deeper level through GIS.”

LEK Hsiang Hui

Department of Information Systems & Analytics

My key contribution is the design and implementation of a bespoke Autograder system to enhance active learning in computing courses. This tool provides students with instant, detailed feedback on coding exercises, enabling them to learn from mistakes in real-time. The system’s learning analytics offer crucial insights into student progress, allowing me to provide timely, personalized support. This intervention has demonstrably improved student performance and cultivated intrinsic motivation, evidenced by 87% of students refining submissions for correctness alone, not extra credit. This work successfully bridges educational technology with personalised teaching to deepen student engagement.

“The practices provided, although can be time consuming … has been very helpful in my learning.”

“…Autograder’s major advantage is I get the time flexibility to do the exercises during the week and sort of get an answer immediately…”

“I think Autograder system is good, it gives us something to practice with.”

“I think the Autograder exercises are great as it ensures we are consistent.”

Nitya Lakshmanan

Dept of Computer Science

As coordinator of the introductory programming course, I observed that beginners often struggle to apply theoretical concepts to problem-solving due to a lack of structured guidance. To address this, I introduced a scaffolded approach across lectures and recitations, helping students extract key problem details and guiding them through design, coding, and review. This strategy boosted student confidence and interest, with some switching majors or joining the teaching team.

I also conducted a outreach programme for A-level girls to address gender diversity in STEM. The initiative sparked increased interest in computing, with many participants applying for undergraduate programs in the field.

Computing Students
“She explains the concepts clearly, and goes step by step in how the function works to perform certain tasks. She also uses Poll Everywhere for students to ask questions and to answer one or two questions regarding the lecture content during the break time.”

“She breaks down the question and writes down the logic on the board before teaching us the code. This helps me to more effectively understand how the code is derived.”

A-level Girls
“I think it’s a very good course to build up on computing skills. Even though i took A levels computing, i found the final contest questions interesting. Overall it’s quite fun and educational.”

“Overall super grateful for this experience where I got to learn something new and make new friends. I enjoy learning more about SoC and I think it was a great way to learn computing fundamentals.”

Daren LER Shan Wen

Dept of Computer Science

I designed the CS1010S lessons around a simple idea: when students believe they’re learning, they’re more likely to succeed. Many weaker students struggle without structured scaffolding, so I developed a guided framework to help them break down tasks, abstract patterns, and build personal solution libraries. This approach anchored the Programming Methodology Clinic, which helped nearly all repeat students who participated to pass—including some who had previously failed multiple times. Beyond improved outcomes, it fostered a close-knit teaching team committed to refining scaffolding strategies and discovery-based instruction. We grow together, just like the students we teach.

“Dr. Daren is the most dedicated lecturer I have ever had in NUS so far. CS1010S is not an easy course, and students usually have a hard time understanding the concepts. Dr. Daren foresaw this, and offers help to whoever needs it, he held consultations EVERY WORKDAY (sometimes even on WEEKENDS), strategically planned out the questions that we can use to practice before exams, and encourage us to bother him on Telegram whenever we have a question to ask (and he always reply to us as soon as possible). He is also a very patient lecturer. Once, I showed him my code that failed some private test cases but seemed correct, and to help me debug the code; he spent nearly half an hour on it during the consultation. I thought he would just say things like “”just use the provided solution and do not bother to use such a strange method””, but he did not, and he took the time to help me find out the error and explained it very clearly to me. I would love to express great thanks to Dr. Daren who helped me out so many times this semester. Without him, I could not have learned CS1010S so well.”

“When explaining questions, there is never skipping steps. He goes through everything one by one and makes sure that everyone is following along. He opens consultations and Q&A sessions almost every day, giving students more opportunities than necessary to enhance their learning. During recitation, he makes sure that he goes through the main concepts, then explains the question so students get from the very basics of what they have to do to apply concepts to various types of questions.”

“As mentioned, Prof Daren is a very dedicated tutor who does a lot for his students such as by providing additional notes, revision lessons, consultations and remedial. His daily extra zoom sessions (starting as early as 1 month before the PE) and consultations are extremely helpful and his live coding style of teaching makes me feel more prepared and confident to approach my PEs and even midterms/finals. During consultations, his explanations are clear and he also pushes students to think deeper on how to solve other similar problems/generalise the code. He goes the extra mile to provide support for all his students, but especially the weaker ones.”

“He teaches the code very clearly and goes step–by–step and rather than just explaining solutions, he also would tech us about problem solving skills. he would also go through overall concepts first before going straight into the recitation questions. he also hosts a lot of consultation sessions which I feel is very useful and it shows that he cares about our understanding and results, and he is extremely responsive when replying messages as well, showing how he is very effective and shows care when he teaches.”

“Daren is genuinely a very good tutor and I can tell that he really cares for his students’ progress. From opening up consults almost every day to doing his best to engage us and help us think for ourselves, he wants us to be independent learners capable of the skills in the course just as much as he wants to be there for us when we have doubts. He is truly dedicated.”

Mudiyanselage Sanka Nuwan Bandara R

Dept of Computer Science

Redesigning the Software Engineering Project module to empower students to engage critically with Generative AI (GenAI) in real-world software development. Using a flipped-classroom model and structured peer discussions, students explored GenAI integration in design, implementation, and testing. This active learning approach improved confidence and technical depth, leading to a significant increase in AI generated code length and complexity. The intervention equipped students with practical strategies for leveraging GenAI effectively—shifting the narrative from fear of redundancy to confidence in co-evolving with emerging technologies in their future career.

“… creates a very safe learning environment where we are not afraid to make mistakes…”

“… when we make mistakes [he] creates a very safe classroom environment for active learning and assessment of current levels of knowledge”

“… his talent lies with his ability to ask questions. his questions are always on point and thought provoking. there is never superficial nodding of head or “ya ya” from him. always thinking and inviting us to think…”

“He does not take my responses in class at face value, and probes me until the core issue with my understanding is exposed. His experience … shows in the questions he asks me…”

“This course allows us to work on a greenfield project all on our own and gave me a chance to use AI gen tools for the first time.”

Christian VON DER WETH

Dept of Computer Science

Teaching courses in the areas of AI/ML/DL, I provide a wider range of interactive and hands-on lecture notes in the form of Jupyter notebooks. These notebooks support self-paced learning, help students with assignments and projects, complement the teaching materials with practical applications, and allow motivated students to go beyond the lecture content. The successful use of Jupyter notebooks in my teaching is the driving force behind my new project SELENE. SELENE can be seen as an open large-scale virtual textbook for self-paced learning and assessment.

“[…] The material in this module is challenging, but the way it’s presented is clear and accessible. […]”

“The course was substantial, challenging, yet approachable and proceeded seamlessly. […]”

“There are many notebooks to help me learn how to use Python to solve problems.”

“I especially love the notebooks, which complement the lecture content.”

“Super dedicated, very detailed lecture notebooks, […]”

Ronald Boyd ANDERSON

Dept of Computer Science

I redesigned the course CS3237 “Introduction to IoT” to align with experiential learning principles, focusing on real-world problem-solving and allowing students to make their very own IoT system! The main changes included introducing open-ended projects, flexible hardware choices (with a small budget), and revamped lab materials to better teach system integration and design. These changes allowed students to get real hands-on experience and explore diverse IoT applications beyond typical domains, boosting their confidence, creativity, and critical thinking.

“Blue Sky Project! Translating it into an IoT system gave us a lot of flexibility in deciding how complex we wanted our projects to be.”

“The project is open–ended which let students explore different ideas of the IoT system.”

“A course that is largely project based and very practical. I also like the freedom given to us to explore a variety of tech stacks to use for our project.”

“It is an entirely new area for me so I got to learn about what IoT really is and what it consists of. It is the first time I am working with hardware and I found it fun although I almost spoilt the circuit by connecting the wires incorrectly.”

WU Pei Chuan

Dept of Management & Organisation

My teaching philosophy centers on enhancing student learning through thoughtfully designed activities that spark curiosity and foster critical thinking. I adopt a learner-centric approach, creating a respectful environment where students engage in discussions and self-awareness exercises. This promotes inclusivity and psychological safety. I believe authentic, challenging assignments drive active learning and prepare students to address real-world problems creatively. I use evidence-informed strategies such as case studies and role plays to connect theory with practice. Timely and personalised feedback supports reflexivity and helps students identify growth opportunities. I also collaborate with HR leaders to enhance the MSc in Human Capital Management & Analytics curriculum.

“At the start of the sem, as an introvert, class participation was something scary and daunting as I would get nervous easily when I had to speak in front of the class. Perhaps it was the fear of saying something ‘wrong’, and also because class participation was something new and unfamiliar. Throughout the sem, there were times where I had thoughts on a particular subject but I overthought and was too nervous to deliver it to the class. However, after the first few weeks, this improved as I tried to step out of my comfort zone. Furthermore, I would like to thank you for providing a conducive environment for participation (where there was no ‘wrong’ comment) and for facilitating discussions. I especially appreciated how you would provide the opportunity for me (and my course mates) to speak even if they I did not raise their hand. I find the occasional roleplaying session that PC peppered throughout the course to be quite insightful, as we are tasked to view an HR issue from both the HR’s and employee’s perspective. Otherwise, it would have been very easy to neglect the human element in human resources. PC always seems personally invested in our growth as an HR professional, often ending the class by circling back to how today’s lessons could be implemented in our own career planning. She routinely gave feedback to students, mostly appreciating their unique contribution to the class discussion. In this way, PC provided a concrete example of how to do good mentoring, encouraging us to do the same not by talking but by doing.”

“Prof. is an excellent professor and is one of the most impactful professors that I have met in my 4 years of undergrad. It is clear through her teaching that she truly cares about not only students’ learning, but more importantly student personal and career development. Prof. allocated 10% of marking criteria towards a personal development project, and speaking to her, she expressed how she values and emphasizes the important of student growth, something I really appreciated, and never seen another professor do during my undergrad. Most professors focus solely on getting through their content and do not interact or try to get to know their students, but Prof. is different. Through the submission of our personal development papers, Prof. even took the time to read each and every single submission, and write one page of feedback for each of her students. Again, in my 4 years of undergrad, I have mostly had TA’s mark my assessments, and never had a professor put so much time in reading and providing feedback for my submissions. Furthermore, Prof. lectures are always interesting. They involve real–life cases in an Asian context, guest speakers, many participation opportunities, all while being lighthearted and fun. I really enjoyed Prof.’s class, it really showed that she put a lot of thought into the class, teaching concepts, and activities.”

YEO Wee Yong

Dept of Finance

In the finance sector, articulating ones views and ideas is as important as having the knowledge to do a good job. Hence, engaging students in class and training them to be able to voice out the views they have in their minds confidently is part of the learning journey. I tried my best to build a conducive and trusting environment in class so that students fill comfortable in participation. I also make sure to bring in to class the most recent developments in the fast-evolving financial landscape, so students stay informed on the world they are about to enter.

“Extremely engaging and insightful classes, always promoting participation in class without judgement. learned all our names in a week or two to close the relational gap.”

“The teaching style is very engaging and the content covers more than just textbook content, providing insight into real world examples.”

“He has made the learning of a subject area which is uninteresting interesting, which kept me engaged throughout the semester. I enjoyed attending his lectures, and I truly feel that I have had great takeaways from this course.”

“I really appreciate how Prof Yeo integrates lots of real–life case studies and big financial events to make the content more relevant for us. He explains concepts & expectations very well.”

LEE Yen Teik

Dept of Finance

My key contribution is a pioneering pedagogical model that transforms Generative AI from a simple answer engine into a sparring partner for critical thought. For my MBA course, I developed a Socratic Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) system that challenges students to unearth an AI’s hidden assumptions and evaluate the evidence behind its conclusions. This approach was associated with statistically significant improvements in students’ capacity for higher-order thinking as defined in Bloom’s Taxonomy. Beyond my classroom, I am now developing this into a replicable framework to guide other faculty, ensuring our institution is at the forefront of teaching students how to leverage AI with intellectual rigour and ethical responsibility.

“NUS taught me that success extends beyond academics. Cultivating strong relationships and seeking mentorship, as I did with Senior Lecturer Lee Yen Teik, are invaluable for personal and professional growth. These connections become your lifelong support system, celebrating your triumphs, offering comfort during challenges, and inspiring you to reach your full potential.”

“Throughout the course, Dr. Lee adeptly blended theoretical knowledge with practical applications, ensuring that we understood not just the ‘what’ but the ‘why’ behind each technological shift in finance. Their innovative teaching methods included real–world case studies, interactive simulations, and guest lectures from industry experts, which significantly enhanced our learning experience and engagement. Dr Lee’s commitment to student success was evident in their accessibility outside class hours and tailored advice through forum discussion. This approach not only deepened our understanding but also inspired us to explore innovative solutions in our future careers as business leaders.”

“Dr Lee has been one of the most engaged and effective lecturers. His interactive teaching style fosters a deep understanding of complex concepts and this has enhanced our learning experience…His dedication to teaching is evident on the job, and this passion has translated into the value he brings to our MBA programme.”

TAN Hong Ming

Dept of Analytics & Operations

Led transformative improvements in teaching and learning by introducing new analytics and AI-focused courses across multiple NUS programmes, bridging curriculum gaps with practical, interdisciplinary content. Integrated industry insights, real-world case studies, and AI tools to deepen engagement and relevance. Significantly improved student outcomes and satisfaction, as seen in the revamped Predictive Analytics course, raising feedback scores from 2.6–3.8 to 4.3. Actively shared teaching innovations through university seminars and blogs, while mentoring colleagues and PhD students to build teaching capacity.

“I want to say out of the 6 business analytics modules I have taken this sem, I enjoy the most under professor Tan Hong Ming. I look forward to his class every week. He is willing to stay back until even over class time to answer student questions, very friendly and approachable, even in his announcements. He teaches effectively and not only that, students get to learn well without feeling heavy burden doing assignment or quiz. Prof is very interesting and humorous in his teaching as well. I genuinely feel that he is one of the best prof around in NUS if not the best prof in my whole 4 years despite never really speaking to him. He definitely deserves teaching awards. strives to continuously improve on how to teach and make students understand more easily, applying almost immediately after learning and consciously—adaptable and flexible to situations and current trends Overall, he seems very dedicated to teaching, and is always trying out different ways to find the optimal way of teaching that fits the specific class demographics. I have been taught by him for other modules before this, and I can see his improvement and how committed he is.”

“It is without question that Dr Tan is knowledgeable with the content. As a Professor, Dr Tan is able to really explain key concepts in the simplest of ways that makes it very easy for students to understand. The way he conducts his sectionals are effective. The fact that he advised students to watch the content videos before class helps tremendously in understanding what Dr Tan is talking about during the lesson itself. Personally, his teaching style and classroom environment that he sets just really suits well with me, and I really wished he is the Professor for all my other modules for the next 3 years. Dr Tan never fails to ensure that every single student understands the content and he always made sure the students are comfortable and know that they can reach out to him anytime for clarifications. Initially, I was adamant in majoring in Business Analytics because I wanted to stay away from programming/coding and I was not confident in doing well if I major in it. But after taking DAO1704 under Professor Tan, I changed my mind. The way he teaches DAO1704, made me intrigued and very interested in BA. I just felt much more confident and interested in taking BA as a second major.”

“His class and content materials are super engaging which is why I attended 12/13 of his lesson this semester.”

SHIN Sa-Pyung

Dept of Accounting

To enhance teaching and learning, I led the development of a sustainability accounting curriculum at NUS, launching two graduate-level courses that integrate real-world cases, industry research, and interactive pedagogy. I also co-authored original case studies, such as on bitcoin revenue recognition and franchise accounting in inflationary contexts, to deepen critical thinking in core accounting modules. Beyond content innovation, I bridged theory and practice through executive education and joint research with regulators. My teaching prioritises student engagement, rigour, and relevance, reflected in positive feedback and my commitment to preparing students for complex, real-world decision-making.

“Encourages class participation equally. Helps reduce one-person-overruling situations in class. Brings the world’s most famous Harvard Biz School’s case method teaching to NUS Asia. ESG is a very boring course to some or many people if they don’t have a keen interest like me, but I noticed that Prof Sean makes it interesting even to people who did not bother attending classes on time.”

“Prof. Sean encourages diversity of opinions. He tries to understand the point of view of students and tries to discuss their approach rather than labeling their opinions as right or wrong. This encourages class participation. Also, as a first-time offering, he has really crafted the syllabus and taught the module very well.”

“His exceptional dedication, passion for the subject, and commitment to fostering a positive learning environment have significantly enriched my academic experience. Professor Sean’s innovative teaching methods and genuine concern for students make him a deserving candidate for this esteemed recognition.”

“He is a very engaging prof who puts in much effort into his lesson materials. He constantly encourages the class to think critically and speak up in class. His classes have allowed students to gain and apply much knowledge in the field, preparing us better for the working world.”

“He is an excellent teacher, not only for his systematic teaching schedule and course structure but also for the deep insight that he provided by strongly connecting the financial accounting theory with real-world cases.”

Hanny Kusnadi

Dept of Accounting

As an educator and Academic Director, I design structured, inclusive learning environments that connect theory to practice. I use creative analogies, real-world cases, and digital tools to make complex accounting concepts engaging and accessible. My efforts have improved student feedback ratings and deepened learning outcomes. I foster active participation through gamification and personalised feedback, while leading program-wide enhancements, including curriculum redesign and community-building events. Under my leadership, the MSc in Accounting program has grown in size and quality. I’m committed to nurturing both academic excellence and a supportive, vibrant learning community.

“Prof makes us learn a lot from different lecture mode, such as game, case study, team work (BMT 5104).”

“She effectively uses examples and gamification to recapture interest throughout the lecture (ACC 1701).”

“I like how she was able to use real life context and cases to explain accounting principles (ACC 1701).”

Canay OZDEN-SCHILLING

Dept of Sociology & Anthropology

As anthropologists, our focus is on ordinary people and everyday life across different cultures. But to elevate our work from case study to anthropology, we have to speak to audiences interested in greater patterns in the social world. With each empirical study, we have to answer what it is an example of. This simple tenet guides how I teach anthropology. In my courses, my students become capable of digging deep into concrete social realities and rising above them to arrive at a higher-order thinking.

“[Prof is] incredibly effective both in delivering the learning points from the readings and situating them [in] broader contexts around the world.”

“[She] Helps connect students’ answers and observations to each other and to larger concepts covered in the course.”

“Her experience as an STS scholar, her empathy and approachability makes her one of the best professors I have had to honor to be taught under in my time as a student.”

“She planned the course content such that content I would think is difficult became much more digestible and I think every lecture session made me think and reflect a lot.”

“Dr Ozden–Schilling is a wonderful lecturer who has a knack for clear, concise and engaging teaching.”

Ali Kassem

Dept of Sociology & Anthropology

I design my teaching to counter hierarchical, passive models of learning by fostering student-centered classrooms grounded in care, clarity, and critical engagement. From roundtable layouts to gamifying complex theory, I aim to create collaborative spaces where students are co-creators of knowledge. Everything from lectures to assessments is accordingly crafted to be embodied and reflexive, encouraging students to connect theory and their lived experience.

“Ali is not speaking to us, but speaking WITH us, thinking WITH us, incredibly relatable lectures, analogies, prompt and detailed, careful, precise, thought–through responses to every one of our questions, encouraging collaborative learning…making the classroom an incredibly safe space with reduced hierarchy!!”

“It feels like I am being pushed to think for myself, and pushed to be able to articulate my own POV coherently, rather than simply accepting and parroting that one viewpoint is right, which is quite a refreshing change of pace from the typical modules in nus, which often has a “”right answer”” or KPI to hit.”

“Ali’s religion course is probably the only university course where I could take bad assignment grades in stride…I feel the impetus to learn more about the class content because they will definitely be much more relevant to my life and making sense of my lived experiences than university letter grades”

Dunya Deniz LEPORI

Dept of Political Science

In AY2023/24, I used three practices to create an inclusive learning environment and enhance student engagement with instructional content. Firstly, I used specific conversational roles to direct student participation and generate more lateral interactions among students. Secondly, I incorporated a discussion activity into my lectures that prompted students to collectively solve puzzles related to the lecture topic. Thirdly, I introduced a creative assessment activity (concept tracing project) in one of my courses, which asked students to locate examples, in their everyday lives, of theoretical concepts learned in class.

“I liked how the course stresses the application of theory to real life…class discussions were extremely intellectually stimulating and no other course made me reflect on my life and occurrences around me like this one.”

“The open discussions that Prof ends lectures with facilitate access to a plethora of novel opinions that I don’t think I would have had otherwise…I found myself challenged to think deeper every lesson.”

Jaradi Priya Manish

Dept of History

The work submitted for the Award discusses a major curriculum revamp for an intermediate level course in art history titled AH2203 “Empire and Art in India Singapore and Malaya”. As part of this ambitious revamp, I developed object- and exhibition-based learning sessions to complement every lesson topic. I designed corresponding assignments to facilitate sustained interfacing of in-class, lecture-based learning with museum-based learning. In response to my targeted prompts, students learnt to link theoretical and abstract concepts with visual and experiential learning; furthermore, they synthesised and applied their learning outcomes to review, propose, and influence nationally relevant exhibitions.

Quotes from AH2203 Course Report AY2023/24 Sem 2:

Quote 1
“I liked the exhibition case studies in the second half of the course. Diverse in range, these case studies brought conceptual lessons to life as we tried our hand at applying them closely to real–world examples.”

Quote 2
“This course followed a well-structured curriculum that exposes us to different aspects of art and empire at a comfortable pace, without compromising on the depth in our understanding. The assignments are enjoyable to complete, and it is evident that these assignments really serve as platforms for students to engage with their own critical thinking. There are many opportunities to view art outside of a classroom setting, and we have been places like National Gallery Singapore, the NUS Museum and Central Library that provided us direct engagement with artworks. I deeply appreciate these opportunities as I get to see how art history theories manifest themselves in a museum setting, and how art history involves many other things that I did not think were considered art (such as maps, census and scientific journals). Lastly, I have gained a better understanding of how we should view and discuss colonial histories in a post-colonial era. While I still struggle to fully grasp the complexities behind it all, I believe this course has shaped the way I view society, and made me realise that there is so much to learn about the world through art and history. It was rewarding when I realised that many of the insights gained are transferrable to other academic disciplines. The critical thinking skills, analytical abilities, and cultural awareness developed through the course have proven invaluable in my main academic discipline.”

Quote 3
“One of the standout aspects of the course is how enjoyable it is to learn art history. The engaging teaching methods and interactive learning activities not only make the material more accessible but also enhance the overall learning experience. It was rewarding when I realised that many of the insights gained are transferrable to other academic disciplines. The critical thinking skills, analytical abilities, and cultural awareness developed through the course have proven invaluable in my main academic discipline.”

TEO Sheng Kiat, Shaun

Dept of Geography

Most students define Geography only by its scope of content, and thus couple the degree with a selective range of careers. I view Geography as also a competency-based discipline that provides students the training to relate cognitively and emotionally to themselves, others, and the world around them. My teaching practice centres around this philosophy. Having guided my students to embrace competency-based learning with relative success over the years, my goal now is to help them define and articulate their purpose and value as a Geography major going into the workplace so that they find fulfilment in a wider range of careers. I do this by incorporating communications-based pedagogy into my teaching activities and assessments.

“As someone who puts a human face to academia, Shaun is not just an asset to the geography department, but to NUS. Even with how difficult and esoteric his teaching niche can be, I would not hesitate to take a module under him, and that I feel is the highest praise I can give any teaching staff.”

“A professor that made me fall in love with urban geography and redefined what university education is about.”

“He has made every student feel seen and heard in this module, no matter our ability level.”

“I frankly have not ever met anyone like him. And it pains me to know he only teaches 2 modules so I can only experience the magic of his teaching twice.”

“Having gone through his course, I sense that I went through perspective and behavioural shifts in terms of how I study. His teaching philosophy enabled me to find a more effective and novel way of studying and understanding concepts and I found myself being more willing and engaged to genuinely learn more about what I am interested in. This ability to inspire students to undergo a uncomfortable yet meaningful change is an attribute I strongly believe only great educators possess.”

Heather Laura BRINK-ROBY

Dept of English, Linguistics & Theatre Studies

Brink-Roby developed an exciting new seminar structure that is supported by the latest pedagogy research.

From formal NUS student feedback:

“She is deeply passionate about what she teaches, and the spirit of scholarship and curiosity towards learning which she embodies is highly infectious.”

“She challenges you to think in extremely novel ways” and asks “difficult but illuminating questions.”

One student writes that “the consultations are so amazing, Prof Heather walks with us in developing our ideas, and it is such a great place for twisting and turning ideas until we get a solid and interesting one.”

“She challenged and expanded our minds and thinking, all while being extremely encouraging and approachable. I learnt so much from this module, I would take it again if I could.”

Denis TKACHENKO

Dept of Economics

Through my teaching, I help students become sophisticated navigators of econometrics and data science. However, it is not easy to thread their “rough waters”—the material is complex and interdisciplinary. I focus on strategies that help students build positive expectancies (turning an initial “no point trying, I’m not good enough” into “with some work, I can do it!”) and recognise the value (for example, how it helps their careers) of what they are learning—key drivers of motivation and, hence, deeper learning. I illustrated how I design these strategies and monitor the effects in a new class that emphasises real-world application and metacognitive skill building: DSE3101 “Practical Data Science for Economics”.

“While Prof Tkachenko’s classes are challenging at the start, the rigour in his approach builds a solid foundation for my understanding, such that I begin to see patterns or recurring intuitions in the material as the course progresses. This makes learning easier, because I’m no longer rote learning, and it enables me to appreciate how the lessons extend beyond the classroom to my internships, etc.”

“The project exposed us to real–world data, analysis and modelling, which stretched our thinking and prompted self–learning to make the most of the project.”

“He pushes students to think critically by bringing in challenging concepts, and I find that I understood certain Machine Learning techniques more fully because of that.”

“Prof. Denis brings a lot of humor to his lectures, which helps students learn concepts that can be very technical. Additionally, the group project in this course really helps students apply challenging concepts to practical use cases.”

“He can link course materials to real life and career. Can tell that he has a strong interest in seeing the DSE programme and students succeed. He’s also quite humorous, which is always a plus.”

MUN Lai Yoke

Dept of Economics

I enhance teaching and learning by bridging academic concepts with real-world relevance. My courses incorporate current economic issues, hands-on group projects, and potential career pathways tailored to students’ motivations and aspirations identified through pre-course surveys. I connect theory to practice using real-life cases, analogies, role-plays, and curated assessments based on current events to contextualise the content. This approach deepens understanding, fosters metacognitive skills and knowledge transfer, and equips students for meaningful careers. By increasing engagement and perceived relevance, I seek to empower students to connect learning with their lives and ambitions.

“Phenomenal expertise. She uses active learning, thus she creates quizzes in the lecture content to enhance the learning experience. And she spends about 10 minutes at the end of every lecture to look at current applications of our lecture content. So for instance when we talk about interest rates in the lecture she shows us current newspaper articles about interest rate changes and discusses the implications. Best lecture so far in my studies!” – EC3343 student

“Dr Yoke provides insightful examples on the lessons taught and applies them to real world relevant content. She has piqued my interest in the subject and also in Economics. I am thankful to have had Dr Yoke as my lecturer.” – EC3333 student

“Prof Yoke is an exceptional economics professor. On top of her economic knowledge, her industry–related expertise has significantly expanded my understanding of economic principles as they apply to real–world contexts. I found her lessons engaging, as she actively involves the class and ensures that we derive maximum benefit from all the real–world examples and experiences she incorporates. Moreover, her nurturing demeanour creates a supportive learning environment, fostering our growth and development. Clearly, she is a great educator.” – ECA5343 student

“Chapter 10 is my favorite chapter. I was so surprised that in the last chapter I could learn all this knowledge about the industry and employment. And that kind of diversifies what I think is a more theoretical class.” – EC2880C student

“She is clearly knowledgeable in the economics content covered, and conveyed it in a clear and exciting manner that made me, a non–economics student, actually interested to learn, and i could understand the concepts” – HS2904 student

WANG Haoshu

Centre For Language Studies

In teaching the course “Chinese for Business and Social Sciences”, I began by developing a clear understanding of students’ profiles. I then worked to ease their concerns by addressing common misconceptions and presenting a clear, achievable vision of success. Through realistic, task-based simulations of workplace interactions, I provided hands-on support and continuous encouragement, helping students recognize and celebrate their incremental progress. This approach kept their confidence and enthusiasm high throughout the semester. By the end, they felt fully prepared—and excited—to step into the professional world with a strong sense of readiness and self-assurance.

“I have gained a lot from his classes, both in technical content (business Chinese usage) as well as presentation skills that are going to serve me well in the workplace.”

“I deeply enjoyed about learning about the different business etiquette and understanding China’s social, political and economic landscape better.”

“He has imparted very crucial lessons that effectively taught us how to step out of our comfort zones and really feel passion for the content.”

“Thanks to his dedication, I went from a student who did not really care about Chinese to one that actually enjoys analysis and reading Chinese, using the fun techniques he has shared with us!”

“He has managed to push us to be the best version of ourselves in various aspects.”

PARK Mihi

Centre For Language Studies

My teaching philosophy centres on translanguaging—using my students’ multilingual knowledge to enhance Korean language learning. I create a collaborative environment where students co-learn through group discussions, vocabulary analysis, and writing assignments, moving away from traditional teacher-centred approaches. My key strategies include pre-class preparation and weekly learning reflections to foster self-directed learning. Students initially resisted group work but eventually recognised its value. My research on student perceptions of translanguaging revealed hesitancy to use native languages despite recognising benefits. My approach aims to build lasting learning skills beyond language retention, emphasising community-based knowledge construction and lifelong learning attitudes.

“Very intentional in inculcating the love for Korean language and strives to prepare for lifelong learning beyond the classroom.”

“Dr Park encourages me to do self–learning.”

“She is very professional in language study as she can always give us additional linguistic information that help us to understand Korean instead of forcing us to memorize.”

Prem S/O N P Shamdasani

Dept of Marketing

Throughout my academic journey, I’ve embraced the philosophy of ‘teach less, learn more’, recognising that my MBA students are experienced executives and entrepreneurs from diverse industries who increasingly value opportunities for peer, experiential and immersive learning. In developing a collaborative learning culture, I have benefited significantly by engaging my students as partners in teaching and learning.

With increasing disruptions brought about by technology, climate change, geopolitics and social inequality, it is imperative that the business school develops purpose-led leaders and managers who strive to balance the pursuit of profits by doing business in an ethical, socially and environmentally responsible manner.

“The GOD of MARKETING. #Respect4Life”

“Engaging, eloquent, approachable, able to engage students extremely well. Content delivered was highly relevant too. Definitely one of our best profs!”

“Inclusion and relevancy of Asian market
• The charisma of the teaching style
• The useful frameworks
• The engagements from the whole class4. The teamwork part he created make a structure of sort of marketing issues and biz situations”

“#deepknowledge #deepexperience #passion #inclusive #diverseperspective
With the bunch of experience in the several companies, lectures from Prof were deep and insightful. Whenever he was given any angles of questions, Prof shared back his idea and thoughts, instead of the exact answer, making us consider the problem together in the class.
It was small things by others, but what I felt comfortable in his lesson was that he has always called out the name of the students when there were the topics related to his/her or raise the hands to share the ideas. At that moment, I felt inclusive to be considered as Remi, not one of the students in the classroom.”

“One of the rare professors that I’ve come across who is truly passionate about his work and committed to learning to the highest level. I’ve gained so much not just on marketing but on leadership during these short 4 days. By walking us through the frameworks that he developed, the concepts of value, internal and external brand alignment will definitely be something applicable to me. Thank you, Prof!”

LIU Mei Hui

Dept of Food Science & Technology

Through purposeful integration of active and collaborative learning strategies, I have enhanced Science education by making abstract concepts tangible and relevant. My designs embed peer feedback as a core component, supporting students in becoming more self-directed and reflective learners. By creating inclusive, student-centered environments that encourage dialogue and iteration, I empower students to take ownership of their learning. This approach fosters both deeper understanding and the joy of shared discovery.

“She really goes above and beyond, giving useful feedback to students and planning the lessons in order to teach us more than just the content, but also skills necessary to do our own learning and to work with one another in the future.”

“Always enjoy lectures because it is so fun seeing what she has prepared for us. The structure and grading is very well thought out and delivery is fantastic. I attend lectures because I feel comfortable there and happy to be in a space to learn more. Because of this module, I would love to take another module taught by her again!”

“The peer feedback session was really helpful as it allowed us to learn a lot from each other’s writing and suggestions, to discover details that we had missed, to feel the spark of thought, and to have the opportunity to enhance ourselves before the final submission.”

CHONG Yuan Yi

Dept of Chemistry

I redesigned “CM1102 Chemistry—The Central Science” to make learning more personalised, inclusive, and engaging for diverse learners by coupling blended learning, peer instruction, and technology-enabled active learning. I incorporated analogies, props, simulations, and an augmented reality app (co-developed with TEL Imaginarium) to help students visualise and internalise abstract/complex chemistry concepts. I also piloted PeerWise Collaborative Learning to foster peer teaching and establish a psychologically safe learning environment via social constructivism. Guided by the Community of Inquiry framework, these evidence-informed approaches help deepen my students’ conceptual understanding, encourage ownerships of learning, and empower them to be self-directed lifelong learners.

“Prof Francis is without a doubt the best lecturer I’ve ever had in my uni life. He genuinely cares about his students’ learning and more importantly their well-being. I wish I graduated a semester later so I can take his other chemistry courses. He makes lectures digestible, easy to understand, fun to attend, interesting, and applicable to daily life. He explores a lot of ways to teach his materials and goes above and beyond to provide a variety of materials and resources for his students. He’s an incredibly effective lecturer and an incredible caring and understanding prof.”

“His blended learning method is one of the best ways to teach as it can cater to different student’s learning pace. The pre-recorded lectures were very useful as they allowed me to go over any hard-to-grasp concepts at my own pace. These concepts are then reinforced in the in-person lectures which helped me gain a better understanding of the topic as a whole.”

“Dr Chong makes CM1102 lectures very fun and engaging. Through his teaching pedagogies, we were able to learn chemistry in an unconventional way. Dr Chong would utilise various learning platforms such as Kahoot, PollEv, AR-bital and day-to-day objects (e.g tsum tsums) for us to better visualise the abstract concepts and deepen our understanding and learning!”

“His manner of teaching is very comprehensive, and he encourages students to be more proactive and independent in their learning through peer-mentoring and using lecture slots to value-add rather than going through the content that could’ve been read up on out of class.”

“Prof Francis is committed to educating, nurturing his students and setting them up for success. He made videos personally to help students catch up on content, used multiple strategies to help us learn (e.g. creating MCQs and discussing with our peers during class), created a comfortable environment in class to ask questions, always asked us about our well-being at the start of each class, asks for feedback after each class so he knows how to improve and what we struggle with … It has been a real joy to learn under Francis this semester, and I believe that his passion and efforts in this class are appreciated by all that take this module. Thank you, Prof Francis.”

LAU Siew Tiang

Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies

I pioneered the integration of immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology into nursing education to enhance procedural skills learning. IVR provided experiential, constructivist-based learning environments, enabling students to practice clinical scenarios safely and flexibly at home. Over 1,100 nursing students have benefited, practicing core procedures at their own pace, supported by instructional videos and trained faculty. Feedback highlighted IVR’s engaging, motivating, and self-regulated learning advantages, with technical improvements ongoing. Outcomes have been shared through international conferences and publications, and the approach is now expanding to include more procedures and collaborations, demonstrating its scalability and sustainability in healthcare education.

Enjoyable Way to Refresh Clinical Knowledge
“It is intriguing as a first-time user; hence it caught my attention from the start. I could practice the nursing procedures at my own comfortable pace and get back to practising the procedures again on my own time.”

“When we brought home the VR for one week, I just make full use of it. It was fun and engaging because it’s not something we do every day.”

Learning Outside Classroom
“I think the VR set gives us a learning experience outside the classroom. It builds on the basis that we have already gone through the physical hands-on practice; then the VR can act as a reinforcement tool.”

“It will make me understand my mistakes there, so I will be more aware not to repeat them the next try or during real-life clinical procedures.”

SNG Wei Meng, Daniel (SUN Weimeng)

Dept of Mechanical Engineering

As a Mechanical Engineering educator, I’ve taught class sizes from small groups to 400 students. My teaching philosophy emphasises engaging, adaptive learning, especially in the post-COVID era. I implemented Team-Based Learning (TBL) pre-pandemic and later adapted it online. Since Sem 2 AY2022/23, I have refined this approach by integrating 10 self-developed bite-sized videos with collaborative face-to-face sessions. This blended learning model allows students to learn foundational concepts at their own pace and deepen understanding through peer interactions. I believe education must evolve with students’ needs, fostering ownership and delivering a richer, more meaningful learning experience beyond the classroom.

“Professor Yan Dao (the persona name in the video) says it all. He is very helpful in helping us understand difficult topics, and goes the extra mile to make a video to ensure students are able to understand the graphs, rules of the law and other definitions in this module. As a result, most people score really high for their CA1 cause of him.”

“Explain the concepts well and making it easier for students to understand. There is even bite–sized videos for students to review the concepts better.”

“Explains difficult concepts in a clear and concise manner, with post–lecture videos to help students internalize important concepts and quizzes to test our understanding”

“Very in touch with the students. Understands the best practices to help the students. Provides revision videos which is extremely helpful when revising.”

YEOH Ker Wei

Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering

As a Civil Engineering educator, my teaching philosophy centers on fostering intrinsic motivation and lifelong learning by applying Self-Determination Theory (SDT) principles (Relatedness, Competence, and Autonomy). To enhance student engagement and understanding of complex topics, I have developed and integrated innovative digital tools into my curriculum. Notably, I created an Excel-based Linear Scheduling Method (LSM) problem generator, which has significantly improved students’ problem-solving skills and real-world application by automating schedule analysis. Additionally, I designed the RESCUE game, a virtual reality simulation based on the Nicoll Highway collapse, to teach construction safety and bridge the gap between theory and practice. The RESCUE game was recognised with the Annual Digital Education Award (ADEA) in 2021. Through these initiatives and collaboration with colleagues to apply SDT principles across the department, I strive to empower students to become competent, autonomous, and motivated professionals prepared for the demands of the construction industry.

“The assignment effectively reinforced the concepts of linear scheduling and provided valuable hands-on experience in applying these principles. I find these especially useful as without handson practise, one may not fully understand the complexity of the application and may not fully comprehend the usefulness of this tool”

“It really trains students about how the actual civil engineering world is! instead of focusing on a paper and formulas”

“He is very good at teaching concepts of interoperability and the major challenges faced in the industry on a practical basis.”

POH Leong Hien

Dept of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Through a collaboration with the NUS Inter-reality Technology Team, an E-Learning app was developed, enabling students to visualise and simulate complex structures in a 3D virtual environment. This overcomes a major learning barrier with the standard 2D drawings in textbooks. An assignment in the 3D virtual environment app requires students to design a sheltered pool that is structurally safe, at a minimal cost, thus enhancing the appreciation of practical engineering challenges.

“Teaching method through ELiSA 3D is very innovative and interesting. It enhances my thinking ability greatly.”

“He goes above and beyond to help students with understanding. He developed a software, ELiSA3D, to help students visualize in 3D. Many students agree that this software has been effective in understanding.”

“Extremely engaging in teaching, went and create a video game for us to visualise what was taught.”

GOH Yang Miang

Dept of the Built Environment

My commitment to educational excellence has been consistently recognised through different awards, which demonstrates a sustained impact over multiple years. As team leader, I received the NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award (Team Category) for Academic Year 2023/24 and the NUS Annual Digital Education Award (Team Category) for Academic Year 2022/23. The international recognition through the Reimagine Education Awards 2022 Bronze–Asia for “SafeSim Design: Improving Design for Safety (DfS) Competency in Singapore” validates the global significance of our educational innovations.

“1. Professor Goh Yang Miang has demonstrated exceptional dedication and clarity in teaching. His lectures are always well–structured and engaging, and he consistently provides real–world examples that help bridge theory with practice. His approachability and willingness to provide guidance outside of class have greatly enhanced my learning experience. I believe he truly deserves recognition for his outstanding contributions to education.”

“2. Prof. Goh is one of the most effective and engaging lecturers I’ve had at NUS. His lectures are always clear, well–structured, and packed with practical insights from real industry experience. He makes even the most complex project management concepts easy to understand. I really appreciated how approachable Prof. Goh was throughout the semester. He was always willing to answer questions and provide guidance, both during and after class. The course was very well–paced, and the materials were extremely relevant to what we’d face in the real world. The case studies and examples he used helped me connect the dots between theory and practice. Prof. Goh’s passion for the subject is infectious. You can tell he genuinely wants students to learn and succeed. His feedback on discussion forums was detailed and constructive, and it helped me improve with every submission. I especially liked how he integrated research and current trends in project management into the course. It made the learning feel fresh, relevant, and forward–looking. Prof. Goh’s use of Kahoot was a highlight! It was a creative way to review the lecture content and encouraged healthy competition among classmates. Prof. Goh made learning interactive and enjoyable with regular Kahoot quizzes that helped reinforce key concepts in a fun, engaging way. It kept the class lively and made revision feel less stressful. The collaborative team activities were incredibly valuable. They allowed us to apply project management principles in a practical, hands–on manner and encouraged meaningful peer learning. I really enjoyed the mix of lectures, Kahoot sessions, and group work — it made the module dynamic and helped me retain the material better.”

“3. Usage of games such as VR games to learn about safety in construction sites. I think this is an ingenious way to learn about safety. Instead of bringing us to the construction site, he brought the construction site to our classroom using VR.”

“4. The use of desktop and VR games really enhanced our understanding of the course material as we were able to directly apply the concepts to the fictional situation and see its relevance to real–life workplace accidents.”

“5. Prof Goh is a very encouraging teacher and he effectively attends to all queries given by his students, making sure that they understand the important concepts. Thank you Prof for being an amazing and inspiring mentor since the start of my uni journey. It is my honour to be your student. You show me the importance of learning beyond the classroom and I will always remember you!”

Harold SOH Soon Hong

Dept of Computer Science

Effective teaching is fundamentally a reciprocal knowledge exchange. It is vital for students to comprehend key concepts and self-assess their understanding, and also for teachers to adapt their methodology based on feedback. However, achieving bidirectional communication, particularly in larger classes, is challenging. I’ve explored and implemented several strategies for fostering such a dynamic ranging from guided projects to student mini-reflections..

“CS3264: I think the course has helped me to build up my mathematical understanding of ML. I’ve gotten better at understanding precisely why things work instead of relying on just vibes. I also have gotten better at reading ML papers, showing that the course has successfully achieved its outcomes. For people like me who have an interest in ML but didn’t initially have enough skill in the math side of things, this course is a must-take.”

“CS5340: Learning about Markov models will be a gateway to greater things. Definitely deserves its place as a Core Module for the AI Specialisation.”

“CS5340: I started this course not knowing there was so much more to Bayesian statistics. Finished the course knowing there is so much more to learn. Really perked my interest in the topic.”

“CS2040: CS2040 has a bunch of whole new concepts and good coverage of: LL, hashing, heap, AVL, BST, BFS, DFS, DAG, SSSP, MST and lots of algorithms which are useful in software development jobs. This module is highly recommended even for students who are not in CS major.”

“CS2040: Algorithms are really cool and interesting, really lets me see programming in a new perspective.”

Cristina CARBUNARU

Dept of Computer Science

As computing evolves rapidly, courses must be frequently updated. With large classes, effective instruction depends on a collaborative teaching team where each member contributes specialized expertise. Research indicates that collective teacher effectiveness has a significant impact on student outcomes. Using various approaches to building teams for large courses is needed to teach our students high-level skills in challenging fields. Having a variety of styles and inspirational tutors helps students develop the flexibility to adapt as technical knowledge evolves.

“[The course] covers really interesting concepts within parallel computing – I especially like the fact that it encompasses quite a wide berth of information, as well as being a very practical–heavy module. This course really supplements all the theory–based modules that I have taken.”

“The module’s content is useful and moderate in difficulty and depth, allowing me to understand several aspects of parallel computing. The overall delivery of the module is well organized. The labs, tutorials, and assignments are very well designed.”

“Definitely a lot of effort went into this module from the teaching team!”

“Lectures were interesting and challenging, tutorials were challenging and TAs are very knowledgeable.”

LOH Yeow Khoon, Lawrence

Dept of Strategy & Policy

I use my own impact framework for teaching and learning along three dimensions:

(1) Query-Driven
I engage the minds of students through an integration with practice and research where students may be encouraged to pose queries beyond the regular course materials.

(2) Setting-Driven
I constantly and continually incorporate current affairs of the “real world” into the lectures and discussions, so that students can relate the concepts to reality.

(3) Reality-Driven
I emulate the modes of interaction in organizations to be as realistic as possible by multimedia means to be incorporates in the class teaching and even in assignments.

“Professor Lawrence Loh’s strengths lie in his deep subject–matter expertise, clear and impactful teaching style, and ability to connect theoretical concepts with real–world governance and sustainability issues. He brings a wealth of knowledge and credibility to the classroom, fostering critical thinking and strategic insight. His sessions are well–structured, intellectually stimulating, and enriched by his leadership experience at the Centre for Governance and Sustainability. His calm demeanor, thoughtful engagement, and commitment to student learning make him truly stand out as an educator.

Teacher Lawrence Loh has shown unique advantages in the teaching process. He is good at deeply integrating traditional blackboard writing art with modern teaching content, and pays special attention to the organic integration of the core knowledge of the lectures with the content of students’ independent reports. In each class, he will carefully design the blackboard structure, and through a layered and progressive visual presentation method, he will cleverly connect the complex theoretical framework, case analysis and students’ practical results to form a knowledge map that is both systematic and interactive. This teaching strategy not only helps students quickly grasp the key points, but also guides students to observe the logic of knowledge formation through the dynamic blackboard construction process, and cultivate their critical thinking and knowledge integration capabilities. In addition, the retention of blackboard writing also provides an intuitive context guide for after–class review. Students can clearly trace back the collision of thoughts and the path of cognitive deepening in the classroom, effectively improving learning effects.

Prof. Loh can teach and share useful facts + knowledge in layman terms which is easier for all of us to understand and remember. He knows all of us (the whole class) very well, and hence – example if we all become very tired with a lot of facts to learn and take note which are dumped in our brains, Prof. shares/teaches with some jokes and real world happenings so that we become fresh again with laughters as well as we can pick up and put the topic in our memories. I really respect the way how Prof teaches this subject in an attractive and interesting way to all of us – (this module could have been very boring if the professor couldn’t present well. ) He’s really an all–rounder in any sustainability topic (be it strategy, applications, useful methods, facts, knowledge, formula/logics, and so on). He is an engaging professor. His delivery is easy to follow and his course slides are also easy to understand. He’s very approachable and shows warmth to his students. Really good at interpreting student’s idea. One of the best prof who can host the class with engaging and active atmosphere. I think this is one of the best classes I have ever attended in my life. Both my knowledge and thinking framework are enhanced greatly, as well he listens inventively to our questions and explains even the hardest concepts in a very dummy friendly way that regardless of our level of knowledge on sustainability, we can still follow.”

Muzzammil Bin Mohamed Yassin

Centre For Language Studies

In AY23/24, I led a comprehensive overhaul of the Arabic language syllabus at CLS, introducing a new textbook series and refining pedagogical strategies tailored to engage learners. This initiative resulted in significantly higher student engagement and learning outcomes. Guided by my reflections on teaching, I leveraged AI (Whisper AI) to provide my students with personalised data-driven insights on their oral proficiency. These interventions transformed the learning environment in Arabic classrooms at CLS, providing students with a vibrant and supportive educational experience aligned with NUS’s commitment to teaching excellence.

“In my 4 years in NUS, Prof Muzzammil is one of the few professors who has inspired me to delve deeper into the subject taught…Prof’s ability to teach and share the knowledge effectively and clearly made me experience many epiphanies in class. Truly enjoyed the class!” [LAR4202HM]

“The structure of the course was planned out well which helped to optimise the students’ learning. He provided valuable insights into the cultural aspects of the language through interactions, engaging videos and Kahoot quizzes. Also, his teachings are very clear and easy to understand.” [LAR1201]

“Ustadh (teacher) Muzzammil is an extremely dedicated and engaging tutor who has gone over and beyond to make the learning experience fun and engaging. Even though the course materials are quite difficult & time-consuming, he shares with us lots of tips on improving and practising so that we can also effectively prepare and improve our language capabilities independently outside the classroom… He has exposed us to various cultural points along the way which makes the learning more in-tune with real-life situations and expectations.” [LAR2201]