FASS Staff Profile

DR. WONG SHI HUI SARAH
LECTURER, YALE-NUS COLLEGE, DIVISION OF SOCIAL SCIENCES |
DEPARTMENT of PSYCHOLOGY

Appointment:
LECTURER
Office:
RC3-01-03B
Email:
psywshs@nus.edu.sg
Tel:
(65) 6601 3369
Fax:
Homepage:
http://profile.nus.edu.sg/fass/psywshs/
Tabs

Brief Introduction

I am a Lecturer of Psychology at the Division of Social Sciences at Yale-NUS College. I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology from the National University of Singapore (NUS), after attaining a MA (with Distinction) in Music Psychology in Education from the University of Sheffield, and a B.Soc.Sci. (Hons.) degree in Psychology from NUS.

Concurrently, I hold a Licentiate Diploma (LTCL) with Distinction in Piano Performance from Trinity College London, a Licentiate Diploma (LLCM) with Distinction (Approved, Upper Level) in Piano Duet Performance from the London College of Music, and a Diploma of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (DipABRSM) in Violin Music Performance.


Research

My research bridges the fields of cognitive and educational psychology to develop, test, and translate interventions that improve higher order learning. Currently, my work focuses on how people can strategically learn from errors to flourish from failure. In particular, my pioneering research on the derring effect has demonstrated the learning benefits of deliberately committing and correcting errors in low-stakes contexts. More broadly, my ambition is to discover how we can best (re)design education to empower people with the skills to learn deeply, thereby promoting human flourishing.

My research has been published in journals such as Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Review, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. I have received the American Psychological Association (APA) Paul R. Pintrich Outstanding Dissertation Award, Association for Psychological Science (APS) Student Research Award, and Wang Gungwu Medal and Prize for Best Ph.D. Thesis in the Social Sciences and Humanities. My work has also been featured in the cover story of the APS Observer, New Scientist, and Psychology Today.


Teaching

As an educator, I aspire to bring learning to life, and Life to learning. I see it as part of my mission to excite students about ideas and concepts they encounter, and to challenge my students to think deeply and critically in their discovery and construction of knowledge. Through such processes, it is my hope that my students may make quantum leaps in their learning and forge ahead to pursue their higher purposes and meaning in life.


Teaching Areas

Yale-NUS College

Course Instructor of Record

  • YSS3360 Lab in Applied Cognitive Psychology
  • YSS4291 Contemporary Educational Psychology
  • YSS4293 Psychology of Errors

Research Supervision

  • YSS4102 Psychology Capstone Project

 

National University of Singapore

Course Instructor of Record

  • MUA3209 Business for Musicians [Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCM) module for Music & Society and Music, Collaboration & Production programmes] (Team Teaching: Research in the Arts)
  • PL3281 Lab in Cognitive Psychology
  • PL3281D Lab in Music Perception and Cognition

Research Supervision

  • PL3231 Independent Research Project
  • PL3551 Undergraduate Research Opportunity (UROP)
  • PL4401 Honours Thesis
  • PL4660 Independent Study

Programme Instructor

  • Educational Psychology: Theories and Application for Learning and Teaching [School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE), Leaders of Tomorrow programme]

Course Tutor

  • GEK1064/PLB1201 Psychology in Everyday Life
  • PL2132 Research and Statistical Methods II
  • PL3233 Cognitive Psychology
  • PL3235 Social Psychology
  • PL3238 Social Cognition
  • PL3240 Group Dynamics
  • PLS8002 Cultivating the Self

Research Interests

  • Deliberate errors
  • Learning from errors
  • Higher order learning
  • Cognitive psychology in education

Publications

ARTICLES IN JOURNALS

SHORTER ARTICLES/COMMENTS IN JOURNAL

  • Lee, L. N.^, Wong, S. S. H.^, & Lim, S. W. H.* (2015). Empowering psychology teaching assistants through a symposium. CDTL Brief, 18(1), 2–12. (^Both authors contributed equally to this work)

CONFERENCE PAPERS

  • Wong, S. S. H. (2022, November 17–20). The derring effect: Deliberate errors improve learning and transfer [Poster presentation]. 63rd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA, USA.
  • Wong, S. S. H., & Lim, S. W. H. (2020, June 1–September 1). The derring effect: Deliberate errors enhance learning [Poster presentation]. Association for Psychological Science (APS) Poster Showcase.
  • Wong, S. S. H., & Lim, S. W. H. (2020, May 21–24). The derring effect: Deliberate errors enhance learning [Paper presentation]. 32nd Association for Psychological Science (APS) Annual Convention, Chicago, IL, USA. (Conference cancelled)
  • Wong, S. S. H., & Lim, S. W. H. (2020). The cognitive science of music education [Oral presentation cancelled]. 7th International Conference on New Music Concepts, Treviso, Italy.
  • Tan, N. J. H.^, Wong, S. S. H.^, & Lim, S. W. H. (2013). What we move to moves us: Biological rhythmicity predicts musical preferences. In M. Knauff, M. Pauen, N. Sebanz, & I. Wachsmuth (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (p. 4025). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. (^Both authors contributed equally to this work)

PAPERS FOR SEMINAR, PUBLIC TALK, LECTURE

  • Wong, S. S. H. (2020, February 18). The derring effect: Deliberate errors enhance learning. Speaker at Department of Psychology Brownbag Seminar series, National University of Singapore.
  • Wong, S. S. H. (2019, October 10). Dispelling the creativity myth: Insights from cognitive science. Invited Speaker at the inaugural Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Research Division Lunchtime Seminar Series, National University of Singapore.
  • Wong, S. S. H. (2019, October 8). Educational psychology: Theories and application for learning and teaching. Invited Speaker/Instructor at the Leaders of Tomorrow programme, School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE), National University of Singapore.

THESES/DISSERTATIONS

  • Wong, S. H. S. (2020). From prevention to promotion: Learning from deliberate errors (Doctoral dissertation). National University of Singapore, Singapore.
  • Wong, S. H. S. (2015). The carnival of the imagined animals: Mental imagery and young children's music compositional creativity (Unpublished master's dissertation). University of Sheffield, Sheffield.
  • Wong, S. H. S. (2013). Mortality salience and delay of gratification: Integrating terror management and self-regulatory perspectives (Unpublished honours thesis). National University of Singapore, Singapore.
  • 黄诗慧 (2010). <与外国品牌文化接触在多大程度上会模糊中国人的文化身份认同？>， 《华侨中学双文化优秀论文文集（下册）》，（新加坡：华侨中学），页364–375.

OTHERS

Other Information

Education

  • Ph.D., Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, 2020 
  • MA (Dist.) (Music Psychology in Education), The University of Sheffield, 2015
  • B.Soc.Sci. (Hons.) (Psychology), Department of Psychology and University Scholars Programme, National University of Singapore, 2013


Appointments

  • Lecturer, Division of Social Sciences (Psychology), Yale-NUS College, 2023–present
  • Lecturer (joint appointment), Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2023
  • Instructor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2017–2023
  • Teaching Assistant, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2013–2016
  • Research Assistant, Center for Leadership and Cultural Intelligence, Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University, 2009

 

Awards, Scholarships, and Honours

Research

Research Mentorship

Teaching

Others

  • Stephen Lim Outstanding Young Graduand Award (OYGA), 2018
  • Stephen Lim Sustained Critical Thinking Award (SCTA), 2013
  • Dean's List, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, 2012–2013
  • University Scholars Programme (USP), National University of Singapore, 2009–2013
  • Prime Minister’s Book Prize (Pre-University Section), 2009
  • MOE Humanities Scholarship and Programme, Hwa Chong Institution, 2007–2008
  • MOE Bicultural Studies Programme Scholarship, Nanyang Girls' High School and Hwa Chong Institution, 2005–2008
  • Bilingual Book Prize (Integrated Programme), Nanyang Girls' High School, 2005
  • MOE Gifted Education Programme, 2000–2006

 

Professional Qualifications

  • Licentiate Diploma of the London College of Music (LLCM) in Piano Duet Performance (Approved, Upper Level; with Distinction), 2019
  • Licentiate Diploma of Trinity College London (LTCL) in Recital in Piano (with Distinction), 2013
  • Associate Diploma of Trinity College London (ATCL) in Recital in Piano (with Distinction), 2009
  • Diploma of The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (DipABRSM) in Violin Music Performance, 2007
  • Grade 8 in Theory of Music, The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, 2005

 

Service

Professional

Ad Hoc Reviewer

  • Applied Cognitive Psychology
  • Behavior Research Methods
  • British Journal of Educational Psychology
  • Computers & Education
  • Consciousness and Cognition
  • Educational Psychologist
  • Educational Psychology Review
  • Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition
  • Journal of Educational Psychology
  • Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
  • Language Learning
  • Memory & Cognition
  • Psychological Research

Departmental

 

Grant Support

  • Yale-NUS College Staff Travel and Research Grant, 2023–2025, S$10,000 (Principal Investigator)
  • Yale-NUS College Special Pocket Research Grant, "Applying Psychological Science to Enhance Learning", 2023–2024, S$1,500 (Principal Investigator)
  • FASS Staff Research Support Scheme (SRSS), 2021–2022, S$7,800 (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • FASS Staff Research Support Scheme (SRSS), 2019–2020, S$8,000 (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • NUS Psychology Teaching and Research Support, 2018–2019, S$1,400 (Principal Investigator)

 

Professional Affiliations

  • American Psychological Association (APA)
  • Association for Psychological Science (APS)
  • Psychonomic Society

 

Co-Curricular Activities and Achievements

  • President, NUS Symphony Orchestra, 2010–2011
  • Concertmaster and Section Leader, NUS Symphony Orchestra, 2009–2011
  • Concertmaster, Hwa Chong Institution String Ensemble, 2007–2008
  • Concertmaster and Student Conductor, Nanyang Girls' High School String Ensemble, 2004–2006

 

Personal Development

  • Certification of Completion in "Chinese Seal Engraving (Level 2)" course, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, 2022
  • Certification of Completion in "Chinese Seal Engraving (Level 1)" course, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, 2022
  • Certification of Completion in "Introduction to Japanese Pastel Nagomi Art" course, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, 2019
  • Certification of Completion in "Techniques in Watercolour" course, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, 2017
  • Certification of Completion in "Basic Japanese Language" course, Ikoma Language School, 2009

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