Education-related work

Yeong Foong May SFHEA

Department of Biochemistry

Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

National University of Singapore

Interests in higher education

I am interested in how students approach ill-structured problems that are typical of authentic problems graduates face. I provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and competencies to solving ill-structured problems as means to supporting active-learning. Collaborations among students is another aspect I think is important to foster as this is a skill that graduates are expected to use in their professional lives.

  • Authentic learning

  • Problem-solving (ill-structured problems)

  • Active-learning

  • Collaborative-learning

Peer-reviewed Work

In Education Journals

  1. Yeong FM. 2021. Using Asynchronous, Online Discussion Forums to Explore How Life Sciences Students Approach an Ill-Structured Problem. Teaching & Learning Inquiry 9 no. 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.20343/teachlearninqu.9.1.11

  2. Lee Z-W., Chew YY., & Yeong FM. Exploring context-based teaching of statistical literacy and graphical communication in a Life Sciences module in an Asian University. Asian Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 2020, 10(2). 118-133. nus.edu.sg/cdtl/engagement/publications/ajsotl-home/asian-journal-of-the-scholarship-of-teaching-and-learning/v10n2-Lee-et-al

  3. Lee Z-W, Yeong FM. Online conferencing platform provides opportunity for reciprocal teaching. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. 2020, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.21405 (rapid communication)

  4. Yeong FM, Chin CF, Tan AL. Use of a competency framework to explore the benefits of student-generated multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on student engagement. Pedagogies: An International Journal. 2019, 15:2, 83-105. https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2019.1684924

  5. Lee, S.C. and Yeong, FM. Fostering student engagement in a Cell Biology module: Perspectives from using online, collaborative reading assignments mediated by Perusall.The Asia-Pacific Scholar. 2018, Vol. 3 No. 3.

  6. Yeong, FM. Use of Constructed-response Questions to Support Learning of Cell Biology during Lectures. Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education. 2015, May 1;16(1):87-9. https://dx.doi.org/10.1128%2Fjmbe.v16i1.890

  7. Chew, Y. Y., Chin, C. F., & Yeong, FM. Simulating an investigative study of clinical cancer samples: use of tissue slides and PCR-based promoter-hypermethylation analysis. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. 2015, Jan-Feb;43(1):39-46. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20835

  8. Yeong FM. Using Primary Literature in an Undergraduate Assignment: Demonstrating Connections among Cellular Processes. Journal of Biological Education, 2015, 49(1): 73-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2014.882384

  9. Yeong, FM. Using primary-literature-based assessments to highlight connections between sub-topics in cell biology. Journal of the NUS Teaching Academy. 2014, 3(1), 34-48.

  10. Yeong FM. Moving Away from Dogmatic Knowledge Dissemination in a Cell Biology Module: Examples from Singapore. Bioscience Education. 2012, 20, 106-115. https://doi.org/10.11120/beej.2012.20000106


In Conference Proceedings

  1. Chandrasekaran, R., Tan, A.L., Tan, S. C. and Yeong, F.M. (2019). Solving ill-structured problems mediated by online-discussion forums: mass customisation of learning. Proceedings ASCILITE 2019.

  2. Lee, S.C., Lee, Z-W and Yeong, F.M. (2019). Using social annotations to support collaborative learning in a Life Science module. Proceedings ASCILITE 2019.

  3. Yeong FM. (2013) Incorporating Mind-maps in Cell Biology Lectures: A Reflection on the Advantages and Potential Drawbacks, 13th International Educational Technology Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 13th to 15th May. E-poster. Full paper in Procedia: Social and Behavioral Science, Elsevier, ISSN: 1877-0428.

  4. Yeong FM. (2013) Encouraging students to take a stand: Using primary literature to support scientific arguments, 7th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, Madrid, Spain, 3rd to 5th March. E-poster Full paper in INTED2013 Proceedings, ISBN: 978-84-616-2661-8.


At Conferences (oral presentations, posters)

  1. Lee SC and Yeong FM. (2022). Minor tweaks to tutorial presentation altered students' perceptions of "The Cell" mass tutorials (e-poster). Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference, Kular Lumpur, 12 - 16 January.

  2. Lee ZW and Yeong FM. (2020). Moving student-led teaching and learning activities online in unforeseen circumstances: student and instructor experiences on the use of technology. ePoster. Higher Education Campus Conference (e-HECC), NUS, 8 - 9 December.

  3. Yeong FM, Foo CD, Tan AL and Tan SC. (2018). How students approach Ill-structured problems: Investigations in a Life Sciences module, Paper presentation. 8th Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (TLHE), NUS

  4. Lee Zheng Wei, Chew Yuan Yuan, Yeong FM. (2018). Providing authentic research experiences in Life Science module: the MORE design, PechaKucha (short presentation). 8th Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (TLHE), NUS

  5. Yeong FM, Chin CF and Tan AL. (2016). Fostering student cognitive engagement in a large-class Biology undergraduate module using a question-generation assignment. American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA, 3rd - 7th December. Poster.

  6. Yeong FM. (2016). Moving away from dogmatic teaching: Experiences and perspectives. 23rd Annual American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators, North Bethesda, MD, 21st - 24th July. Short talk.

  7. Yeong FM. (2015). Does getting students to design multiple-choice questions engage their higher-order cognitive skills?” 22nd Annual American Society for Microbiology Conference for Undergraduate Educators, Austin, TX, 28th - 31st May. MicroBrew.

  8. Yeong FM. (2013). Survey on Students’ experience with Open-book Online quizzes for formative learning in a Large-class Undergraduate Cell Biology Module, Newer Researchers' Conference & Society for Research into Higher Education Annual Conference, Newport, United Kindgom, 10th - 13th December. Poster

  9. Yeong FM. (2013). Using Primary Literature to Contextualize Students’ Learning of Cell Biology in an Undergraduate Class – Linking Glycolysis, Protein Transport and Cell Division. 5th Asian Conference on Education, Osaka, Japan, 23rd - 27th October. Poster.

Short commentaries in newsletters, Blogs

  1. Yeong FM, Lee ZW, Chew YY, and Lee SC. (2021) "Leveraging on technological affordances for emergency remote teaching – experience with a large class undergraduate module", blog.ascilite.org/leveraging-on-technological-affordances-for-emergency-remote-teaching/

  2. Yeong FM, Lee ZW, Chew YY, and Lee SC. (2020) "(Ambient) Lights, (iPhone) Camera, (Simulated) Action! Shooting Videos for Laboratory Demonstrations Using What We Have On Hand", NUS Teaching Connections Blog

  3. Yeong, FM. Science Students and Social Sciences: Strange Bedfellows? Higher Education Research & Development. 2014, 33(5), 1078 – 1080. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2014.915466 (points for debate)

  4. Tang, BL and Yeong FM, "Introducing a science laboratory experience for students of all disciplines". CDTLink, NUS (2009, January).

  5. Tang, BL and Yeong FM, "A self-directed learning experience". CDTL Brief, NUS, 11, no. 1 (2008, January): 7-8.

  6. Tang, BL and Yeong FM, "Teaching Science to the Humanities student ‑ mindset of the instructor". CDTL Ideas in Teaching, NUS, 4 (2005, December).

  7. Tang, BL and Yeong FM, "Lifelong learning and the study of cell biology". CDTL Brief, NUS, 8 (2005, August): 5‑7.

  8. Tang, BL and Yeong FM, "Making students think during lecture". Ideas in teaching, CDTL, NUS, 3 (2005, March): 32‑33.

Original teaching materials

  1. Yeong FM. (2014). How to read and Critique a Scientific Article: Notes to Guide Students Reading Primary Literature (with Teaching Tips for Faculty Members). 116 pages, World Scientific Publishing, ISBN: 978-981-4579-16-2.

  2. Course Book: G267 Life Sciences: Engineering Applications in Biology (for Engineering students in NTU) (2003). McGraw Hill ISBN 007-123149-8, Editor Chia Tet Fatt (NIE, NTU)

  • Chapter 1 – Basic Biology, Yeong Foong May and Uttam Surana, pages 1 – 57.

  • Chapter 2 – Bioinformatics, Mao Kezhi and Yeong Foong May, pages 58 – 84.

Education-related grants

  1. Ministry of Education , Tertiary Education Research Fund (TRF)

  2. NUS LIFT grant

  3. ALSET seed grant

  4. NUHS Innovation and Creativity in Education Fund

  5. Teaching enhancement grant

Service on editorial boards of education journals

  1. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, a journal of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

  2. Journal for Microbiology and Biology Education, American Society for Microbiology

Service as ad hoc reviewer for education journals/Conference papers

  1. Journal for Microbiology and Biology Education

  2. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education

  3. Teaching and Learning Inquiry

  4. Computers and Education

  5. The Asia-Pacific Scholar

  6. ASCILITE

Service AS education grant panel REVIEWER

  1. Singapore Millennium Foundation

  2. NUS internal review panel

Workshop facilitation

  1. TFI-NUS STEM Symposium 2019 - Higher Education in a Disruptive Landscape: The State and Future of STEM Education

  • Faciliator on Using social annotation for reading research articles

  1. Centre for Medical Education, NUS

  • Co-Facilitator in workshop on Qualitative Research 2017, 2018

  • Co-Facilitator in workshop on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning 2017

  1. Teaching workshop on Active-learning, 22nd Feb 2017, University of Macau

  • Invitation by Professor Spencer Benson, Director of Teaching and Learning Enhancement

  1. Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning, NUS

  • Training Programme for Teaching Assistants, 2016

Discipline-specific work

Lab webpage: click here

Official NUS webpage

NUS webpage: click here