New Paradigms For Science Education

Ai Girl Tan, Lucille Lee, Ngoh Khang Goh, Lian Sai Chia
Tan Ai-Girl is an associate professor of the Psychological Studies Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She obtained her Bachelor Degree of Science with Education (Hons.) at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (1987). She was a research associate (1987?V1989) and an instructor (1988?V1991) at the Department of Psychology of the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Kogyo Daigaku). At the same university, she acquired her Master Degree of Social Engineering in Psychology (March 1991) with financial assistance from Monbusho (1989?V1990), and a scholarship from the Iwatani Foundation (1990?V1991). Thereafter, she was granted a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and pursued her doctoral studies at the Institute for Educational Psychology and Empirical Pedagogy of University of Munich (Germany). In 1995, she graduated with a PhD in psychology and joined the National Institute of Education. Her main research interests include creativity, problem solving, culture and psychology and multicultural education. Her recent publications include two books, Psychology of Cultivating Creativity (2000, Singapore: Lingzi), Psychology in Singapore: Issues of an Emerging Discipline (2002, Singapore: McGraw-Hill, chief editor), and papers in the Journal of Creative Behavior (2000, 2001).

Lee Kam-Wah, Lucille is an associate professor of the Science and Technology Education Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. She obtained her Bachelor Degree of Science (Hons.) from Nanyang University (Singapore, 1972), her Diploma of Education from the University of Singapore (1973), her MSc in Chemical Education from the University of East Anglia (England, 1979), and her PhD in Science Education from Monash University (Australia, 1987). She was a recipient of the Monash Scholarship from 1984 to 1986. She has been a science educator since 1973. During this time, she has been a chemistry, science and mathematics teacher in Singapore and Australia. In addition, she has been involved in science teacher education, conducting pre-service and in-service courses for science teachers at both the secondary and primary levels. She has also been involved in the supervision of MEd research dissertations. She received the Certificate of Commendation for Excellence in Teaching in 1996. Her research interests include problem solving in science education with emphasis on cognitive variables, problem-solving strategies, teaching problem solving at both secondary and primary levels and assessment of problem-solving skills; teachers' and students' conceptual understanding of science concepts; using the particulate model to enhance science learning; and teaching creativity in chemistry.


Goh Ngoh-Khang obtained his first degree in Chemistry from Nanyang University in 1964. He was then awarded a PSC Overseas Scholarship to pursue his postgraduate studies in Germany, at the University of Muenster, under the German Academic Exchange Service scheme, and completed his studies with both First Class Master and Doctorate degrees. Since 1979, he has been involved in science teacher education. From 1991 to 2000 he was the Head of the Chemistry Division in the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. Presently he is Deputy Head of the Science and Technology Education Academic Group in the same institute. He sits on a number of committees at the university and national levels. He is also active in science educational research and chemistry research. His research interests include instructional design in chemistry/science, process skills learning, environmental chemistry, materials science and herbal chemistry.

Chia Lian-Sai is an associate professor of the Science and Technology Education Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Na