For the past 25 years, I worked in the Singapore education system as Senior Education Advisor at Singapore Polytechnic, Chief Research Investigator for the Ministry of Education, and invited External Assessor for Singapore’s School Excellence Model. Previously, I taught in all sectors of the British education system.
I am the sole author of the books, ‘Creative Teachers: Self-directed Learners’ (Springer, 2020); ‘Creative Teaching: An Evidence-Based Approach’ (Springer, 2015); and ‘The Challenge of Reframing Engineering Education’ (Springer, 2013). I have also presented 97 papers at international conferences.
These document major pedagogic innovations that I invented, implemented, and validated over two decades of applied research and professional development work with over 15,000 teaching/training professionals across most educational and vocational sectors, many countries, and varied cultural contexts. Significant achievements included:
-
Invented, implemented, and evaluated a whole curriculum approach to teaching thinking (e.g., critical thinking, creative thinking, and metacognition).
-
Invented, implemented, and evaluated a comprehensive Evidence-Based Creative Teaching framework which underpins the professional development of teaching/training professionals across mainstream educational and vocational sectors.
-
Produced a professional development framework for teachers which won the inaugural Blackboard Catalyst Award for Professional Development in 2017 - a prestigious global award that recognizes and honours innovation and excellence in the Blackboard global community of practice.
-
As Chief Investigator, in a 2-year funded research project for the Ministry of Education in Singapore, I applied the Evidence-Based Creative Teaching framework to develop and validate practical instructional strategies to enhancing students’ intrinsic motivation in everyday teaching.
-
Invented, implemented, and evaluated an evidence-based framework for developing Metacognitive Capability and Self-directed Learning.
