Sarah Shi Hui Wong

Psychologist

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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.) in Psychology from NUS.

 

My research bridges the fields of cognitive and educational psychology to design, test, and translate counterintuitive techniques that improve higher order learning outcomes such as creativity, problem-solving, and reasoning. Currently, my work focuses on how people can strategically learn from errors. In particular, my pioneering research on the derring effect has established the learning benefits of deliberately committing and correcting errors in low-stakes contexts. Ultimately, my work pursues the applied goal of discovering principles for how best to design for effective learning, in turn inspiring new insights for the basic goal of contributing to theories of how people learn.

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My research has been published in journals such as Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Review, Journal of Educational Psychology, and Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Click to read more about my research and publications.

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I have received the APA Paul R. Pintrich Outstanding Dissertation Award, APS Student Research Award, Singapore Psychological Society Research Excellence 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, Psychology Today, and The Guardian.

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Educator

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Before joining Yale-NUS College, I served as an Instructor and Teaching Assistant at the NUS Department of Psychology whilst pursuing my graduate studies. Besides supervising undergraduate honors research, I have developed and taught courses such as Contemporary Educational Psychology, Psychology of Errors, Lab in Cognitive Psychology, and Lab in Music Perception and Cognition. Toward sharing best teaching practices and ideas, I was the Co-Chair of the NUS Psychology Teaching Assistant Symposium 2017. Since 2020, I have been appointed as Secretariat of the Singapore National Academy of Higher Education.

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As an educator, I aspire to bring learning to life, and Life to learning. My research informs the evidence-based pedagogical methods that I apply to nurture my students' learning. I see it as part of my mission to excite students about ideas they encounter, and to challenge them to think deeply 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 in life.

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I am honored to have won the NUS Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (FTEA), which recognizes achievements in teaching including instruction, educational design, assessment and feedback, as well as wider adoption of good practices in these areas through leadership and support of other colleagues. I also received the NUS Graduate Students' Teaching Award (GSTA) over three consecutive semesters, and was placed on the GSTA Honor Roll. Read my interview with the NUS Department of Psychology here.

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Musician

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Beyond academia, I am a dedicated music performer, arranger, and educator. 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.

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Over more than 20 fulfilling years in Singapore's music scene, I have been a chamber musician, orchestral violinist, and soloist. I have served as the Concertmaster and Student Conductor of the Hwa Chong Institution String Ensemble and Nanyang Girls’ High School String Ensemble, steering my groups’ artistic direction and musicianship toward achieving the highest accolades (Gold with Honors) at the Singapore Youth Festival. I was also elected President and appointed Concertmaster of the NUS Symphony Orchestra, and have served as the Assistant Concertmaster of the chamber ensemble re:mix as a freelance violinist.

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I now perform as the First Violinist of Arpeggione String Quartet (Singapore), of which I am a founding member. Arpeggione Quartet has been featured regularly at the Esplanade, and has been highlighted in The Straits' Times' "Arts Picks" for their performance at the National Gallery in conjunction with the "Century of Light" 2017 exhibition. Notably, Arpeggione Quartet has been invited to perform with Mandopop singer aMEI (张惠妹) at her 2016 world tour at the Singapore National Stadium, and has been featured in the soundtrack of the 2019 short film "The Playbook (爱本)" by local director Bryan Wong.

 

In my leisure time, I take delight in arranging musical works from popular culture for string quartet. Click to view a selected list of my music arrangements and performances.