Associate Professor Bing Ngu

Associate Professor in Mathematics Education , Mathematics education - Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education; School of Education

Bing Ngu

Phone: +61 2 6773 2328

Email: bngu@une.edu.au

Biography

Having taught secondary mathematics education in Australian and abroad, Dr Ngu has identified mathematics education issues that pose a challenge to students. One of these issues relates to algebra instruction, which shapes her current research focus. Specifically, she has a special interest in examining the design of instructional approaches generated by cognitive load theory, learning by analogy and learning by comparison to enhance students’ learning of linear equations, percentage problems, and trigonometry problems that involve algebraic transformation skills, etc. Her knowledge and expertise in quantitative methodological designs has been reflected in her research undertakings, which include both longitudinal studies and randomized experimental studies in intact classrooms. For example, using quantitative methodological design, her research has advanced an understanding of the importance of sequencing complex mathematical concepts so as to reduce its intrinsic cognitive load. With respect to cross-cultural mathematics education, her unique contribution is the examination of cognitive process and mathematics instructions across cross-cultural settings. Moreover, she also conducts research to examine cognitive and non-cognitive (motivation) dimensions to assist students to achieve optimal best in mathematics learning.  Over the past few years, she has worked with other scholars in Australia, China, Malaysia, and Taiwan to seek comparative theoretical understanding into students’ effective learning (e.g., cognitive process, motivation), subjective well-being, and psychological processes (e.g., process of optimization). Translating research to the end-users, she has shared empirical findings not only to local teachers in Armidale but also to overseas teachers (e.g., Malaysia) as part of their professional development. Importantly, her research has informed the development of high quality undergraduate and postgraduate pre-service teacher education units at UNE.

Qualifications

BSc (Chemistry with Management Science) (Hons) (Imperial College of Science and Technology, UK)

Ph.D. in Education (University of New South Wales, Australia)

Teaching Areas

Bing H. Ngu is a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics Education at UNE’s School of Education. She teaches primary, junior and senior secondary mathematics education units for example:

  • EDME392 (Junior Secondary Mathematics Education)
  • EDME393 (Junior Secondary Mathematics Education)
  • EDME394 (Senior Secondary Mathematics Education)
  • EDME395 (Senior Secondary Mathematics Education)
  • EDLT516 (Instructional Designs and Cognitive Load Theories of Learning)

Research Interests

  • Expanding on John Sweller’s cognitive load theory, I have provided my own theorization of what is known as ‘element interactivity’ to distinguish not only the complexity of learning materials but also the relative efficiency of instructional approaches.
  • Conceptualize new understanding to improve Mathematics Education and quality student learning experiences (e.g., contribute to the theoretical concept of element interactivity to assess the cognitive load involved in the learning process).
  • Comparing instructional approaches generated by the design principles of cognitive load theory, learning by analogy and learning by comparison from an element interactivity perspective
  • Conceptualize new theories in Educational Psychology (e.g., the theory of human optimization, which may explain students’ ‘optimal best’ learning experience in mathematics)
  • Examining Instructional efficiency, cognitive load, prior knowledge, levels of learner expertise, belief in optimal best practice.
  • Investigating cognitive load, element interactivity, and instructional approaches, and cross-cultural mathematics education.
  • Examining the alignment between varying levels of instructional effectiveness (cognitive dimension) and varying levels of motivational belief (non-cognitive dimension).
  • Knowledge and expertise in quantitative methodological designs which include both longitudinal studies and randomized experimental studies in intact classrooms.

Research Supervision Experience

  • Instructional Design and Cognitive Load Theory
  • Academic and Non-Academic Aspects of Students’ Well-being
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Quantitative Methodological Designs
  • Mathematics Education

Publications

Selected publications

For Bing’s full list of publications, refer to https://rune.une.edu.au/web/simple-search?location=researcherprofiles&query=Bing+Ngu&rpp=50&sort_by=score&order=desc

Sample Publications Only

Book Chapters

  1. Ngu, B. H., & Phan, H. P. (2020). An Examination of pre-Service   teachers’ content knowledge on linear equations: A Cross-culturalIn R. V. Nata (Ed.), Progress in education (Vol. 64, pp. 1-34) New York, NY: Nova.
  2. Ngu, B., Phan, H., Wang, H.-W., Shih, J.-H., Shi, S.-Y., & Lin, R.-Y. (2019). Best practice in mathematics learning: A theoretical-conceptual discussion for consideration. In R. V. Nata (Ed.), Progress in Education (Vol. 55, pp. 79 -112). New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
  3. Ngu, B. H., & Phan, H. P. (2018). Achievement Bests framework, cognitive load theory, and equation solving. In O. B. Cavero (Ed.), New pedagogical challenges in the 21st Century (pp. 287-306). Rijeka, Croatia: InTech Open Science | Open Minds.

Journal Articles

  1. Ngu, B. H. and H. P. Phan (2023). Differential instructional effectiveness: overcoming the challenge of learning to solve trigonometry problems that involved algebraic transformation skills. European journal of psychology of education 38(4): 1505-1525.
  2. Ngu, B. H., et al. (2023). Instructional efficiency: The role of prior knowledge and cognitive load. Applied Cognitive Psychology 37(6): 1223-1237.
  3. Ngu, B. H. and H. P. Phan (2022). Advancing the study of solving linear equations with negative pronumerals: A smarter way from a cognitive load perspective." PLOS One 17(3): e0265547.
  4. Ngu, B. H. and H. P. Phan (2022). Developing problem-solving expertise for word problems. Frontiers in Psychology 13. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.725280
  5. Ngu, B. H. and H. P. Phan (2021). Learning linear equations: capitalizing on cognitive load theory and learning by analogy. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology: 1-17. DOI: 10.1080/0020739X.2021.1902007
  6. Ngu, B. H. and H. P. Phan (2020). Learning to solve trigonometry problems that involve algebraic transformation skills via learning by analogy and learning by comparison. Frontiers in Psychology 11(2590). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.558773
  7. Phan, H. P., Ngu, B. H., & Yeung, A. S. (2019). Optimization: In-depth examination and proposition. Frontiers in Psychology, 10(1398). doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01398
  8. Ngu, B. H., Yeung, A. S., Phan, H. P., Hong, K. S., & Usop, H. (2018). Learning to solve challenging percentage-change problems: A cross-cultural study from a cognitive load perspective. The Journal of Experimental Education. doi: 10.1080/0020973.2017.134774
  9. Ngu, B. H., Phan, H. P., Yeung, A. S., & Chung, S. F. (2018). Managing element interactivity in equation solving. Educational Psychology Review, 1-18. doi: 10.1007/s10648-016-9397-8.
  10. Phan, H. P., Ngu, B. H., & Yeung, A. S. (2017). Achieving optimal best: Instructional efficiency and the use of cognitive load theory in mathematical problem solving. Educational Psychology Review29(4), 667-692. doi: 10.1007/s10648-016-9373-3
  11. Ngu, B. H. and H. P. Phan (2016). "Unpacking the complexity of linear equations from a cognitive load theory perspective." Educational Psychology Review 28: 95-118. DOI: 10.1007/s10648-015-9298-2

Books

  1. Phan, H. P., & Ngu, B. H. (2019). Teaching, Learning and Psychology. Docklands, Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
  2. Hine, G., et al. (2021). Teaching Secondary Mathematics, Port Melbourne, Cambridge University Press.

Memberships

Editorial Board member for PloS One, which ismultidisciplinary journal.

Consultancy Interests

  • Learning theories, Instructional designs and Mathematics Education
  • Optimal best achievement and appropriate instructional designs