Dr Tan Poh Hiang

Profile

Poh Hiang started her teaching career in a secondary school, teaching Physics, Mathematics and Computer Applications to students from different streams and levels. As HOD/IT, Poh Hiang was responsible for the implementation of first IT MasterPlan in the school; and she was also involved in the pilot programs for new platforms like Integrated Examination Systems (IES) as well as TRAISI. In 2001, Poh Hiang was posted to Assessment and Research Division, which eventually became a statutory board and was renamed Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB). During her nine years in SEAB, Poh Hiang had a wide range of experiences from PSLE (Science) to A-level Physics Practical. Before she left SEAB for National Institute of Education (NIE) in 2010, Poh Hiang was the chief coordinator of O-level School-based Practical Assessment (SPA) at national level. As a teaching fellow in NIE, Poh Hiang taught pre-service and in-service courses from primary science to secondary school Physics. After her four year stint in NIE, she had the opportunity to teach science in a primary school for a year, during which she conducted several courses on item analysis for the teachers in her school as well as science teachers in her cluster schools. Poh Hiang has strong interest in assessment and is currently into her fifth year of part-time PhD which focuses on formative assessment in the primary science classrooms. Her research is funded by the Singapore Millennium Foundation and she has presented and published her findings in several international conferences and a book chapter. For her research, Poh Hiang was also awarded the 2014 NIE Dean’s commendation for research.

A Professional Sharing (local)

Presented ‘Assessment of Science Construct’ in SEAB Conference for Primary School Leaders (Feb 2008)
Presented ‘Assessment of Science Construct’ in SEAB Conference for Secondary School Leaders (Feb 2008)
Jointly conducted workshops on “Ideas to Items” with Mr Tan Yap Kwang in 2009.
Professional sharing on “Formative assessment in secondary science” to staff of Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (June 2013)
Professional sharing on “Assessment in Science” workshop for E2 Cluster schools in Temasek Primary School (August 2013)
Workshop on “Concept maps in the Primary Science Classroom” for teachers from different departments in New Town Primary School (February 2014)
Workshop on “Setting of Open-ended questions & multiple choice questions” in New Town Primary School (April 2014)
Workshops on item analysis “Knowing what students know… and don’t know” for S2 cluster schools (June – November 2014)

B Professional Sharing (International)

Paper on “An elementary science teacher’s views and enactment of formative assessment” accepted for presentation in 39th International Conference of International Association of Educational Assessment (IAEA). Tel Aviv, Israel, (20-24 Oct 2013).
Presented paper on “Primary science teachers’ views and enactment of formative assessment” in the 10th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA). Nicosia, Cyprus, (2-7 Sep 2013).
Professional sharing on “Formative assessment in inquiry-based science classroom” in the European Science Education Research Association (ESERA) Summer School. Bad Honnef, Germany, (22-27 Jul 2012).
Presented paper on “Factors affecting primary science teachers’ enactment of formative assessment: Reality and professional decision making” in 2012 International Conference of National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST). Indianapolis, United States, (25-28 Mar 2012).
Presented paper on “Assessing students’ learning of primary science in the multicultural context of Singapore: Considerations influencing task selection for formative assessment” in 37th International Conference of International Association of Educational Assessment (IAEA). Manila, Philippines, (23-28 Oct 2011).
Presented paper on ‘School-based Science Practical Assessment in Singapore’ in Science Colloquium – In and Out of Classroom organized by Mauritius Examinations Syndicate (MES), University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators (CASTME) in Mauritius (2007)

C Research projects

PhD research study on “How primary science teachers think about and enact formative assessment in the science classrooms”. Research is funded by Singapore Millennium Foundation.
Collaborator in “Science learning environment and assessment: Partnership for effective teaching and learning”. Project is funded by Singapore Millennium Foundation.

D Publications

Tan, P. H., & Tan, A.-L. (2014). Assessment concerns and science as inquiry in school. In A. L. Tan, C. L. Poon, and S. S. L. Lim (Eds.). Inquiry into the Singapore science classroom: Research and Practices. Rotterdem: Springer.
Tan, A.-L., & Tan, P. H. (2013, May). “Formative assessment in elementary science classroom: Issues and dilemma”. Paper presented at Redesigning Pedagogies International Conference 2013, Singapore.

E Featured in publication

Featured in SingTeach (Vol 27, Nov/Dec 2010) for work on extending thinking through hands-on inquiry.

F Professional Membership

Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA). United Kingdom.
Institute of Physics. Singapore

G Award

“Dean’s Commendation for Research 2014” by National Institute of Education.
2012 Nanyang Award (Teamwork) by Nanyang Technological University.