About

I began my career as a highschool mathematics teacher in Vancouver, Canada. My education background reflects my strong passion in the field of mathematics education:

  • PhD in Mathematics Education, Simon Fraser University
  • MEd in Curriculum and Instruction, University of British Columbia
  • BEd in Secondary Mathematics Education, University of British Columbia
  • BA in Mathematics (First Class Honours), University of British Columbia

Currently, I serve as an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Since 2022, I have taken up the role of Programme Coordinator for the Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Mathematics Education (BMED) Programme. I am a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Mathematical Behavior (Elsevier), Journal of Educational Computing Research (Sage), and Digital Experience in Mathematics Education (Springer), and Journal for STEM Education Research (Springer), and most recently, Educational Studies in Mathematics (Springer)

My research interests are informed by research on the interaction between technological and mathematical evolution, and by emerging literature on new ways of doing, communicating, and representing mathematics as afforded by technology innovations.: (1) technology-enhanced teaching and learning in mathematics classrooms, (2) constructionist learning and computational thinking education, and (3) multimodality in mathematics discourse.

In turn, I have been investigating teachers’ and students’ mathematical discourse as situated in technologically-enhanced learning environments. As shown in my research, this type of discourse is often rich in a multimodal sense, involving both verbal and non-verbal communication, such as gestures. In particular, I developed and coined the term ‘learning as Making’ (Ng & Chan, 2019) to explicate the new opportunities entailed by engaging learners in constructionist practices with emergent technologies (e.g. 3D printing, programmable electronics, etc). My research projects has been acknowledged and funded by Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC):

  1. Principal Investigator (2019-Present). The Effects of Implementing a ‘Learning as Making’ Pedagogy on School Mathematics Learning: Primary Students’ Inquiry-based Making with 3D Printing Pens. Funded by Research Grant Council (Hong Kong), Early Career Scheme ($499,381 HKD).
  2. Principal Investigator (2020-present). Mathematical Problem Solving through Digital Making: Envisioning a Computationally Enhanced Mathematics Curriculum in Hong Kong’s Primary and Secondary Schools. Funded by the Research Grants Council (Hong Kong), General Research Fund ($638,908 HKD). 
  3. Principal Investigator (2022-present). Supporting Hong Kong ethnic minority learners’ multimodal mathematics learning through responsive teaching in technology-enhanced environments. Funded by the Research Grants Council (Hong Kong), General Research Fund ($424,000 HKD).

Besides, I actively collaborate with scholars on other research projects, including a GRF project on dialogic mathematics classroom discourse (Ng et al., 2020b; Ng et al., 2021; Ni et al., 2017; Ni et al., 2021) and a World University Network (WUN) project comprising of researchers from seven universities in five continents, who are working with curriculum experts and disciplinary specialists in mathematics, climate science and indigenous knowledge, in order to develop curricula innovations in mathematics education in response to climate and education for sustainability (Brown et al., 2020; de Freitas et al., 2022; Helliwell & Ng, 2022; Ng et al., 2020c). My ongoing research will fill the research gap with regard to the changing nature of knowledge, learning and pedagogy in the digital age. I welcome collaborations with scholars and potential graduate students interested in relevant lines of research on exploring the impact of different forms of technology-enhanced environments on school mathematics and STEM learning. 

Research Grants

See my research grants record here.

Research Output

See my publications and conference presentations record here.

Awards and Fellowships

  • Young Researcher Award 2020 – The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Best Presentation Award (2019) – International Conference on Advances in STEM Education 2019. [Presentation title: Developing computational thinking and mathematical problem solving through digital Making.]
  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Post-Doctoral Fellowship (2016) – University of Calgary
  • Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Doctoral Fellowship (2014-2016) – Simon Fraser University
  • Graduate Fellowship (2012-2014) – Simon Fraser University
  • Minor Travel and Research Award (2013) – Simon Fraser University
  • Craig Newell Memorial Mathematics Education Scholarship (2013) – Simon Fraser University
  • First Class Graduate Distinction (2003) – University of British Columbia
  • Chan Tat Chee Memorial Education Abroad Scholarship (2002) – University of British Columbia
  • Dean’s List (2001) – University of British Columbia
Young Researcher Award 2020