Norman Lee Tiong Seng

Biography

Norman currently teaches programming at SUTD, teaching mainly first-year programming courses in Python and Java.

With a passion for teaching, he is interested in how classroom response questions can be used to teach programming concepts effectively and overcome student misconceptions. He is interested in the various issues related to teaching and learning in computing and higher education, including but not limited to assessment practices and learning design. He is also interested in learning analytics, especially in investigating the insights that can be gained by applying data-mining techniques to student data.

Prior to joining SUTD, he spent the past nine years teaching in the local polytechnic sector. In that time, he taught mainly mathematics and physics but also had opportunities to teach C++ programming, introductory data mining and mechanics of materials. He had taught at various levels, from diploma students to adult learners. He was also an adjunct lecturer with the Singapore Institute of Technology. He is familiar with pedagogies such as problem-based learning, peer instruction and the flipped classroom.

He completed a PhD in computational materials science at the National University of Singapore in 2010, employing software tools to investigate the mechanical properties of Sn-based intermetallic compounds using density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulation.

Updated: 3 July 2023.

Education

• PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2010
• B.Eng, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, 2002

Awards & Achievements

• Fellow, AdvanceHE, UK, 2020.
• The Crescendas Physics Medal and Prize (Polytechnic): Outstanding Physics Teacher Award, Institute of Physics, Singapore, 2014
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Singapore Polytechnic, 2011

Publications

• N. T. S. Lee, O. Kumiawan, K. T. Wei Choo, M. De Mari and S. Perrault, “Laboratory Activities for an Introductory Programming Course,” 2022 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment and Learning for Engineering (TALE), Hung Hom, Hong Kong, 2022, pp. 818-821, doi: 10.1109/TALE54877.2022.00152.
• Kurniawan, O., Jégourel, C., Lee, N. T. S., De Mari, M., Poskitt, C. M. (2022). Steps Before Syntax: Helping Novice Programmers Solve Problems using the PCDIT Framework. In Proc. Conference on Software Engineering Education and Training (CSEE&T’22): Special Track of Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS’22), pages 982–991. ScholarSpace, 2022. Article
• O. Kurniawan, N. T. S. Lee and N. Sockalingam, “Is Augmented Reality Robot as Effective as Physical Robot in Motivating Students to Learn Programming?,” 2021 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology & Education (TALE), 2021, pp. 1-8, doi: 10.1109/TALE52509.2021.9678820.
• Lee, N. T. S., Kurniawan, O. and Choo, K. T. W. (2021) “Assessing Programming Skills and Knowledge During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Experience Report”. In ITiCSE ’21: Proceedings of the 26th ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 1, 352–358. Article
• Norman Lee, and Oka Kurniawan and Kenny Choo (2020) “Assessing Programming Knowledge and Ability with an Online Exam”. In EduSCAPES: An SUTD Pedagogy Newsletter (2020).
• Kurniawan, O., Lee, N. T. S., and Poskitt, C. M. (2020) “Securing Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) Programming Exams”. In Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’20), 880–886. Article
• Oka Kurniawan, Norman Lee and Chris Poskitt (2019) “Ensuring Secure Programming Exams for “Digital World” “. In EduSCAPES: An SUTD Pedagogy Newsletter (2019).
• Lee, N.T.S & Kurniawan, O. (2019). Predicting At-Risk Students for an Introductory Programming Course: A pilot study. In Y. W. Chew, K. M. Chan, and A. Alphonso (Eds.), Personalised Learning. Diverse Goals. One Heart. ASCILITE 2019 Singapore (pp.178-185). Article
• Kurniawan, O., Lee, N.T.S., Sockalingam, N. & Pey, K.L. (2019). Game-Based versus Gamified Learning Platform in Helping University Students Learn Programming. In Y. W. Chew, K. M. Chan, and A. Alphonso (Eds.), Personalised Learning. Diverse Goals. One Heart. ASCILITE 2019 Singapore (pp. 159-168). Article
• Kurniawan, O., Lee, N. T. S., Datta, S., Sockalingam, N., & Pey, K. L. (2018). Effectiveness of Physical Robot Versus Robot Simulator in Teaching Introductory Programming. 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (TALE). 1251 – 1257. Article
• N. T. S. Lee, V.B.C Tan and K.M. Lim. “Structural and Mechanical properties of Sn-based intermetallics from ab initio calculations”. Applied Physics Letters, 89(14), 141908, 2007. Article.
• N. T. S. Lee, V.B.C Tan and K.M. Lim. “First-principles calculations of Structural and Mechanical properties of Cu6Sn5”. Applied Physics Letters, 88(3), 31913, 2006. Article
• E.H. Wong, K.M. Lim, N. Lee, S. Seah, C. Hoe and J. Wang. “Drop impact test – mechanics and physics of failure”. 4th Electronics Packaging Technology Conference, 327 – 333, 2002.