PESS Research

Physical Education & Sports Science (PESS) has a vibrant research culture involving all academic staff who actively pursue major research grants- a major interdisciplinary collaboration with the Ministry of Education has just been approved. There are currently 30 post-graduate students researching in physical education and sports science. Applied psychology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, health and wellness, pedagogy and sports studies are well-established research fields and motor-control/development and coaching are emerging as strong contenders..

PESS has state-of the art equipment in the laboratories plus significant resources for audio and videotaping as well as software for behaviour analysis. Hardware includes a Quinton treadmill, metabolic cart and electrocardiograph; BodPod; dual energy x-ray absorptiometer; dry chemistry analyser; Cybex 6000 strength dynamometer; force platforms; Peak Video motion analysis system; electromyograph system; Monark and Repco ergometers. There are 20 academic staff, 11 post-graduates and research students and 3 technicians involved in the research of the School.

NB. It is important that all applicants to programmes by research (Masters and PhD) in physical education or sports science should first contact PESS directly to establish feasibility as well as an appropriate research supervisor before submitting their application to NIE. As our faculty is small and our discipline diverse, it is necessary to negotiate a common understanding and supervisor availability. Once nominated, a supervisor will guide a student towards submitting a thorough and well formulated proposal.

This procedure should prevent a futile submission from suitably qualified applicants in the event that no supervisor is available for that discipline or no appropriate proposal has been prepared.

Completed Research : Latest Publications/Presentations by Author

Ast/P Balasekaran	Ast/P Chow Jia Yi	Ast/P C Kunalan
Ast/P Clara Tan	Ast/P Harry Tan	Ast/P Thomas Browne
A/P Joan Fry	Ast/P John Tan	A/P John Wang
Ast/P Kim Chung Gon	Mr Koh Koon Teck	Ast/P Goh-Leong Lai Keun
A/P Michael Chia	A/P Michael McNeill	Mr Ng Kean Mun
A/P Nick Aplin	Ast/P Patricia Wong	Ast/P Pyun Do Young
Dr Swarup Mukherjee	A/P Steven Tan	A/P Teo-Koh Sock Miang

If you wish to obtain further details about the Physical Education and Sports Science, please visit PESS Faculty web site.

For those interested in applying for admission as a higher degree candidate, return to: Research Programmes at NTU for Application Forms On-Line and Research Scholarships and other relevant information.

Sport Pedagogy Sport Science Sport Studies

Best practice
       Effective teaching
       Games teaching
       Programme design
Children's perceptions

Coaching

Dance education

Special needs

Teacher socialization
Biomechanics
Exercise physiology
     Biochemistry
     Kinanthropometry

Health education

Motor control/ development

Sport Sociology
     Social psychology of sport
     Sport history
     Women & sport

Olympism

Sport management

Sport psychology

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Best Practice	Research in this area covers the development of effective teaching and coaching with particular attention ascribed to harnessing the roles of game-sense and performance. Curriculum balance and programme design are also features of our research interests.
Researchers
Best Practice:	Ast/P Clara Tan Wee Keat	clara.tan@nie.edu.sg
	A/P Joan Fry	joan.fry@nie.edu.sg
	A/P Michael C.McNeill	michael.mcneill@nie.edu.sg
	A/P Steven Tan Kwang San	steven.tan@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P Thomas Browne	thomas.browne@nie.edu.sg
Children's Perceptions:	Ast/P Clara Tan Wee Keat	clara.tan@nie.edu.sg
Children's Perceptions:	A/P Joan Fry	joan.fry@nie.edu.sg
Coaching:
	Ast/P C Kunalan	kunalan.c@nie.edu.sg
	Mr Gurmit Singh	gurmit.singh@nie.edu.sg
	Mr Koh Koon Teck	koonteck.koh@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P Thomas Browne	thomas.browne@nie.edu.sg
Special Needs:	A/P Teo-Koh Sock Miang	sockmiang.teo@nie.edu.sg
Teacher Socialization:	A/P Steven Tan Kwang San	steven.tan@nie.edu.sg

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Dance Education	Research in Dance education focuses on children's and young people's perceptions of dance, examining their thoughts and feelings through their pictures and stories about dancing.
Researcher:	Ast/P Leong Lai Keun	laikeun.leong@nie.edu.sg

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Biomechanics	The research emphasis at PESS is in applied sports biomechanics. Current research in the biomechanics group focuses on applications within several sports, namely: sepak takraw, badminton, track and field, gymnastics, swimming and soccer. In addition to sports biomechanics, human movement studies (such as the effects of backpack loading on gait, and the kinematics as well as kinetics of jumps) are also being investigated in the laboratory. The use of information technology in the teaching of biomechanics and gymnastics, isokinetic dynamometry, the optimization and simulation of sports techniques, equipment design and testing are areas that we are currently developing at PESS. In addition, we conduct research mentorship programmes for students attending Secondary Schools, Junior Colleges, Polytechnics as well as for those in the Gifted Education programme.
Researchers:
	Ast/P John Tan Cher Chay	john.tan@nie.edu.sg
	Mr Ng Kean Mun	keanmun.ng@nie.edu.sg

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Exercise Physiology	The research team focus at PESS is multi-faceted. Human factor and performance studies look at physiological & metabolic indicators of high intensity intermittent exercise of elite athletes, as well as large-scale healthy lifestyle projects at population level and kinanthropometry projects at national and international levels. Also investigated are the physiology, biochemistry and genetic aspects of metabolism, nutritional medicine, immunology & cognitive function in various exercise states and diseases, involving obese individuals, patients with kidney disease and cardiac patients. The research team also develops textbooks and software applications for different education and research purposes in health education, paediatric physiology and coaching, clinical science, body composition and nutrition.
Researchers:
	Ast/P Balasekaran	govindasamy.b@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P C Kunalan	kunalan.c@nie.edu.sg
	A/P Michael Chia	michael.chia@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P Patricia Wong	pat.wong@nie.edu.sg
	Dr Swarup Mukherjee	swarup.mukherjee@nie.edu.sg

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Motor Control	Studies in motor-control are currently investigating: 1) the association between quadriceps muscle weakness and acute/chronic injuries in the knee joint as well as 2) the role of nonlinear pedagogy in the acquisition of skills in the context of physical education and sports. For the former research, force distribution patterns, coordination patterns of three leg joints' angles, and EMG patterns on leg muscles are being measured and analyzed during landing in relation to quadriceps muscle strength. For the latter research, a multi-articular lower limb interceptive task, soccer chip, is being used to investigate changes in coordination as a consequence of the interaction between key task, performer and environmental constraints.
Researchers:	Ast/P Chow Jia Yi	jiayi.chow@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P Kim Chung Gon	jeoungkon.kim@nie.edu.sg
	A/P Quek Jin Jong	jinjong.quek@nie.edu.sg
	A/P Teo-Koh Sock Miang	sockmiang.teo@nie.edu.sg

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Sport Sociology	Current research focuses on the historical development of sports excellence and sport for all in Singapore. Main elements included are sport in nation building, gender issues, socialization and role models, sport in an ability driven education system, and the growing influence of the Olympic Movement.
Researchers:	A/P Nicholas G. Aplin	nicholas.aplin@nie.edu.sg
Researchers:	Ast/P Harry Tan	harry.tan@nie.edu.sg

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Sport Management	Current interests in sport management research includes: 1) organisational effectiveness and quality management of sport organisations, 2) leadership in sport, 3) strategy of sport organizations 4) consumption of sport products and sport consumer behaviour 5) conflict management
Researchers:
	Mr Mohamed Azhar	azhar.yusof@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P Pyun Do Young	doyoung.pyun@nie.edu.sg

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Sport Psychology	Sport psychology research in PESS centres generally on themes such as 1) determinants of physical activity and inactivity, 2) physical activity and psychological well-being, 3) understanding human motivation in sport and exercise, through achievement goals, self-determination theory and ability-related beliefs, 4) outcomes associated with different motivational orientations, such as affective responses and intentions, and 5) relevant applications for youth sport. One specific topic being investigated is perfectionism in sport, including its dimensions, domain specificity, and its relationship with anxiety, attributions, and specific cultural contexts, while another area of interest lies in the relationship between coach behaviours and athlete experiences.
Researchers:
	Mr Eugene Chew	eugene.chew@nie.edu.sg
	A/P John Wang Chee Keng	john.wang@nie.edu.sg
	Ast/P Harry Tan	harry.tan@nie.edu.sg

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( Last updated on 25 March 2009)