Short Bio
Prof. Kuok received his PhD degree in Psychology from the University of Macau as well as the higher education program in the Universidade de Coimbra. Besides teaching the University of Saint Joseph, He has had teaching and research experience in other international and local higher education institutes, namely, Edinburgh Napier University, University of Macau, Institute for Tourism Studies and Macao Polytechnic Institute. His major research interests are psychology, organizational behavior and management, topics such as satisfaction, commitment and engagement at work, as well as studies related to the hospitality industry and education system at Macao. His current researches are mainly related to resilence and work engagement.
For academic services, he serves as a reviewer of Psychology Reports, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Asia Pacific Journal of Education, International Journal of Hospitality Management, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Chinese Management Studies, Tourism Management, and Journal of Career Development.
Publications
Kuok, A.C.H., Teixeira, V., Forlin, C., Monteiro, E., & Correia, A. (in press).The effect of self-efficacy and role understanding on teachers’ emotional exhaustion and work engagement in inclusive education in Macao (SAR). Irish Educational Studies. (SSCI Journal)
Kuok, A.C.H., & Lam, S.M.I. (in press). The antecedents of In-service teachers’ burnout in a casino dominant economy. KEDI Journal of Educational Policy. (SSCI Journal)
Monteiro, E., Kuok, A.C.H, Correia, A., Forlin, C., & Teixeira, V. (2018).Perceived Efficacy of Teachers in Macao and their Alacrity to Engage with Inclusive Education. International Journal of Inclusive Education. DOI:10.1080/13603116.2018.1514762 (SSCI Journal)
Teixeira, V., Correia, A., Monteiro, E., Kuok, A.C.H., & Forlin, C. (2018). Placement, inclusion, law and teachers’ perceptions in Macao’s schools. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 22(9), 1014-1032. DOI: 10.1080/13603116.2017.1414318 (SSCI Journal)
Kuok, A.C.H., & Taormina, R.J. (2017). Work engagement: Evolution of the concept and a new inventory. Psychological Thought, 10(2), 262-287. DOI:10.5964/psyct.v10i2.236
Kuok, A.C.H. (2017). Insights for management among non-gaming industries: Employees’ dissonance in a casino dominant economy. Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 33(1), 33-39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rpto.2016.12.003 (SSCI Journal)
Correia, A., Teixeira, V., Monteiro, E., & Kuok, A.C.H. (2017). Inclusive education in Macau: Teachers' perceptions and attitudes. Macau: University of Saint Joseph Press.
Kuok, A.C.H., & Taormina, R.J. (2015). Conflict between affective versus continuance commitment among casino dealers. Evidence-based HRM: a Global Forum for Empirical Scholarship, 3(1), 46-63.
Kuok, A. C. H., & Taormina, R. J. (2013). Work engagement: The creation and validation of a new measure: Proceedings of the International Conference on Advances in Social Science, Humanities, and Management, Guangzhou China, 2013, Amsterdam: Atlantis Press.
Taormina, R.J., Kuok, A.C.H., & Wei, W. (2012). Social capital as dehumanizing terminology. Advances in Applied Sociology, 2(2), 143-148.
Taormina, R.J., & Kuok, A.C.H. (2009). Factors related to casino dealer burnout and turnover intention in Macau: Implications for casino management. International Gambling Studies, 9(3), 275-294. (SSCI Journal)
Conference Papers
Kuok, A.C.H. (2016). Employees’ Dissonance in non-gaming industries A Casino Dominant Economy. 2016 Global Conference of Education and Psychology, Hong Kong, China.
Kuok, A.C.H., & Taormina, R.J. (2013).Work Engagement: The Creation and Validation of a New Measure. 2013 International Conference on Advances in Social Science, Humanities, and Management. Guangzhou, China
Modules
Year 1 Master
Taking as its basis an understanding of the psychology of groups and the social structure of the workplace, this course provides students with the skills required to facilitate harmony and well-being within the workplace. The course relates aspects of decision making in groups, group polarization and ‘groupthink’ to an individuals sense of belonging and purpose within the working environment. The course provides a sound practical understanding of mediation processes between both individuals and groups within the workplace and the strategies and techniques employed to facilitate the resolution of workplace issues and conflicts. The psychological consequences of prejudicial attitudes such as sexism within the workplace are also explored, as well as practical approaches to dealing with prejudice and stereotyping. Ethical issues relating to problems within the workplace will also examined, such as whether problems should be reported to managers or whether employee confidentiality should be respected.
Year 1 PGDE
這個課程將介紹嬰幼兒及其對教與學習相關的發展心理學的相關理論，以及以不同的策略支持和提高嬰幼兒在社會、情緒、心理和認知的技能。課程將探討一系列與兒童有關的心理和教育發展。學生將學習如何識別嬰幼兒之學習困難，以及如何與他人合作，讓所有的嬰幼兒可充分發揮其學習潛力。
Year 1 Bachelor
This course is a hands-on experience in conducting research and the scientific study of behavior. Students apply a variety of scientific methods to research problems in a number of content areas and are exposed to the research literature in these areas. Also included is instruction in the preparation of a formal research report. Students will be expected to conduct one empirical research study and to write one research proposal.
This course introduces the basic concepts of social psychology, which is the scientific study of the relationship between the individual and the social world. It aims to understand people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour in social situations, as well as how they are influenced by others around them.
This course is devoted to understanding basic developmental processes and the biological and experiential factors that influence children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. Research in the area of child development broadly focuses on three types of questions. One set of questions pertains to identifying and explaining the normative changes that all children experience (e.g., the acquisition of language). A second set of questions pertains to identifying and explaining individual differences in children’s development (e.g., why some children are more successful than others in their social relationships). The latter includes understanding why some children are at risk for developing psychopathology, as well as factors that affect obtaining treatment and outcomes of treatment. The third set of questions is aimed at understanding how cultural context influences developmental processes and child outcomes.
This module is an introduction to the basic concepts and procedures used in psychological research. It introduces the use of scientific methods in the investigation and analysis of psychological phenomena. The module emphasises the process of designing, conducting, analysing and interpreting research methods.
Year 2 Bachelor
The basic purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the theories, methods and topical subject matter of social psychology. The interaction between the individual and social groups within a cultural context: the individual in a social role, social groups, and social institutions. The course will cover such topics as aggression, interpersonal attraction, group behavior, persuasion, helping behavior, leadership behavior, group processes, group identity, negotiation and conflict, influence and decision making, as well as the study of how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people. Upon completion of the course you should be familiar with the principal theories of how attitudes are formed and changed, how and why individuals perceive others as they do, how they grow to like and dislike one another, the dynamics of group behavior, some causes for aggressive behavior, and other social psychological phenomena.
This module covers more advanced topics in research methods including complex design of studies such as cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. It emphasises applying the concepts of research methods to actual studies in psychological research as well as learning the skills and techniques for writing reports about psychological research.
When we study child development, we study our personal and collective past, whereas the study of aging focuses on our future. This course will examine the nature and causes of the psychological changes that accompany human aging. Theories concerning the biological, social, and cultural influences on aging will be considered. The course will examine patterns of change and stability over the adult years. We will ask whether the changes that occur are inevitable and irreversible. Particular emphasis will be placed on the changes in mental life that accompany advancing age, both as viewed from without by observers (including researchers) and from within by aging individuals themselves (in autobiographical accounts). The course will emphasize the ways in which people compensate for the losses that come with added years (including the general slowing of mental and motor processes, the deaths of loved ones) by taking advantage of the gains (including accumulated wisdom and perspective, additional leisure time).
This module provides an overview of the issues involved in research design and practice. Research is considered within its epistemological, social and political contexts, and questions of what research is for and how t can be assessed are considered. The formulation of a researchable question/hypothesis and translating it into an appropriate and practicable research design is explored. Various approaches to research are introduced and the process of conducting a project is examined. Attention is given to planning research, data collection, analysis and reporting.
Year 3 Bachelor
This module focuses on the analysis of human work behaviour at the individual, group and organizational levels. It emphasises the psychological aspects of interactions in organisational settings. Topics such as attitudes, job satisfaction, commitment, engagement, personality and values, perception and decision making, motivation, group behaviour, communication, leadership, conflict, political behaviour, and organisational culture will be discussed
The psychological problems of children who have hearing, speech, mental and personality deficits and of children who are culturally disadvantaged are explored, as well as characteristics of children of superior abilities, gifts and talents. A major purpose is to gain a functional understanding of these problems and of the procedures for helping to cope with them. The student is given the opportunity to gain firsthand experience with exceptional children in an observation of a special class in schools.
This course develops concepts and skills used in the development, selection, administration and interpretation of psychological tests and non-testing means of evaluation. Emphasis will be on the nature and function of measurement in psychology with concentration on test construction problems and procedures and an examination of some typical tests in the fields of intelligence, personality, aptitudes, abilities, and interests.
Year 4 Bachelor
As an integral part of the Licenciate studies, all undergraduate students at IIUM are required to prepare and present a portfolio of their work. The portfolio is assembled over the entire duration of their undergraduate studies, and is to consist of selected pieces of work that they have produced during their studies. A student’s portfolio may contain examples of assignment work, tests and examination answer scripts, presentations and project reports, and other work done by the student during his or her studies.
Building upon the students’ knowledge of research methods and the analaysis of data from research studies in psychology, this module will require students to conduct their own research project proposal to explore a research question selected from a range of different topics derived from the psychology literature. Students will be organised into groups under the leadership of a member of faculty who will guide them through the process of developing, conducting and reporting on their own research project. Students will need to submit a written project report and also to make an oral presentation of their project and answer questions related to their project.
Students will explore the following issues: (a) Psychological approach to the concept of work; (b) Study of the characteristics of workers; (c) Study of the characteristics of the work environment.
Students are expected to be conversant with some of the most pertinent literature of and for our times. Even though we disavow the relative merits of fixed lists of works considered classics, we do affirm the intrinsic value of communal reading and theorizing. Reading lists will be defined and evolve through proposals from faculty and students.
