Dr Kean Poon | UNSW Research

My Expertise

Dr Kean Poon is an expert in the field of educational psychology and special education. She is a chartered educational psychologist of the British Psychological Society and a registered educational psychologist of the Hong Kong Association of Educational Psychologists. Dr. Poon is currently a senior lecturer in the School of Education at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Dr Poon obtained a doctoral degree from the University of Hong Kong, specializing in cognitive deficits in students with reading difficulties and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Her research interests are (1) executive function in special education; (2) adolescents with ADHD and/or RD; and (3) juvenile delinquency. She has published numerous research papers in peer-reviewed international journals and book chapters in the areas of executive function in children with ADHD as well as antisocial and moral behavior.

In addition to her publications, Dr Poon has also developed three evidence-based electronic training applications: i-maze, Task-switching, and the Mr Fox games, which are the first training apps to enhance executive function in Chinese children with special educational needs (SENs). She won the silver medals and special awards at the 2019 Silicon Valley International Invention Festival as well as at the 2020 and 2022 International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada. She was selected among the Top 10 best woman inventors of the competition. In recognition of her outstanding contributions in knowledge transfer to the local and international fields, Dr Poon was awarded the 2020/21 President’s Award for Outstanding in Knowledge Transfer.

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Special education and disability, Educational psychology

My Grants

Poon, K., Lee, H. M., & Cumming, T. (2024). A PRISMA-based systematic review on the efficacy of computerised cognitive training for students with special educational needs. School Research Grants.

Poon, K., & Lee, H. M. (2023). Computerised working memory training for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and/or reading difficulties. School Research Grants.

Poon, K. (2021). Effects of aerobic exercise and...view more

My Grants

Poon, K., & Lee, H. M. (2023). Computerised working memory training for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and/or reading difficulties. School Research Grants.

Poon, K. (2021). Effects of aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training on the mental health of adolescents living in poverty. UGC Research Matching Grant.

Poon, K. (2021). Working memory application for preschool children from low-income families. Innovation & Technology Fund.

Poon, K., & Ho, F. C. (2021). Web-based learning for students with diverse needs (reading and writing) at the junior secondary level (2021/22 school year). Quality Education Fund.

Poon, K., & Hui, W. (2021). Understanding and promoting the well-being of students with SENs. Beijing-Hong Kong Universities Alliance (BHUA) Activities Fund.

Liu, D., Leung, C. H., Poon, K., Lee, K., Lin, D., Wang, L-C., & XI, C. (2020). InnoTech for SEN students. Faculty Strategic Area Fund.

Poon, K. (2020). Examining the effectiveness of working memory training app in students with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and/or reading difficulties. EdUHK Block Grant Faculty Fund.

Poon, K. (2020). Mind and study matter: Tutoring and counseling programme. HSBC Private Banking and Asian Charity Services.

Poon, K. (2020). The Good Shepherd Project. Advance Children Medical and Education Foundation.

Poon, K., & Ho, F. C. (2020). Web-based learning for students with diverse needs (reading and writing) at the junior secondary level (2020/21 school year). Quality Education Fund.

Yum, Y. N., Poon, K., & Lau, W. K. W. (2020). Effectiveness of music therapy in social skill intervention for children with ASD/ID: A randomized controlled trial. Health and Medical Research Fund.

Cheung, K. C. K., Chou, K. L., Leung, B. W., & Poon, K. (2019). Enhancing executive functioning in children living in low-income families: Cantonese opera and social-emotional learning intervention. General Research Fund.

Poon, K. (2019). Developing an English version of the task-switching training app for adolescents with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. EdUHK Block Grant Faculty Fund.

Poon, K., Jiang, D., Liu, D., Wang, L-C., White, M., Andrews, B. (2019). The role of emotion regulation strategies in relation to executive function in Chinese and Australian adolescents with ADHD. EdUHK Faculty Research Fund.

Liu, D., Wang, L-C., Poon, K., Hong, L., Chen, X., Liu, S. (2018). Improving children’s Chinese literacy performance by developing an educational computer game for training morphological skills. Standing Committee on Language Education and Research / Language Fund.

Poon, K. (2018). Aggressive youth in Hong Kong: Subtypes, neuropsychological risk and intervention. Internal Research Grant.

Poon, K., & Yeung, C. K. (2018). Effect of aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training on the mental health of adolescents on Hong Kong. Departmental Seed Fund.

Kam, A. C. S., Chung, K. K-H., Lau, P., Poon, K., & Yuen, K. C. P., (2017). Intervention efficacy of assistive listening devices for Chinese children with Dyslexia: A randomized controlled trial. Health and Medical Research Fund.

Lau, M. K. W., Chou, K. L., Poon, K., & Cheung, K. C. K. (2017). Relationship between poverty and neurocognitive skills. Public Policy Research Funding Scheme.

Poon, K., Cheung, K. C. K., & Chou, K. L. (2016). Enhancing executive functioning of children living in poverty: A randomized experiment study. Public Policy Research Funding Scheme.

Poon, K., Wang, L-C. (2016). Working memory training in young children with ADHD and/or RD: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Collaborative Research Fund.

Poon, K. (2015). Development of hot and cool executive functions in Chinese delinquent adolescents. Internal Research Grant / Early Career Scheme.

Poon, K. (2015). The role of hot and cool executive functions in predicting risk-taking behavior in Chinese adolescents. Start-up Research Grant.

Poon, K. (2014). The role of hot and cool executive functions in predicting academic performance and behavior problems in Chinese adolescents. Internal Research Grant.

My Qualifications

PhD (HKU), MSA (CMU), BA (1st Class Honours; UBC)

CPsychol (BPS)

Registered Educational Psychologist (HKAEP)

My Awards

Best Woman Inventor Award, 7th International Invention Innovation Competition, iCAN 2022
Silver Medal for Educational Technology Innovation, 7th International Invention Innovation Competition, iCAN 2022
Canadian Special Award of Excellence, 7th International Invention Innovation Competition, iCAN 2022
2020/21 President’s Award for Outstanding Performance in Knowledge Transfer
Best Woman Inventor Award, 5th International Invention Innovation Competition, iCAN 2020
Silver Medal for Educational Technology Innovation, 5th International Invention Innovation Competition, iCAN 2020
Special Award, Toronto International Society of Innovation and Advanced Skills, 5^th International Invention Innovation Competition, iCAN 2020
Silver Medal for Educational Technology Innovation, Silicon Valley International Invention Festival 2019
2018/19 FEHD Top 10% Teaching Award
2016/17 FEHD Top 10% Teaching Award
2015/16 Departmental Award for the Achievement of High Student Evaluation of Teaching Scores

My Research Activities

My current research projects include:

Developing the executive function training package
Developing the preschool version of i-maze
Effects of aerobic exercise and high-intensity interval training on the mental health of adolescents living in poverty
The Good Shepherd Project: After-school tutoring program for low-income SEN students
Mind and Study Matter: Tutoring and Counselling Programme

My Research Supervision

Areas of supervision

Dr Poon welcomes current and prospective EdD / PhD students that align with her research agenda. Specific areas include:

Intervention strategies to improve executive function skills in students with special educational needs
Cognitive deficits associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, reading difficulties and the impact of their comorbidity
Juvenile delinquency

If you are interested, please email me (kean.poon@unsw.edu.au) in advance to discuss your proposed topic.

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