Sima Aghazadeh
Educator/Academic
Singapore
Summary
Dynamic Lecturer with more than 10 years of successful academic experience. Known for interesting lectures with helpful supporting materials, detail-oriented classroom management, and multidisciplinary orientation. Dedicated to individual student success and comprehensive understanding, adapting to feedback when necessary.
Work History
Part-time lecturer
School of Humanities-NTU
1 2024 - Current
- Lecturing literary courses (including Contemporary Women’s Writing & American Modernism) to undergraduate students
- Created and designed quizzes, tests and projects to assess student knowledge
- Increased student interest by incorporating real-world examples into lessons and connecting material to relevant experiences
- Designed lesson plans and curriculum to meet academic objectives
Freelance researcher
09.2020 - 12.2023
- Accompanying my husband in a diplomatic mission
Research Fellow
Office of Educational Research, National Institute of Education of Singapore (NIE)
11.2017 - 09.2020
- Wrote and published 3 working papers (2 solo, 1 collaborative) in the NIE Working Paper Series; Oversaw the day-to-day operations of the NIE Working Paper Series by synthesizing and analyzing local and international research around specific research areas to a variety of audiences/stakeholders, including MOE; Engaged directly in the projects on inquiry-based learning and assessment of 21st century skills.
- Conducted comprehensive literature reviews to identify knowledge gaps and inform future studies
- Facilitated strong communication among team members through regular meetings, progress reports, and open channels of dialogue
Head of Academic Affairs and Senior Lecturer
Innovative International College
04.2014 - 05.2016
- Provided academic leadership to program leaders and lecturers; Developed and conducted internal curriculum reviews for existing programs to ensure content was current and relevant, based on MQF standards (Malaysian Qualifications Framework); Led the academic team in developing curriculum, course structure and assessment, and achieving full accreditation for two new programs (Diploma in Hotel Management & Diploma in Islamic Banking); Conducted academic meetings (with staff & students), orientations, and planned training and workshops (for staff and students) to enhance the quality of education offered in the college; Member of Board of Academic & Board of Exam.
- Delivered higher-level undergraduate and graduate courses via classroom, online and hybrid methodologies to satisfy course curricula and meet student needs
- Designed course materials such as syllabi, lecture notes, assignments aligned with both programmatic outcomes as well as course-specific objectives
- Engaged in continuous professional development through attending workshops, webinars, and conferences to stay current with industry trends and best practices in higher education
- Evaluated success of teaching methods via regular collection of feedback from both peers and students
- Collaborated with faculty and staff to create meaningful learning experiences
Head of English Department and Lecturer
Innovative International College
03.2012 - 03.2014
- Built up and developed English Department, designing the curriculum, syllabus, and assessment for Intensive English courses (from Basic to IELTS Preparation) as well as for General English courses for Diploma & Undergraduate programs; Set, collected, analyzed and evaluated assessment data and ensured that data was used effectively within the department to inform appropriate intervention following formative assessments; Tailored and applied pedagogy that would attend to different learnings of the students; Provided active leadership for all those involved in teaching or supporting the English department, which included mentoring, collaborating, motivating and providing relevant training.
Visiting Lecturer
Faculty of Foreign Languages, Department of English Language and Literature, Tehran University
09.2007 - 01.2008
Lecturer
Faculty of English Literature, Ershad Non-Profit University
01.2002 - 01.2008
- Designed and developed two new literary courses (British & American Novels & Women’s Fiction) in the course structure of Bachelor in English Literature; Taught literary courses including developing assessments, reviewed textbooks and other course supplemental materials, and guided/assisted students in doing research and project papers; Assisted the Head of Department in developing course structures, semester planning, and enrolment.
ESL (English as Second Language) Instructor
Tehran University JD Language Center
09.2000 - 12.2001
- Promoted a positive learning environment by establishing clear expectations and maintaining consistent classroom management techniques
- Tracked student progress, frequently checking in with struggling students and identifying root causes of problems
- Implemented reading and writing workshops to increase student literacy and support school reading programs
Education
Ph.D. - English Literature, Literary Feminism & Gender Theories & Postmodern Fiction
01.2008 - 04.2012
- Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- Thesis: A Feminist Revision of Jungian Individuation in Selected Novels of Doris Lessing
Master of Arts - English Language & Literature, Literature of the Modern Age
01.2000 - 04.2002
- Faculty: Faculty of Foreign Languages
- Thesis: Myth of Loss of Paradise in the Modern Age
Bachelor of Arts - English Language & Literature
01.1996 - 04.1999
- Faculty: Faculty of Foreign Languages
Skills
Lecture development
Online Class Discussion
Academic Publication
Discussion Facilitation
Classroom Management
Lesson Planning
Presentations
- Representation of Gendered Self in Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook: A Feminist Revision of the Jungian Self, 2010 International Conferences on Humanities, Historical, and Social Sciences, Singapore, 2010-02-01
- Sufism as the Blooming Branch in Doris Lessing’s The Four-Gated City, Asian Conference on the Arts and Humanities, Osaka, Japan, 2010-06-01
- Language and Identity-construction in Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook, International Conference on Foreign Languages, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2010-01-01
- Narratives of Transnational Identities Represented by Muslim-American Women Writers, Academic Research Conference, Washington D.C., 2016-11-01
Degrees
- Ph.D.
- MA
- BA
Maritalstatus
Married
Spouse
Jeevan Singh
Spouseoccupation
Diplomat with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Children
1
Locations
07-06 343 Hillside, Singapore, 588196
Personal Information
Status: Singaporean
Teachingproficiency
- Nanyang Technological University, School of Humanities, American Modernism, Contemporary Women’s Writing
- Innovative International College, English Communication, Introduction to American Literature, Humanities (Core subjects for BSc in Business Administration), English Proficiency, English Communication, Business Communication (Core subjects for Diploma programs), Intensive English Program (10 levels from Beginner to Advanced, ESL program for non-native speaker adults), IELTS Preparation courses
- Tehran University, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Introduction to English Literature (Core subject for BA in English Literature), Literary Techniques and Terms (Core subject for BA in English Literature)
- Ershad Non-Profit University, Survey of English and American Literature (Core subject for BA in English Literature), Literary Techniques and Terms (Core subject for BA in English Literature), Literary Criticism (Core subject for BA in English Literature), The English Novel (Core subject for BA in English Literature)
- Tehran University JD English Center, Intensive English Program (12 levels from Beginner to Advanced, ESL program for non-native speakers)
Researchproficiency
- English & American Literature
- Literary Feminist & Gender Studies Theories
- Transnational Feminism
- Modern and Post-modern Novels
- Literature in ESL (English as a Second Language) Teaching
- Educational Research
- Inquiry-based learning
Publications
- Journal, One Thousand and One Nights at the Transnational Crossroads, Cultural Intertexts, 12.12, 9-18, 2022
- Journal, Gifted Learners and How to Develop Them, NIE Working Paper Series, NO. 21, 2021
- Journal, Inquiry-based learning and its impact on teaching and learning of the Humanities, NIE Working Paper Series, No. 19, 2021
- Journal, Moving Inquiry-Based Learning Forward: A meta-synthesis on inquiry-based classroom practices for pedagogical innovation and school improvement in the humanities and arts, Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 40.4, 552-575, 2020
- Journal, Assessment of 21st Century Skills, NIE Working Paper Series, No. 14, 2019
- Journal, Ageism & Gender Performativity in The Summer Before the Dark, Doris Lessing Society, 34, 21-26, 2016
- Journal, West Meets East in Doris Lessing’s Post-Apocalyptic Vision, The International Journal of Culture, Literature, and Criticism, Issue no. 14, 102-109, 2016
- Journal, Lessing’s Narrative Strategies in The Summer Before the Dark, Doris Lessing Society, 29, 2, 14-20, 2011
- Journal, Sexual-Political Colonialism and Failure of Individuation in Doris Lessing’s The Grass is Singing, Journal of International Women Studies, 12, January-February, 2011
- Journal, Feminist Revisionism of Jungian Theory of Individuation, The International Journal of Culture, Literature and Criticism, Issue no. 2, 86-94, 2010
- Journal, Representation of Gendered Self in Doris Lessing’s The Golden Notebook: A Feminist Revision of the Jungian Self, Proceedings of 2010 International Conferences on Humanities, Historical and Social Sciences, 298-302, 2010
References
- Dr. Jeanne Marie Ho, jeanne.ho@nie.edu.sg
- Dr. Su Soon Peng, Susp@um.edu.my
Training
- Postcolonial Translation, Asian Art Museum, University of Malaya, Malaysia, 2009-10-01
- Content Management System Training, Innovative International College, Malaysia, 2012-01-01
- Outcome-Based Education, High Q Consultant Training Center, 2012-05-01
- Creating Superior Study Skills, High Q Consultant Training Center, 2012-10-01
- Team-Building Workshop, Coral Consulting, 2012-12-01
- Eye on Learning (Student-Centered Education), Academic Development Center, University of Malaya, 2014-06-01
- Assessment & Testing, Academic Development Center, University of Malaya, 2014-06-01
Timeline
Freelance researcher -
09.2020 - 12.2023
Research Fellow - Office of Educational Research, National Institute of Education of Singapore (NIE)
11.2017 - 09.2020
Head of Academic Affairs and Senior Lecturer - Innovative International College
04.2014 - 05.2016
Head of English Department and Lecturer - Innovative International College
03.2012 - 03.2014
University of Malaya - Ph.D., English Literature, Literary Feminism & Gender Theories & Postmodern Fiction
01.2008 - 04.2012
Visiting Lecturer - Faculty of Foreign Languages, Department of English Language and Literature, Tehran University
09.2007 - 01.2008
Lecturer - Faculty of English Literature, Ershad Non-Profit University
01.2002 - 01.2008
ESL (English as Second Language) Instructor - Tehran University JD Language Center
09.2000 - 12.2001
Tehran University - Master of Arts, English Language & Literature, Literature of the Modern Age
01.2000 - 04.2002
Tehran University - Bachelor of Arts, English Language & Literature
01.1996 - 04.1999
Part-time lecturer - School of Humanities-NTU
1 2024 - Current