Teaching

Teaching 

Dr. Chung’s teaching philosophy centers on helping students appreciate the interdisciplinary approaches required to understand complex human behavior and the role of science in improving human life. She actively integrate her interdisciplinary research program—spanning motivation, cognition, emotion, and neural processes—into the classroom, using it as a platform to train students in scientific thinking and research skills. Through hands-on engagement, frequent assessment, and evidence-based practices (e.g., active learning, test-potentiated learning, and technology integration), Dr. Chung mentor students to critically evaluate knowledge, challenge biases, and develop the skills necessary to think and act as scientists. 

For example, in Psychoneuroendocrinology and Virtual Reality and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience courses, students engage in hands-on activities using wearable electroencephalography (EEG) devices and virtual reality (VR) technologies to explore how brain activity and physiological responses relate to cognition, emotion, and stress. Students also gain practical experience in collecting, visualizing, and interpreting physiological and behavioral data, connecting theoretical concepts to real-world scientific investigations. Through research-based assignments, collaborative discussions, and student-led presentations, she encourages students to formulate hypotheses, critically evaluate scientific evidence, and communicate research findings. She further incorporates evidence-based teaching strategies, including active learning, frequent low-stakes quizzes to promote retrieval practice, and technology-enhanced instruction, to reinforce learning and assess student understanding. By integrating interdisciplinary research with experiential learning, Dr. Chung aims to cultivate scientific curiosity, challenge preconceived assumptions, and equip students with the critical thinking, analytical, and practical research skills necessary to think and act as scientists.

Beyond classroom instruction, Dr. Chung is actively engaged in interdisciplinary curriculum development. She has developed new courses to support a proposed Minor in Cognitive Neuroscience, designed to bring together students from diverse academic backgrounds, including psychology, biology, computer science, and health-related disciplines. These courses aim to bridge foundational knowledge of brain–behavior relationships with hands-on training in neuroscience research methods, emerging technologies, and quantitative data analysis. By integrating theoretical instruction with practical applications, the proposed curriculum seeks to equip students with transferable technical, analytical, and research skills relevant to graduate education and careers in neuroscience, healthcare, technology, and other STEM-related fields. The newly developed courses, which Psychology faculty are expected to begin offering in Fall 2027, are listed below.

Through these combined efforts in teaching, research integration, and curriculum development, Dr. Chung aims to cultivate scientific curiosity, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and prepare students to think critically, conduct research, and apply scientific knowledge to real-world challenges.

Cognitive Neuroscience Minor Program (in progress)  

PSY 2500 Introduction to Cognitive Science 

PSY 2903 Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience 

PSY 3705 Lab Course in Cognitive Science 

PSY 3904 Psychoneuroendocrinology & Virtual Reality 

PSY 4555 Neurobiology of Mental Illness 

PSY 4600 Data Science in Psychology