As a teacher educator in the field of curriculum and instruction, Dr Lam sees teaching not simply as a transfer of knowledge but as the ability to create conditions conducive to instilling in students the desire to pursue knowledge on their own. As a teacher, Dr Lam sees her roles as a catalyst and a guide who encourages students to think, be intuitive and be analytical in the discovery of their inner selves and the intricacies of a good life.

Dr Lam is a reflective practitioner with a strong belief in “authentic learning”. She considers that “the best place for teacher to learn is from the workplace and its people” and that teaching is even more enjoyable when students can learn authentically from her real-life teaching practice. She places great importance on the values behind technical expertise as the soul of teaching.

Dr Lam impresses her students with her “potent and indefinable power” and the rhythm of activities going on in the classroom. She demonstrates the effective use of interactive pedagogy to engage learners in dialectical thinking. She is able to fluently and organically manage the integration of multiple means to design and present her lessons in interesting and creative ways that engage learners. Dr Lam consistently receives very positive comments from students. She has been described as an inspirational teacher and a “veritable expert” in the subject she teaches.

Dr Lam’s teaching excellence is evidenced by the awards she has received – the Faculty of Education Studies Excellence in Teaching Award 2009/10 and a certificate awarded by the UGC for being one of the six finalists selected for an interview for the UGC Teaching Award in 2011.

The outstanding quality of this outstanding teacher is not only characterised by her desire to teach, but also by her desire to learn. Devoting herself to continuous improvement, Dr Lam has been videotaping her own class delivery since 2007 for self-evaluation and analysis, generating a treasure trove of research ideas and teaching materials.

Dr Lam is a prolific researcher and writer in the field of curriculum and instruction. She has taken up the leadership of a number of pedagogical-based and teacher studies in such areas as “mass lectures and tutorials” and “studying exemplary teachers’ knowledge”.