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Biography
Jaya Kumar graduated from University Putra Malaysia with a BSc in Biotechnology and from University Kebangsaan Malaysia with an MSc in Genetics. He also has a Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers as well as a Postgraduate Certificate for Higher Education from the University of Nottingham Malaysia. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Psychology at the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM), studying the effects of stereotype threat on students within a classroom setting.
He taught A Level, UNSW Foundation Year and AUSMAT Biology for 7 years prior to joining UNM to teach Biology in the Foundation in Science. He currently Heads the Foundation in Science in UNM.
Jaya Kumar is also a Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy (now know as Advance HE) and the coordinator for the Nottingham Recognition Scheme in UNM. His interest in teaching and learning has also led to his involvement in the Teaching and Learning Observation College.
Expertise Summary
Biology, Genetics, Stereotypes and Prejudice, Social Psychology, Stereotype Threat, Stereotype Inoculation, Role Model Effect
Teaching Summary
Previously taught on these courses in the Foundation in Science and School of Psychology:
- SCIFF005 Cells & Molecules
- SCIFF006 Ecology, Energy and the Environment
- SCIFF007 Genetics & Living Systems
- SCIFF022 Biomolecules & Genetics
- SCIFF012 Laboratory Practicals in Science
- SCIFF019 Study Skills for Science
- C83SIP The Self and Intergroup Processes
Currently teaching on the following modules:
- SCIFF024 Biology 1
- SCIFF025 Biology 2
- SCIFF019 Academic & Professional Skills for Foundation
I also co-convene an NAA module, Students as Change Agents (NAA1189).
Research Summary
Understanding psychological barriers to healthy interactions between students and teachers is vital in order to promote a positive classroom experience. One crucial factor that might contribute to… read more
Selected Publications
KARUNAGHARAN, J. K. and OWUAMALAM, C. K., 2017. Do outgroup teachers enhance or diminish academic outcomes of stereotyped students relative to ingroup teachers? In: 18th General Meeting of The European Association of Social Psychology. 130
OWUAMALAM, C. K., WEERABANGSA, M. M.,, KARUNAGHARAN, J. K., and RUBIN, M., 2016. Chip on the shoulder? The hunchback heuristic predicts the attribution of anger to low status groups and calm to high status groups Cogent Psychology. 3(1), 1210998 KARUNAGHARAN, J. K., 2015. Shedding light on the Stereotype Inoculation Model by infusing predictions from the Stereotype Content Model. In: the British Psychological Society Development Section and Social Section Annual Conference 2015.
Current Research
Understanding psychological barriers to healthy interactions between students and teachers is vital in order to promote a positive classroom experience. One crucial factor that might contribute to classroom experience is the fear of making mistakes. But we know very little about the conditions under which such fears become particularly salient, the psychological mechanisms underlying them, and possible vaccines against such incapacitating mind-set. Therefore, my PhD is exploring inter alia, the implications of social category salience, meta-stereotyping and teaching style on Malaysian students' classroom participation. In the end, I expect to integrate assumptions derived from the social identity theory and stereotype inoculation model into a richer framework explaining classroom experience amongst students.