Dr. Ronnel B. King is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and Head of the Positive Psychology and Education Area of Strength at The Education University of Hong Kong . Prior to this, he worked as a Research Scientist in the Learning Sciences Lab at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He obtained his PhD from The University of Hong Kong and his doctoral dissertation was awarded the "Highly Commended Dissertation Award" by the Global SELF Research Network (2012).
Most recently, Dr. King was designated a "Rising Star" (2017) by the Association for Psychological Science (APS), one of the highest honors for early career psychology researchers. This designation "recognizes outstanding psychological scientists in the earliest stages of their research career...whose innovative work has already advanced the field and signals great potential for their continued contributions." He has also received young scholar awards from the International Test Commission and the Asian Association of Social Psychology.
His research interests focus on understanding the key factors that underpin motivation and well-being and in developing positive psychology interventions to cultivate these optimal psychological states. At the broadest level, he is interested in what it takes for students and teachers to flourish in schools.
He has published more than 100 journal articles and book chapters in the field of educational and positive psychology. His publications have appeared in top-ranked journals in the field such as Educational Psychologist, Educational Psychology Review, Contemporary Educational Psychology, Journal of School Psychology, Learning and Individual Differences, Journal of Experimental Education, Journal of Positive Psychology, and British Journal of Educational Psychology among others.
He is currently editing a special issue on the role of emotions in teaching and learning in The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher (forthcoming, 2019). He has guest edited a special issue in the British Journal of Educational Psychology ("Culture and Motivation" 2016) together with Prof. Dennis McInerney. He was also the lead guest editor for the special issue "Positive Education in Asia" in The Asia Pacific Education Researcher (2016). He sits on the editorial boards of Contemporary Educational Psychology, The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, Asian Journal of Social Psychology, Educational Psychology: An International Journal of Experimental Educational Psychology, and Frontiers in Psychology (Educational Psychology). He has recently co-edited (with Allan Bernardo) The Psychology of Asian Learners: A Festschrift in Honor of David Watkins (Springer, 2016).
My research focuses on understanding the key factors that underpin motivation and well-being and in developing positive psychology interventions to cultivate these optimal psychological states. At the broadest level, I am interested in what it takes for students and teachers to flourish in schools.
Positive emotions as engines of growth (GEK 1010)
The building blocks of flourishing (GEK 1011)