Having a research interest in geographical education, interdisciplinary curriculum and teacher knowledge and development, my primary research and teaching foci relate to the development of subjects, such as the interdisciplinary General Studies and environmental studies, secondary Geography, pedagogical content knowledge and curriculum and methods of the subjects outlined above. Research and teaching development projects are conducted on blended learning within the Education University of Hong Kong for field based and problem based learning in 2013-2017. In Geography, I conducted a teaching development project (2015-17) on the enhancement of geographical literacy through ICT assisted inquiry based approach. I was also the co-investigator of a HK$ 3 million, two-year Teaching Development Project funded by the University Grant Council, Hong Kong in 2017. Being the Chair of the Geography Curriculum Development Committee under the Education Bureau, Hong Kong until 2019 and the Hong Kong Geographical Association from 2017 and onwards, I have built up strong knowledge and connections on geography and school geography education. My research and teaching work extends beyond Hong Kong, given my engagement with the teacher professional development programmes and projects funded by the Education and Youth Affair Bureau (DSEJ) of the Macau SAR, in leading my project teams to develop the official curriculum guides for Macau. The teaching resource package development project with Agriculture and Fisheries Conservation Department (2020-2022) has facilitated a close connection between formal school curricula in Geography and Biology with Country Parks and Special Areas in Hong Kong. All these projects have generated invaluable data for academic publication and teaching resources for dissemination in the region.

Teacher education and development, pedagogical content knowledge and teacher thinking, Environmental and geographical education, Liberal Studies and General Studies curriculum and teaching.

Dr. Cheng has been appointed as the panel member for the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence Committee in the area of Personal, Social and Humanities Education KLA in 2013-14 and 2006-07 respectively. She has served in the HKCE and HKALE Geography Subject Committees from 2006 until 2012 before she becomes the HKDSE Liberal Studies Subject Committee Member (2012 until now). Starting to become a member of the Curriculum Development Council Committee in the Geography subject (2013-2015), Dr. Cheng has been appointed in 2014 as the Chair of the CDCC (Geography), working on the mid-term review of the HKDSE Geography Curriculum to ensure its accurate update to meet the needs of the learners and society. In 2010, Dr. Cheng also served as the academic consultant for the QEF Thematic Network on Project Learning, a two-year project which aims to diseminate the good practices generated on project learning from the 5 core schools to other schools in the community. She has been the External Examiner of the Open University of Hong Kong in two of their courses, namely Primary School Teaching: General Studies and Professional Skills: Primary School Teaching since 2011. In 2016, Dr Cheng was appointed by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications as an external member on Liberal Studies to revalidate the Diploma of Ji Yin and in 2017 as the subject expert to help programme accreditation for the HKCAAVQ. Serving in the Hong Kong Geographical Association since 2009, she was the Vice-chair (Administrative) of the organization which aims to enhance the quality of geography discipline and geographical education at both secondary and tertiary levels since 2013. Dr. Cheng is now the Chair of the Hong Kong Geographical Association.