Week 7: Is it truly internationalization: Second grade Vietnamese kids to take exams for Cambridge English Certificate

I would like to share a news I just read from VnExpress, a Vietnamese online magazine. Last week, 7,000 second grade kids from Hochiminh City attended an exam in order to get Cambridge English Certificate, a "visa" for them to attend the so called "English intensive classes", where they have a better chance to learn English at the beginning of the 3rd grade and attend the boarding school.  It is expected that there will be exams like this weekly from March till June in order to accommodate all 2nd graders who would like approach English at a very young age. Depending on the school capacity (English teachers, infrastructure, etc.)  the Department of Education will allow to set up two to three "English intensive classes" for 3rd graders. 

The exam is so important that it seems the whole family takes the exam. In the picture, although the parents are told to be back in 2 hours to pick up their children, they gather at the school gate waiting for their children with a nervous face. If we do not see the kid who is searching for his name on the notice board, we could think that it is a national university entrance exam, which is an admission exam for high school students. While educators assure the parents that this is just a simple test, parents consider it so important for their children 's life. In order to prepare for the exam, the kids have to prepare for it a long time before the exam starts. One parent says that besides the regular schedule from 7AM to 4PM, their children have to attend the English class from 6PM to 8PM, three times a week. So most days of the week, they leave home early in the morning and go home when it is dark!

Parents gather outside the school gate waiting for their 8-year-old kids taking the English exam

Right after the news is published, hundred of comments are posted, mostly from parents. Some of them say it is a good preparation for the small kids who have a chance to learn English at a young age, which would help them a lot in the future, provide them with more opportunities to study abroad when they finish high school. Others express a big concern about the reality that young kids have too much to learn at their age. One believes that it is not a good idea to cram their children for a test like this. Another warns that parents are destroying their kids' childhood. Others feel disappointed about the education system in Vietnam which puts too much pressure on parents and students. One accused that this is the inevitable result of internationalization. One Vietnamese American says that he has a child at the same age and tells how much the kid is enjoying his school life in a primary school in Virginia. 

The kids are gathering outside the exam room waiting for their name called 

One mentions how hard the kids have to prepare for the exam. In order to take the test, besides the regular learning program the kids have to take per the regulation of the Ministry of Education, the kids have to learn and review 2 English textbooks and 2 activity books for starters. In addition, they have to practice and review a set of 7 books called "materials for Cambridge English exam practice"!!!! Many express the concern that by the time the kids enter high school or university, they would have no more interest in their study.

All family is taking the exam......

How about you? What do you think about this? Should Vietnamese kids take English 

classes at an early stage of their life? Does it truly benefit the kids or just satisfy the purposes of adults, that is, parents, educators, educational policy makers? What do you think about the future of these kids? Will they have  a brighter life because their parents "invest" a lot for them since they were a child? I am not sure... There have been no research on this...

Week 6: Billions of dollars outflow to fund Vietnamese students' overseas study

I am very interested in internationalization topic and would like to share about how internationalization is happening in Vietnamese HE, with a focus on overseas study.

I had a chance to read an article from a Vietnamese online magazine, VietnamNet, and the title immediately caught my eyes: "Billions of US dollars outflows to fund Vietnamese students' overseas study". According to the article, Vietnamese spend billions of US dollars a year to fund their children to study abroad. In 2010-2011, Vietnam had 98,536 students studying abroad while the figure jumped to 106,104 in the 2011-2012 academic year. More and more Vietnamese apply for studying at the schools in the US, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Singapore in which the United States is the world's leading host of Vietnamese students. And, amazingly, Vietnam ranks 8th among all countries sending young people to study in America. It is estimated that Vietnamese spend US$10,000-$15,000 a year on an average at a foreign school (I personally do not think this number is correct, it is much more than that). As such, Vietnamese have to remit at least $1-1.5 billion abroad every year to fund the study courses abroad.

A lot of students, especially the ones in big cities, plan to studying abroad right after they go to high schools. Some of them try to apply for scholarships to lessen the financial burden for their families.  Meanwhile, others would rather go abroad with their own fund than studying at domestic schools. Here are the reasons for the popularity of overseas study:

-       A higher education system faced with formidable challenges

-       A situation in which demand outstrips supply

-       A growing ability to pay

-       The prestige and marketability of a foreign degree

An official from the Ministry of Finance stated that Vietnamese tend to go studying abroad because they believe that they can receive higher education quality, the thing they would not achieve in Vietnam.

According to a survey conducted by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in Vietnam in 2009 to students of IIE-Vietnam, the United States is the first choice destination for overseas study. Below is a summary of their positive and negative perceptions about studying in the US:

·         Scientifically and technologically advanced country

·         Wide range of schools and programs 

·         Excellent higher education system 

·         Fun place to study 

·         Welcomes international students

·        Scholarship opportunities

·         High cost (tuition/cost of living)

·         Difficult or complicated visa procedures

·         Dangerous or violent society

·         Long or complicated school application process

·         Too many cultural differences

Week 5: Golden Rules

One of the golden rule that Tagg proposed was "Do what you want your students to do. Be what you want your students to be". So what we want students to do? Applying the Learning Paradigm rather than the Instructional Paradigm, teaching students a new way  of thinking about what they are doing, changing their perception about schools and their relations, expectations about schools, etc.

If instructors want students to see the academic world with a new lens, they, first of all, must be engaged in the Learning Paradigm. If we want our students to have a deep learning, instructors need to revisit what they are teaching. Students' achievement is the product of what we teach. If we, as teachers, perceive that grading system does not truly assess students' capacity, we must adjust the way we assess students. 

I also would like to address the issue of using standardized test such as TOEFL, IELTS to recruit international students. Administrators in American colleges still rely on standardized tests to evaluate international students, but the skills needed for academic preparation. Literature review also show that there is no clear relationship between the TOEFL score and international students' academic success. And it is advised that college administrators  do not rely only on TOEFL scores as the criterion for admissions. These findings are not new. They have came out since the 1990s. Why do admissions criteria stay the same for the past decades? How can we request students to be engaged in deep learning why HE institutions still stand on the Instruction Paradigm to assess them even before they become our students? In order to pass the test, and improve their test score, international students are taught the skills to get the best scores within a couple of months while their academic performance is not significantly improved. So, we are the ones who set the rules and we want our students play the game differently. Is it fair?

And I do not think it is only the responsibility of instructors. What if the employers still rely on grades to recruit staff? Those with a good CV, good transcripts of course will attract the attention of job hunters than those who don't. I strongly believe that it will be still the case for many years to come.

We call for using a new lens in seeing and teaching our students. I do not think it is only the issue of the institutions, faculty and students. It is also the issue rooted from the society's perception about what shapes a good employee. And, as Tag addressed, "we need to take some responsibility for what students become" (p. 348)

Week 4: Schooling the world

It is one of very few documentaries on the importation of Western education to a deserted area I had a chance to see. The film has a series of interviews from Lakahi elders, famous educational policy makers,  school administrators, and students regarding their point of view about how a Western education was imported and applied in their mountainous area affected their tradition, lifestyle, etc.

The question is how to maintain their identity, their culture under the sudden change and how to deal with unexpected effect that the Western education brought in this small village. The elders complained that the kids who were sent away to school became strangers when they came back to their own fatherland. They said  "They can't do anything here...; we are proud with the outside, how about inside?"  The modern, Western education pulled the kids out of their own culture. How about the tradeoffs between 2,000 years of tradition and 300 years of modernization as stated?

One question raised in my mind: It seems that this film provided a very negative point of  view about the failure of the typical, mechanical application of Western education into a deserted, mountainous area. The arguments were strengthened by dozens of quotes from very prestigious scholars, educators, educational administrators, elderly people, and students. The film ended and left a big and debating questions for all: So what? How to balance between the tradition and the modernization while still maintaining the culture as part of their identity? On one hand, I think it was good to leave the conclusion and solution for the audience to debate. On the other hand, I feel disappointed when the film director did not come up with an answer for the question she raised.

One more thing is that I doubt about the following statement "Real freedom comes only if we free ourself from Western education". I totally disagree with this one-way argument. This is a conservative, short minded point of view. Everyone should be part of a modern society where one should get a proper education. We cannot be back to what our ancestors were hundred years ago. I think having such an argument will hinder the societal development as a civilized society. The point is how to live properly through the time of transition.

I also felt shocked when first heard that there is more and more poor people when the modern education was imported. Then, I can understand why there is such a paradox. It is obvious that the more the society develops, the more the distinction between the rich and the poor becomes clear. A modern society creates golden opportunities for those who know how to catch the big fish. However, it also readily eliminates those who cannot swim well!

Week 3: STUDENT ASSESSMENT IN VIETNAM HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUITONS

After reading Tagg's chapter on student assessment in the learning paradigm, I would like to share with you how student assessment is implemented in Vietnam.

Student assessment is one of the most important factors in higher education in Vietnam where grading and degree are considered important for students, parents, and society. Student assessment includes entrance assessment, learning progress and exit test assessment. The assessment process is carried out in three aspects: discipline assessment, courses assessment with a variety of assessment methods, and graduation check.

Student entrance assessment is carried out through the National University Entrance Exam. The entrance exam evaluates students’ ability on mathematics, physics, and chemistry or other subjects depending on which major they apply. Please note that opportunities for higher education are limited, as the system can only accommodate a small portion of those seeking admission. For example, in 2009, Vietnam’s 376 universities admitted only 400,000 of the 1.2 million candidates attending university entrance exams.

Since 2007, the majority of universities in Vietnam have completely applied the credit-based system, so the teachers can decide the assessment methods. Regarding student progress assessment, the Department of Academic Affairs, academic advisors, School Committee, Department of Student Services are assigned to perform student discipline assessment and course evaluation. The assessment is observed by the examination inspectors of the Quality Assurance System. Student progress assessment includes pre-test, group or individual assignments, presentation and discussion, exercises, homework, mid-term exam, course project and the final exam. In at most two weeks after the final exam, the teachers have to post the exam results, meet the students in classroom and answer students’ complaints if any. Each course has at least two types of mark, in that the final exam must make up more than 50% of the total grade. The assessment is informed at least two weeks in advance to students.  the end of the academic program, students can choose to work on their graduation thesis. The results of the courses and the graduation thesis achieved reflect the expected learning outcomes and the content of the program. The assessment criteria are posted on websites, Course Specification, Teachers Handbook and the assessment methods must be complied with assessment process defined in Academic Regulations for regular and non-regular training modes.

Week 2: Tagg (2003): Chapter 10-12; Collins (2012)

Collins (2012)

My first thought when reading about this article is "Oh my god! It is exactly happening to us!" Then I thought whether our decision would have been different if we had had a chance to read this article before we decided how our grade would be assessed.

It is great to move from my own experience in the decision making process of class assessment to the article addressing the same topic. I am excited to go over the article and curious to figure out  how our decision making is different from  that of the participants in the research.

It is really interesting to find out that we (our classmates and the participants) share many thoughts in common regarding trust, responsibility, risk, opportunities, etc. What is unexpected to me is although 98 out of 195 participants were interested in group grading option, they came to the agreement that without 100 % consensus, they would not proceed with a group grade  choice. The author explains that the students did not feel fair to force a student unwilling to take the chance of group grading. In my opinion, their agreement makes me think about the respect for an opposite idea. They are willing to open to the new idea, new experience, however, they are aware that mandating a person to live with unwilling decision makes it hard for that person and for themselves throughout the semester.

Another question raised in my mind: For the research purpose, would it be possible to have 2 two groups, one with the conventional grading structure and the other with unconventional  one to compare and contrast the motivations, learning experience, outcomes, etc. I don't know! Maybe it is not feasible!

____________________________________________________________


Tag (2003): Chapter 10-12

Tagg proposes 5 characteristics of the Learning Paradigm:
- Supporting students in pursuing their own goals
- Requiring frequent student performances
- Providing frequent and ongoing feedback
- Assuring a long time horizon for learning
- Providing stable communities of practice

The students 'goals must be the important ones and must be set by themselves in order to have much effect. But who is going to guide students to have the right and important goals? and by what way? Theoretically, a learning paradigm could help students pursue their goals. I doubt the current education is really hot cognitive economy yet. Where are we in the continuum of the Instruction Paradigm and Learning Paradigm?  Is it just half way? What I mean is that we gradually change the teaching method, value student centered, focus much more on the student learning outcomes. However,  graduation, getting a job, paying off the debt seem to be too much for students and their family. Maybe it is a surface purpose, but it is real, practical, and without achieving these goals, I doubt that students can get something like deep learning. Why we accuse that the Instruction Paradigm is the product of the higher education system only? Is it only the responsibility of educators that make students become surface learners, be more interested in grades and graduation than deep learning and growing. There is no single company, business, corporate, organization that hire an employee without qualification. And the first thing that an employer is getting to know you is through your resume where you have to reflect your educational background before your work experience, and of course, an official transcript. The higher GPA you have, the better score you get in the eye of your employer, at their first impression. I believe whenever the society, including educators, policy makers, employers, and other stakeholders still consider grades as a measure for one's capacities, they cannot ask students to change their thoughts about grades and assessment. So, in my opinion, the change should happen from the top.

Tagg argues that students should be an experimenter, a wayfarer, a person who seeks discovery, a searcher for the yet unseen, who seeks out beginnings, new engagements, new sights. He emphasizes that colleges should create a learning paradigm and inspire students to take risk to discover and build something new. He concludes that the most important job of university professors is to produce effective  beginners.

One illustration of the Learning Paradigm approach is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholar Program at Michigan State University. What is new from the program is as follows:
- Faculty members as learning conveners
- Faculty and students are both learners
- Collaborative learning
- Faculty and students decide what to learn
- Collaborative grading system design
- Change the way of thinking

The Bailey program seems very interesting since it aims at developing the whole student by helping them develop their own learning experience. I wonder how many programs like this one are carrying out in the US  HE universities and whether there is any research conducted to assess the learning outcomes of the students from these programs and what outstanding differences between these and those from a cool cognitive economy.

Another example is Olivet College, which transforms its educational program at the college level. In this program, students are responsible for their own learning and they take ownership for their learning.

Week 1: Group Grade or Individual Grade?

I came to the class with excitement. New professor, new friends, a semester full of challenges is ahead... The course syllabus seems interesting. The first half class session happened the same as other first day class: getting to know each other, going over the syllabus. Then we have to decide whether we want to go with the group grade or individual grade... I did not not understand what it meant at first because I did not expect to hear such kind of evaluation... As Tagg stated in his book, like other students, I set my expectations for this class based on the totality of my previous experience. I have been familiar with group work but have never heard about group grade. Why group grade? One of the classmates questioned whether group grade really makes us more cooperative, closer, work more effectively. The other pointed out that weak students could make the group grade lower... Others believe in trust and cooperation... I had bad experience with group work before since each person has his/her own style of working, different schedule.... Working in group, exchanging ideas and learning from each other is great but it is also time consuming. And time is what I need. It was really panic... Finally we had a blank vote. The majority said yes, not many said no... and we came up with the majority and we have to live with our decision throughout this semester!

I wonder if other classmates have the same feelings like me: panic? nervous? I wonder if it is an experiment to prove that grade is not everything. What is really important is learning, like Tagg addressed in his book. And whether the instructor wants us to change our belief about schooling, about the purpose of education. If it is a case, I am excited to see if we could change our belief after taking this course. But, before we can change any dysfunctional belief about academic work, first we still have to deal with grade and do our best in order not to let others down because of any of us. This thought makes me feel nervous, and uncomfortable since if I learn and do the job by myself, I am responsible for what I am. Now I have to be responsible for other classmates... I know what my strengths and weaknesses and I am sure that I will not let them down. This is a new adventure, I think! And all of us seems to be taking a risk! Will we fail? Will we be learning through failure as Tagg's argument?