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Technology today is indispensable in every aspect of life. The combination of technology and education has brought huge benefits to teachers and learners with much more engagement and excitement. Besides offline learning, online learning is a new form of education that is born in the application of modern technology in education. Vietnam education has recently taken advantage of technology in enhancing the quality of pedagogy.
This article will provide you the state of technology application in the Vietnamese education system and how technology maximizes productivity in learning.
Advantages of using technology in education
According to an article published on Medium, the author pointed out four biggest advantages of technology application in education.
- Increase the students’ autonomy
Today, everything can be sought when you google a term. Despite the credibility of some information sources, the Internet still serves as a good resource for students to research documents and self-study. For example, just typing the word “photoshop” on Youtube, you can see a lot of videos presenting how to use Photoshop tools. Therefore, self-studying becomes much easier thanks to the assistance of technology.
- Reduce the costs of textbooks and tuition fees
The Internet today is able to offer users a lot of resources, in which users can find their e-book versions to support their learning. Obviously, the paid ebook version is cheaper than the paper textbook, even it is free. In fact, digital books help people save wood which is used to produce paper.
- Boost teachers’ creativity in teaching
Teachers, besides blackboard, chalk or markers, can diversify their teaching method by applying Internet tools to keep in touch with parents and get students involved in the course. Teachers can use images or infographics to visualize information. Or finding documented videos will help students study more effectively because visualization has a long-term impact on the human brain.
- Encourage the development of new teaching methods
It is easy for students to find apps on their mobile phones to practise languages. Additionally, online tools to hold online lectures enable teachers to deliver their lessons without going to the physical class. Then regarding online teaching, it is an opportunity for both teachers and learners to interact and educate in a new way.
The state of Vietnam education in the modern world
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has influenced a lot of aspects of our life including education. In the context of digital transformation, it is required that we should emphasize on human capacity and knowledge. Therefore, the education and training sector plays an important role in preparing human resources to meet the demand of the country in the future.
In the context of the 4.0 Industry, traditional education seems not to create proactiveness among students. Technology customizes the speed of learning. Each student has a different learning desire and ability. Technology can help students study in their own way.
They can choose topics that they would like to dig into or they can choose the speed of the lecture, even replay a video to understand clearly. Another important point of technological application in education is the change in the teacher’s role, from teacher-centred class to student-centred class. Teachers are like guiders to guide students and students have to self-study.
The use of technology in learning and teaching has brought both opportunities and challenges to the Vietnam education system. On the one hand, the government has brought into regulation to enhance the quality of education to meet future needs. In the resolution No.29-NQ/TW (2013), the Prime Minister emphasized that “On radical and comprehensive renovation of education and training to meet requirements of modernization and industrialization in the socialist-oriented market economy and international integration”.
After that, on 4 May 2017, the Prime Minister issued Directive No. 16/ CT-TTg On strengthening the access to the Fourth Industrial Revolution with many important solutions. Particularly, regarding education, the PM requested a radical switch in policies, contents, and methods of education so that Vietnam can have knowledgeable and skillful human resources.
Furthermore, Vietnam is a country that has a long tradition of learning. Hence, the better the education system is, the more learners would like to learn and develop themselves. Over the past time, the Ministry of Education and Training has created more autonomy for schools in the implementation of the curriculum, test, and evaluation.
Therefore, students and teachers have other ways to assess students’ progress, which brings more creativity and convenience in teaching and learning.
This part is adapted based on an article titled “Vietnam education in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution” published on the website of Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics.
Six key points are pointed out as the guideline for Vietnam education in the era of Industry 4.0. First, combine teaching and learning with practice. Education should not be on the theory, it is essential to put theory into practice. STEM education including science, technology, engineering and mathematics is strengthened. Students will have chances to learn from experience, explore by themselves and are encouraged to be creative in science and technology.
Second, diversify educational roadmaps. Each student has a different pace of learning and their own interest in subjects. Therefore, the educational program should be diversified to cater to individual learning needs and learning styles. The new curriculum cuts down the content in primary education, focuses on a strong division at secondary education and vocational guidance.
Third, encourage lifelong learning. Lenin said that “Learn, learn more, learn forever”. The most important thing about education is to discover and nurture talents, therefore education centres and community learning centres are encouraged to continue nurturing knowledgeable new generation. Besides, the government also emphasized solutions for comprehensive renovation “To perfect the national education system towards open education system, lifelong learning and building learning society”.
Fourth, promote teaching and learning foreign languages, especially English, strengthen the application of information technology in learning and management. The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) has proposed amendments to the project on teaching and learning foreign languages during the period of 2017 – 2025 with some orientations namely “make a breakthrough in the quality of teaching and learning foreign languages for different learning and training levels, encourage the introduction of foreign languages into schools from kindergarten and social activities”.
Fifth, provide capacity building and broaden the role of higher education institutions. These institutions must be advocators of innovation, providing platforms for businesses to grow in the educational field.
Additionally, you can gain insights into technology in Vietnam at Viettonkin’s blog. This article helps you know why you should hire tech talents in Vietnam.
All in all, Vietnam is trying its best to leverage the quality of the education system in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The application of technology absolutely brings plenty of opportunities for teachers and learners in diversifying teaching and learning methods as well as being creative and proactive in learning. The new Vietnamese generation will be nurtured and educated in a modern education system.