CATALYST PROJECT AND ITS CORE CURRICULAR APPLIED TO VIETNAM AND LAOS

Jun 23, 2021 in News & Events

The CATALYST project has been funded by the European Commission through the Capacity-Building in Higher Education Programme (CBHE) as part of the Key Action 2 projects. CBHE is the European Union’s programme whose aim is to improve, develop, and modernise higher education systems and to support cooperation of Partner Countries across different regions of the world such as Asia mainly through university cooperation projects.

Since the start-off of the project, 13 academic partners 6 countries representing Romania, Germany, UK, Ireland, Vietnam and Lao PDR have triggered more intense and structured cooperation among European higher education institutions and Asian Partner countries. Much efforts have been invested and much progress has been made in enhancing higher education systems in Vietnam and Lao PDR as indicated by regular statistics and indicators in the following parts.

The specific objective of CATALYST is the development and implementation of a comprehensive pedagogical Core Curricula using an ECTS/Tuning Modular design for university vocational teaching for Vietnam and Laos.

The products of the CATALYST project – the twelve quality modules – have been designed and implemented to the best international standards – The Bologna principles – and mutually recognized by PC universities. These products are intended to promote the ability to communicate academically using modern Communicative Approaches and ICT/Blended/E-learning. These products include 9 core modules in line with ECTS/Tuning and Bologna principles. Special supplementary modules on English for Specific Purposes and Basic Vocational Writing Skills in English can be used as a foundation course to train staff and other teachers to reach a specific standard in English before they participate in core curricular courses. A module on Catalyst Strategic Planning will support universities in making coherent plans for full introduction of the new curricula and broadening this on a regional and national level in cooperation with the Programme Country counterparts.

Among these twelve modules, ULIS colleagues have joined in the development of 3 modules, namely, Module 1, 4 and 10 and also integrated these modules into the undergraduate training programmes at the Faculty of English Language Teacher Education for the benefit of the future teachers of English.

Module 1B “Communicative Approach versus Traditional Approach in the English-for-specific-purposes” was developed in line with Bologna process related to learning and teaching in higher education.

The module defines the expected student workload of 01 ECTS equivalent to 30 academic hours with 60 minutes per hour. Credits are granted to those successfully completing module assessment. The assessment is designed to ensure measuring students’ ability to meet the specified and publicly available learning outcomes.

The module was constructed following the University processes for the design and approval of courses and programs including formation of module design team; discussion of module objectives, structure, content; research and referring to other similar modules; consultation with related stakeholders; establishing learning outcomes, completion, and approval. The result evidenced was clearly stated learning outcomes in the module after careful consultation with students, academic staff, University leaderships, and mentors from participating European universities.

ICT-embedded teaching and learning activities throughout the module are varied to ensure the active role of the students in creating the learning process, and that the assessment of students reflects this approach.

Accordingly, student-centered approach is adopted where students play the role as active communicative participants and collaborators and that of the teacher is communication facilitator who supports the interactive and communicative processes in the classroom. The dynamics and fluidity of the classrooms are transformed appropriately with high degree of incorporation of collaboration learning through pair and group work under a spread of activity types, namely group discussion, group presentation, opinion-sharing, information-gathering, information-transfer, reasoning gap, role plays and so on. As such, the students are more actively involved in the learning process to learn from peers via different collaborative tasks rather than on the lecturers only.

In terms of assessment, methods of assessment including two components of a quiz and a lesson plan are publicly stated and the criteria for marking are published in advance. In addition, assessment methods are carefully developed to create opportunities for students to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the intended learning. Feedback is given to students after assessment to create space for later improvements.

Module 4 “Monitoring and Evaluation of Examination Creation and Assessment” has been designed in agreement with Bologna process in terms of student-centered learning and teaching approach at higher education institutions.

The module consists of 01 ECTS 30 academic hours (60 minutes per hour). Upon successful completion of the module, students will obtain 01 ECTS credit. The module aims to provide learners with basic understanding of assessment and evaluation, types of evaluation and assessment (summative asessment / assessment of learning and formative asessment / assessment for learning), key strategies in evaluation and assessment, principles of the assessment types, process of test development, and how to apply methods of assessment and evaluation to their own teaching contexts.

The module was designed strictly following EU standards and with inputs from academic staff and students, University leaderships, and experts from participating European universities. The module development process was conducted in accordance with the University regulations for the design and approval of courses and programs including formation of module design team, discussion of module objectives, structure, and content in line with the overall scheme of the project; research and draw from other similar modules; consultation with related stakeholders; establishing learning outcomes, completion, and approval.

The main methods of instructions will be individual reading, group-work, pair-work, brainstorming, discussion. Credits are granted to those successfully completing module assessment. The assessment is designed to ensure measuring students’ ability to meet the specified and publicly available learning outcomes.

Assessment methods includes reading assignments, quizzes, designing assessment tasks and tests to align with their course objectives and meet the tests purposes, and building up assessment criteria for their various forms of assessments.

Module 10 “ESP Pathway Program– English for Specific Purposes Training in Vocational Education” was developed in line with Bologna process related to learning and teaching in higher education.

The module provides students with workload of 02 ECTS lasting 60 academic hours. After fulfilling the credits, the students are able to achieve the specified and publicly available learning outcomes such as preparing a successful presentation in ESP context, developing key writing skills in ESP context and applying techniques in teaching ESP vocabulary

The module was designed with the design, formation, objectives, structure, content, learning outcomes approved by EU stakeholders. The learning outcomes in the module are clearly illustrated after careful consultation with students, academic staff, University leaderships, and mentors from participating European universities.

The active participation of students throughout the teaching and learning process can be ensured with ICT-embedded teaching and learning activities. In addition, the assessment of students also goes along with it.

Moreover, throughout the whole module, students enjoy their active roles in every activity as communicative participants and collaborators and the teacher is ready to be a communication facilitator who supports the students’ interactive and communicative tasks. The diversification of class activities has been achieved with the incorporation of collaboration learning through pair/group discussion, simulated presentation, opinion-sharing, information-gathering, information-transfer, reasoning gap, role plays and so on. Thanks to these activities, the students are more actively involved in the learning process than the traditional method. In addition, they have more opportunities to strengthen their soft skills which are vital in their future career.

As regards assessment, the students take part in tasks individually, pair work or group work. Learning results will be assessed by teachers based on the specific scale in accordance with learning outcomes. The assessment methods are carefully developed to provide them with good opportunities to demonstrate their skills and knowledge gained from the course. Feedback is given to them after assessment for their later improvements.

The outcomes of the project, apart from the development of the core curricular, include the development and application of an inclusive and innovative approach to learning and teaching in the area of vocational education, an integrated transnational cooperation in higher education, research and innovation and a sustainable future through higher education.