Multilevel analysis of student pathways to higher education

This study examined the relationship between academic preparation and post-secondary educational outcomes. To uncover the factors that influence secondary-level school course-taking patterns and outcomes, multi-level modelling was conducted using data from a nationally representative sample of US secondary-level school students from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002. Results indicated (1) significant effects from student, family and school predictors on course-taking patterns and (2) significant effects from course-taking patterns on enrollment in post-secondary institution types with math course-taking pattern having the largest impact. Implications for educators and administrators are discussed.     

Fear as a Predictor of Life Satisfaction in Retirement in Canada

In developed countries, healthy retirees can fulfill their life, but may fear growing old. Yet, there is little empirical data on the relationship between this fear and life satisfaction. This cross-sectional, correlational survey study tested whether a new, summated measure of Fears About Growing Old (FAGO)—derived from exemplifications of Laslett, who posited the theory of the Third Age—significantly predicted life satisfaction and retirement satisfaction after adjusting for significant social participation covariates. A total of 190 Canadian retirees at three senior centers in Ontario, Canada, completed surveys. A pilot study established the reliability and validity of the scales, including the FAGO, used to assess the independent variable. In a regression analysis, fear (R ² _change = .06) was found to be a statistically significant predictor of life satisfaction when controlling for five covariates (current activity, circumstance and pursuing own interest as two reasons for retirement, postretirement work, and perceived social support); overall R ² = .26. For retirement satisfaction, fear significantly explained variance in the outcome (R ² _change  = .04) while controlling for two significant covariates (current activity and perceived social support); overall R ² = .14. A work by gender interaction on satisfaction was not found. Other than fear about loss of mobility, men rated loss of partner very high; women rated mortal disease very high. The lowest fear was loss of retirement income for men and loss of earning-power for women. Canada's poverty preventive programs successfully supported senior postretirement life. The FAGO was useful to find senior needs.     

Overcoming potential negative consequences of customer orientation in higher education: closing the ideological gap

Substantial discussion has been going on surrounding the potential negative consequences of a customer orientation in college education. A major concern stems from the ideological gap – the perceived differentiation between what the students want and the educators' view of what is in the best interests of the students. A key aspect of the ideological gap pertains to students' short-term wants (pleasure) versus educators' long-term-oriented interests (learning). Inspired by the societal marketing concept, we examine the possibility of closing this gap by means of a desirable educational model that aligns the interests of students and educators. Empirically, an open-ended survey explores student perceptions of a desirable educational model in the context of the marketing discipline. Then, two quantitative surveys show that students prefer desirable over pleasing and salutary models, and that academic motivation moderates their preference.     

Connecting Marginal Rice Farmers to Agricultural Knowledge and Information Systems in Vietnam Uplands

Abstract

In Vietnam, agricultural extension has contributed to rural development and poverty alleviation over the past two decades of agricultural decollectivization, but it was not very effective in reducing disparities within farmer communities. The study examined how better interactions of extension services with other agencies and information sources may help marginal farmers in catching up with the general improvement of living conditions in a mountainous area in northern Vietnam. It combined three complementary viewpoints on this issue: that of the agricultural extension staff, that of farmers and that of development experts with a long working experience in the mountains of Vietnam. The analysis of existing structures and functions of the extension system revealed a number of obstacles to the participation of marginal farmers in extension programmes and helped to identify relevant domains of intervention.     

Is the learning approach of students from the Confucian heritage culture problematic?

This article is concerned with the learning style adopted by Asian students who come from a Confucian heritage culture (CHC) such countries as China, Vietnam, Singapore, Korea and Japan are considered countries with Confucian heritage culture (Phuong-Mai et al. 2005). These students are generally viewed as typically passive, unwilling to ask questions or speak up in class and often based on memorising rather than understanding knowledge delivered by teachers. This learning style is claimed to be shaped by the CHC in Asian countries and receives massive criticism in the literature. This article aims to challenge this criticism of the passive learning style adopted by Asian students who come from the CHC. By conducting in-depth interviews with 10 Asian students from the CHC currently studying tertiary education in Australia, this article addresses the confusion between passive learning style and CHC, between memorising and understanding and between quietness and passiveness. Finally, if passiveness of Asian students is indeed observed in both Asian CHC countries and English-speaking countries, it is more because of situation-specific factors of teaching methodologies, learning requirements, learning habits and language proficiency rather than cultural factors.     

New results on reachable sets bounding for delayed positive singular systems with bounded disturbances

This paper addresses the reachable sets bounding problem for time-delay positive singular systems subject to bounded disturbances. The time delays in the considered systems are assumed to be time-varying. Both invariant and time-varying singular systems are investigated in this paper. Existence conditions of componentwise ultimate bounds of the state vector of considered systems are derived and given in terms of the spectral abscissa of the system matrices, which are easy to be checked. The obtained results are demonstrated by two numerical examples.     

Continuing professional development for RMIT International University Vietnam library staff: Adding value through an international partnership: A case study

The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of blended learning – the fusion of face-to-face and online learning experiences – to implement an effective and culturally sensitive program of professional development in an Australian university working in a developing country. It sought insight into pertinent pedagogical approaches for staff development across multiple locations including across national boundaries. The project demonstrated how learners can develop new capabilities and approaches by building on existing skills and knowledge as they interact in communities of practice. The immediate purpose was to design and deliver a continuing professional education program to meet the needs of librarians working at RMIT International University Vietnam in the context of the demands of the academic community and in the light of the challenge library staff experienced in seeking to meet explicit and tacit expectations. The project ran from late January to mid December 2010. The research questions were: ‘Is blended learning effective as an approach to continuing professional development when working across cultures in a multinational organization?’ and ‘What contribution do face-to-face and online components make to learning outcomes?’ The methodology used was an action learning approach. A 2009 consultant’s report into the RMIT Vietnam Library established professional developmental needs which were further detailed in February 2010 by the project leader from RMIT University, Melbourne using a skills audit. Workshops in Vietnam, visits to Melbourne by several Vietnam staff members, and an online forum were then delivered. Reflective practice and ongoing input from staff were utilized to form a feedback loop to modify the project timing and approaches as needed. Evaluation included participant feedback on workshops, tracking changes in Library services, a customer survey, a project-end survey of participants’ behavioral changes against learning topics as self-reported, and discussion with participants. The authors were actively involved in the project: Julia Leong as project leader and Loc Nguyen as project champion at the Saigon South Campus. Blended learning was found to be effective in meeting continuing professional developmental needs and in promoting positive changes in library service provision. Online discussions were effective for extending existing knowledge, gaining practical hints, and examining attitudes. Face-to-face workshops and visits were more effective for learning new material in a systematic way. It is recommended that consideration be given to applying the blended learning model used in this project to continuing professional developmental work in similar contexts.     

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN VIETNAMESE PHYSICS TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMME THROUGH THE LENS OF CONSTRUCTIVISM: A CASE STUDY OF A STATE UNIVERSITY IN MEKONG DELTA REGION,VIETNAM

Constructivism was introduced to Vietnam through many ways such as workshops, books, the Internet, and so on. However, due to the lack of professional education, fundamental ideas of constructivist learning perhaps were missing or neglected through classroom activities. Furthermore, due to the influence of culture and society, Vietnamese constructivism certainly has its own agenda. This paper adapted the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES) which was originally developed by Taylor and Fraser (1991) to investigate the classroom environment in a Physics Teacher Education programme in Vietnam, as well as to illustrate Vietnamese teacher educators’ views in employing constructivist learning. Fifteen teaching periods in seven different classrooms were observed, and five teacher educators from those classes were interviewed. Participants are lecturers and bachelor students of the Physics Teacher Education programme at Can Tho University, Mekong Delta region, south of Vietnam. Results showed that all five scales of the CLES in these classrooms are at the intermediate level. All the lecturers indicated positive attitudes about constructivism and have certain methods to perform these constructivist issues in their classes, but they have problems in practical instructional strategies for some scales. Therefore, we suggest that professional development programmes on how to apply constructivist theory, based on each particular scale of the CLES, are essential. This is especially true in scientific uncertainty, critical voice, and shared control. Yet, in a country that highly appreciates Confucianism with social order, not all aspects of an ideal constructivist learning environment should be equally improved. Generally, we believe that constructivist learning will be a key answer to the problem of the generally passive learning style in Vietnam.

     

A Sociocultural Perspective on Scholars Developing Research Skills via Research Communities in Vietnam

Minerva - Given the importance of research communities and research mentoring activities in developing research skills, universities around the world have paid special attention to improving these...     

What Will I Like Best When I'm All Grown Up? Preschoolers' Understanding of Future Preferences

Three experiments investigated 3‐, 4‐, and 5‐year‐olds' (N = 240) understanding that their future or “grown‐up” preferences may differ from their current ones (self‐future condition). This understanding was compared to children's understanding of the preferences of a grown‐up (adult‐now condition) or the grown‐up preferences of a same‐aged peer (peer‐future condition). Children's performance across all three conditions improved significantly with age. Moreover, children found it significantly more difficult to reason about their own future preferences than they did to reason either about an adult's preferences or the future preferences of a peer. These results have important implications for theories about future thinking and perspective‐taking abilities, more broadly.