In Vietnam we are promoting active teaching and learning as a method to improve the quality of teaching. The traditional ‘teacher-centred approach’ used in most schools does not favour the development of critical, problem-solving talent which is so much needed in this fast developing society.
We are cooperating with five teacher training institutes. Rather than just training the lecturers – an activity that would be discontinued at the end of our programme – we wanted to achieve a sustainable approach to capacity development. After consulting with the institutes, we established within each institute a core group of five lecturers with experience in general and subject-specific teaching methodologies. Together with these groups and a national expert we worked on two teacher training modules, in 2010 (one on problem-based learning and one on using ‘Learning Stations’). This way the capacity of the core group members was built – a training in disguise one could say. The modules were published and all the members of the core group were mentioned on the cover as co-authors of the national expert. It was very encouraging to see that all five directors of the institutes were happy to sign the introduction, and thus officially endorse the materials.
After developing the materials, the core groups trained more than 200 lecturers. Thanks to the earlier involvement of the national expert and as co-authors of the modules endorsed by their principals, the core trainers were accepted as legitimate trainers.
An unexpected and pleasant surprise was that core group members from different institutes started to consult and even invite each other to take care of capacity development activities of colleagues.
Now that these core groups have built capacity for their colleagues (lecturers) and for student teachers, they can do the same for mentors of teaching practice. In the coming year we will promote the involvement of these experts in the training of trainers for in-service teachers.
Hans Lambrecht
Teacher Training Coordinator, VVOB Vietnam
