Introduction
Most schools in Vietnam are using traditional teaching methods which include use of paper and pen. Teacher would give lessons on the board and student would write them down on their paper. This style of teaching has been existed in Vietnam for decades. It was not until the late 20 century that technology was applied to schools in Vietnam, mostly in colleges. At that time, Educational Technology was used. Educational technology is the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using and managing appropriate technological processes and resources (Richey, 2008). Even though this style of teaching is more effective, not many schools decide to change. It can be seen that Educational Technology is not popular in Vietnam. According to Long (2019), the action of deploying Educational Technology in Vietnam is happening, but with a slower pace comparing to other countries. This paper will discuss the reasons why technology is not widely used in education in Vietnam and how to change the situation based on secondary data.
Discussion of Findings
The Reality of Technology in Study in the World
First of all, USA is one of many countries that successfully applied technology in education. In the present, there are Virtual or online learning classes in 48 states and the District of Columbia now support online learning opportunities to enroll students in full-time programs. Both core subjects and electives can be taken online, many supported by online learning materials. While some online schools or programs are homegrown, many others contract with private providers or other states to provide online learning opportunities (Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning, n.d.)
Sweden is also one of the countries that has the highest level of education. One of the reasons is that the country utilized Technology Education very effectively. According to Thullberg (2007), the Swedish developed Web-based, in-service training for teachers, covering everything from how people turn on the computer to becoming a professional creator of digital resources. They developed a simple structure that enables local schools and communities to work together and provide them with materials and a plan. They also have an examination system, and when teachers achieve the intended level of ability from a course, they receive a certificate of completion.
In Vietnam, Educational Technology is also being deployed, but with slow progress. Many parents were asked to pay for the new equipment for the class, and of course, not everyone agreed. Some schools even asked parents for another set of equipment although there is already one in the classroom. Furthermore, many teachers are against this change as they believe it will heavily increase their workload rather than simplifying it. Others complain that they are not being given sufficient training in the use of new educational technologies and many devices are being left unused. They claim this is adversely affecting the quality of education at schools (Cornish, 2013).
The Reasons Why Educational Technology is Not Popular in Vietnam
First there are subjective reasons. One of them is that students are easily distracted from studying if they use a computer, and there is Internet connection. This is easy to understand because in modern life, technology can be interesting. There are social networking services like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,… There are movies, games, musics available online. A study on laptop in a simulated classroom found that students in the vicinity of another student who was multitasking on a laptop during class scored worse on a test than those who were not near multitaskers (TECHNOLOGY AND STUDENT DISTRACTION, n.d.). Another reason is short of technology knowledge. People in the rural areas do not have many chances to use a computer or other advanced technology devices. This is because they do not have the budget to buy one, or they are familiar with traditional teaching methods, so they think owning a technology device for studying is not necessary. Lastly, using technology in study can cover the laziness of teacher. Many teacher use the advantage of technology like online courses materials to save times to do personal stuffs. The result is the quality of the lesson is not good, students will be lack of knowledge, and will have bad grades.
On the other hand, there are objective reasons. The first problem is the Government does not invest strongly for education. They believe the current Education is good enough for our country even though it can be improved more if they apply Educational Technology. In addition, many rural areas do not have Internet. This is because they do not usually use it like people in the city. Plus, they do not have any type of technology that need Internet to work like a laptop, a computer,…
Impacts of Educational Technology
Now let’s look at the benefits of Educational Technology. Firstly is the impact on teacher. According to Mohanty (1992), It is believed that the application of different modern methods and instruments is needed for assisting the teacher to perform his job better whatever he has been previously doing for a long time. Educational Technology can help teacher save time, therefore they can have time to do other stuffs like preparing new lesson or doing one-on-one time with student. It also help teacher in coaching. Teachers play more of a coaching role these days. They aren’t just instructors who deliver a lesson. Rather, they support and guide student activities as coaches do. They provide feedback and coaching to the class so that students receive the appropriate information and academic training. Teachers guide students in developing skills in problem solving, research, and decision-making (Lynch, 2017).
Another impact is on student. No need to argue, technology play a huge part in education. It enriches the educational experience providing options that can accommodate students in their quest to learn (Impact of Technology on Student Learning, 2017). On average, students who used computer-based instruction scored at the 64th percentile on test of achievement compared to students in the control conditions without computers who scored at the 50th percentile (Kulik, 1994). By using the Internet or software tools, students can create online groups, Web pages, and virtual communities that connect them in real time with students and teachers anywhere around the world. They can receive feedback from their teachers and share questions and concerns about their lessons. By listening to and reading about others’ opinions and feedback, students refine their thinking, reaching higher levels of comprehension and deeper understanding. Online communities also present the opportunity for students to interact with others around the world (Lynch, 2017).
The Ways to Apply Technology in Study in Vietnam
Firstly, student must motivate themselves. They must raise their awareness about new technology and how it can affect their life. They must know that computers are not just for playing games, but for study also. Secondly, teacher must accept these new ways of teaching. They can combine teaching styles together to make the most effective lesson for their students. Moreover, schools can use digital resources in a variety of ways to support teaching and learning. Electronic grade books, digital portfolios, learning games, and real-time feedback on teacher and student performance, are a few ways that technology can be utilized to power learning (Use of Technology in Teaching and Learning, n.d.) . Thirdly, Government should provide more technology equipments for school while also increase the internet range to make the most use of the equipment. Furthermore, they should popularize the information of Educational Technology so that many people will support the use of technology in education. With technology, there are no limitations. Having access to other information outside of the book gives students many different ways to learn a concept. Teachers can come up with creative ways to teach their students that keeps them engaged. Technology has changed the learning environment so that learning is more hands-on. Schools throughout the nation are diverse in income, and often kids don’t always get the resources they need. The implementation of technology in schools helps close that gap (Wantulok, 2015). Lastly, people should open training courses for educators. This will help them with basic knowledge about Educational Technology, make their work more effective and help their students get the best mark.
