1. Full name of doctoral candidate: Duong Quynh Thu 2. Gender: Female
3. Date of birth: February 14, 1983. 4. Place of birth: Hanoi
5. Decision on admission of doctoral students: Decision No. 2949/2021/QD-XHNV-DT issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi on December 28, 2021.
6. Changes in the training process (if any): Decision on adjusting the training time for doctoral programs No. 5672/QD-XHNV issued by the Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi on December 29, 2023.
7. Thesis Title: Educating Children in Vietnamese-Korean Multicultural Families in Vietnam on Vietnamese Culture
8. Major: Southeast Asian Studies 9. Code: 9310608.02
10. Scientific supervisors: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Dinh Chinh & Dr. Le Thi Thu Giang
11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
The doctoral dissertation "Vietnamese Cultural Education for Children from Vietnamese-Korean Multicultural Families in Vietnam" aims to describe the current state of Vietnamese language teaching and learning, as well as the process of acquiring Vietnamese culture among children from Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families attending Korean international schools and living in Vietnam. Based on this, the dissertation identifies the level of socialization and intercultural communication skills between Vietnam and Korea among this group of children. From its main findings, the dissertation proposes several suggestions to improve Vietnamese language and cultural education policies, contributing to the training of high-quality human resources for both countries. The dissertation focuses on researching the current state of Vietnamese language and culture teaching and learning for children from Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families studying at Korean international schools and living in Vietnam.
To achieve this goal, the study employed a combination of scientific methods, including historical research and interdisciplinary approaches. The thesis utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, combining sociology and anthropology, to study the impact of social and cultural context on the development of children in a multicultural environment. Specific research methods include intercultural communication analysis, a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, document analysis, and case studies. Furthermore, the thesis applies regional studies, focusing on the cultural characteristics, history, educational policies, and the Korean community in Vietnam, aiming to provide a comprehensive and insightful understanding of the research problem. Statistical methods such as tables and charts were used to process and present quantitative data. In particular, the thesis employs a survey method to collect data on the current state of learning and acquiring Vietnamese language and culture in key environments such as family, school, and social media. To clarify and deepen the information obtained from the questionnaire, in-depth interviews were also applied flexibly.
The study has highlighted a prominent issue regarding the cultural socialization process in Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children: an imbalance between Vietnamese and Korean elements.
Firstly, the family environment plays a fundamental role and has the strongest influence on the socialization of language and culture in children. Here, the Korean element is prioritized and strongly conveyed through both active education (teaching Korean, storytelling) and passive assimilation (daily life, food, customs). The Korean language is the primary tool for maintaining and transmitting culture, helping children gain a deep understanding of their Korean parents' culture. This high level of priority demonstrates a clear orientation in the early development of a child's cultural identity.
Secondly, the school environment, especially Korean international schools, plays a supporting and reinforcing role in this socialization process. Here, children have access to a formal education entirely in Korean, preparing them for higher education. Although the schools strive to provide knowledge of Vietnamese culture, the main focus and formality of the curriculum still lean towards Korean culture. Survey results from two Korean international schools have shown that children have a stronger understanding of Korean culture than Vietnamese culture, reflecting the dominance of the Korean element in the school environment.
Thirdly, external influences such as friends and social media also contribute to this socialization process. In a community with many Korean friends, children tend to adopt the values and cultural norms of this group. Similarly, the prevalence of Korean content on social media creates a strong cultural assimilation environment, further reinforcing the Korean element. Thus, the socialization of the Korean element occurs more prominently than that of Vietnamese culture in Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children, creating an imbalance in identity development.
For comparison, the study referenced the situation in several other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and the Philippines. In these countries, due to the limited number of Korean-native multicultural families and a lack of community cohesion, children tend to become completely localized. Particularly in the Philippines, Kopino children often lack recognition and exposure to Korean culture, leading to their inability to develop intercultural communication skills. This highlights the differences and specificities in the Vietnamese context, where cultural socialization is taking place but is skewed.
In summary, the process of socializing with Korean culture is more pronounced than with Vietnamese culture among Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children in Vietnam. This result reflects a noteworthy reality regarding the development of children's cultural identity in this context. Imbalances in the socialization process can affect intercultural communication skills and the holistic development of children. The study affirms the crucial role of the family in shaping initial cultural identity, while also emphasizing the supplementary but equally important role of schools and the community. Based on these results, the thesis proposes the need for close coordination between families, schools, and the community to create a more balanced educational environment. This highlights the urgent need to strengthen Vietnamese cultural education, not only through formal programs but also through extracurricular activities, providing opportunities for Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children to naturally access and integrate with Vietnamese culture. The results of this study can serve as a reference when developing appropriate educational programs, not only in Vietnam but also in other countries with similar multicultural communities. The thesis highlights an important reality, thereby suggesting new directions in improving educational policies to support multicultural children in developing a parallel cultural identity and comprehensive intercultural communication skills.
12. Further research directions: The role of Vietnamese mothers in educating children from Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families in Vietnam about the Vietnamese language and culture; Policy implications related to ensuring a balanced education of Vietnamese and Korean languages and cultures for children from Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families.
13. Publications related to the dissertation:
INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS
Full name: Duong Quynh Thu
Sex: Female
Date of birth: 14thFebruary 1983
Place of birth: Hanoi
Amission decision number2949/2021/QD-XHNV-DTdated 28/12/2021 byRector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.
Changes in the academic process:Decision No. 5672/QD-XHNV on the adjustment of training duration for doctoral programs, by Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, on December 29, 2023.
Official thesis title:"Vietnamese Cultural Education for Children of Vietnamese-Korean Multicultural Families in Vietnam
Major: Southeast Asian Study
Code:9310608.02
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Le Dinh Chinh & Dr. Le Thi Thu Giang
Summary of the new findings of the thesis:
This thesis aims to describe the current state of learning and teaching Vietnamese, as well as the process of acquiring Vietnamese culture, among children from Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families who are studying at Korean international schools and living in Vietnam. Based on this, the thesis determines the level of socialization and the intercultural communication competence of this group of children. Drawing from the main findings, the thesis offers several suggestions to improve Vietnamese language and culture education policies, contributing to the development of high-quality human resources for both countries. The thesis focuses on examining the current situation of teaching and learning Vietnamese language and culture for children in Vietnamese-Korean multicultural families who are studying at Korean International Schools and cited in Vietnam.
To achieve this objective, the research employs a combination of scientific methods, including historical and interdisciplinary approaches. The thesis uses an interdisciplinary method, combining sociology and anthropology, to examine the impact of social and cultural contexts on the development of children in a multicultural environment. Specific research methods included intercultural communication analysis, a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, document analysis, and case studies. Additionally, the thesis applies a regional studies approach, focusing on the cultural characteristics, history, educational policies, and the Korean community in Vietnam to provide a comprehensive and in-depth view of the research topic. The statistical table method was used to process and present quantitative data. Notably, a survey method was employed to collect data on the current state of learning and cultural assimilation of Vietnamese language and culture in primary environments such as family, school, and social media. To clarify and further explore the information obtained from the questionnaires, the in-depth interview method was also flexibly applied.
The research highlights a prominent reality in the cultural socialization process of Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children: a distinct imbalance between Vietnamese and Korean cultural elements:
man, the family environment plays a foundational and most influential role in the child's language and cultural socialization. Here, the Korean element is prioritized and strongly transmitted through both active education (teaching Korean, storytelling) and passive osmosis (daily life, cuisine, customs). The Korean language serves as the primary tool for maintaining and transmitting this culture, helping children gain a profound understanding of their Korean parent's culture. This high level of prioritization indicates a clear orientation in the initial development of the child's cultural identity.
Northeast, the school environment, particularly Korean international schools, serves to supplement and strengthen this socialization process. Here, children are exposed to a formal education system conducted entirely in Korean, preparing them for higher education. While the schools make an effort to provide knowledge of Vietnamese culture, the main focus and authenticity of the curriculum remains skewed towards the Korean element. Survey results from the two Korean international schools demonstrate that children possess a stronger knowledge of Korean culture than Vietnamese culture, reflecting the dominance of the Korean element in the academic environment.
Fourth, external influences such as peers and social media also contribute to this socialization process. Within a community where many peers are Korean, children tend to adopt the cultural values and norms of this peer group. Likewise, the popularity of Korean content on social media creates a powerful environment for cultural osmosis, further strengthening the Korean element. Thus, the socialization of Korean culture significantly outweighs that of Vietnamese culture among Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children, creating an imbalance in identity development.
For comparison, the study also referenced the situation in other Southeast Asian countries, such as Thailand and the Philippines. In these nations, due to the limited number of Korean-local multicultural families and a lack of strong community ties, children tend to be fully assimilated into the local culture. Particularly in the Philippines, the Kopino children often lack recognition and opportunities for exposure to Korean culture, which prevents them from developing intercultural communication competence. This highlights the distinct and specific context in Vietnam, where cultural socialization is taking place but is imbalanced.
In conclusion, the socialization of Korean culture is more robust than that of Vietnamese culture among Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children in Vietnam. This finding reflects a notable reality regarding the development of a child's cultural identity in this context. This imbalance in the socialization process can affect their intercultural communication competence and overall comprehensive development. The research affirms the pivotal role of the family in shaping initial cultural identity, while also emphasizing the supportive yet crucial role of the school and community. Based on these findings, the thesis suggests the necessity of close collaboration among the family, school, and community to create a more balanced educational environment. This highlights the urgent need to enhance Vietnamese cultural education, not only through formal curriculum but also through extracurricular activities, providing opportunities for Vietnamese-Korean multicultural children to naturally access and integrate with Vietnamese culture. The results of this study can serve as a valuable reference for developing appropriate educational programs, not only in Vietnam but also in other countries with similar multicultural communities. The thesis has highlighted a significant, thus suggesting new directions for improving reality education policies to help multicultural children develop a balanced dual cultural identity and comprehensive intercultural communication competence.
Further research directions: The Role of Vietnamese Mothers in Vietnamese Language and Culture Education for Children of Vietnamese-Korean Multicultural Families in Vietnam; Policy Implications for Balancing Vietnamese-Korean Language and Culture Education for Children of Vietnamese-Korean Multicultural Families
Thesis-related publications:
Author:NewDepartment of Training and Hazardous Waste Management
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