"The most important thing is that learners must develop self-discipline in learning"

Continue the series "The problem of student adaptation to credit training through student scientific research projects", in this article we had a discussion with a group of students: Dang Thi Bich Hang, Pham Thi Hoa, Hoang Mai Anh, K50 and K51 Psychology - authors of the topic "Research on the adaptation of K52 students of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU to credit training”.

- Reporter (PV):Why did you choose K52 as your research subject?

- Student Group (NSV): Because this is the first course that the school has applied the credit-based training model completely. You are the first to experience and completely change from the old way of learning to the new way of learning. You will enjoy both the advantages but at the same time have to find ways to adapt to the changes that the new training model brings.

- PV:Your research topic is about student adaptation to credit training, can you explain more clearly your concept of adaptation?

- NSV: In our opinion, talking about “adaptation” means talking about a new environment, new circumstances with new requirements and demands that have never existed in our own experience. We need “adaptation” when we have to get used to and penetrate that environment - as a condition, an important quality that helps humans survive and develop. To say so, to some extent, it seems similar to the “survival instinct of the species”. If animals need “biological adaptation” (a concept proposed by Darwin) to ensure the survival of the body in the face of changes in the environment - natural conditions, then for humans it is “psychological - social adaptation”. Humans must not only respond to the requirements of the natural environment but also the social environment; not only maintain existence but also influence that environment according to their will. Obviously, the ability to adapt shows the dynamism, positivity, and flexibility of each person. It is especially necessary in today's volatile living conditions. That is also one of the reasons why we are very interested in researching "adaptation". We would like to emphasize that the concept of "adaptation" we use here belongs to the category of "psycho-social adaptation" (this has been shown in the topic).

In short, “adaptation” is the change and adjustment of oneself (in terms of consciousness, habits, behavior, etc.) to suit the requirements of new circumstances in order to maintain existence and development.

- PV:So what criteria do you use to study student adaptation to credit training?

- NSV: From a psychological perspective, a comprehensive personality is always considered at 3 levels: perception, attitude and behavior. Before an event, an individual must have correct, comprehensive perception with appropriate attitude, in order to turn it into behavior and achieve good results.

With that understanding, along with the theoretical inheritance of studies on "adaptation" in Psychology, we propose criteria to evaluate the adaptation of students during the credit-based training process. We consider all three aspects: perception, attitude and behavior. One is that the subject correctly and fully perceives his/her conditions and circumstances; two is that he/she has a positive attitude, expressing feelings, emotions of satisfaction, interest... with those conditions and circumstances; not only good perception, correct attitude, but the highest expression of that adaptation is that the subject actively acts, meets the requirements of the circumstances and achieves good results.

When all three criteria above are met and clearly expressed through behavior and results, it is possible to assess each person's level of adaptation.

However, we also believe that the criteria given are only relative, as a basis for us to refer to when assessing the problem. Because assessing human adaptation (psychological-social adaptation) is not easy, especially when our assessment is given at the time when K52 students have just passed 1 semester of vocational training.

- PV:One of the conclusions you drew from your research results is that "most K52 students expressed disagreement with the school's regulations on study time", specifically "76.1% of students surveyed said that the timetable arranged by the school was unreasonable", can you elaborate on which aspects you disagree with and what are the unreasonable points in the school's timetable arrangement?

- NSV: Regarding the timetable, many students said that the subjects are arranged throughout the day, so students study a few periods in the morning, then take a break and study a few more periods in the afternoon. For students who live far away, it takes a lot of time to travel. There are classes that end at the end of the last period in the morning but the next subject starts at the first period in the afternoon, so students only have about 50 minutes to eat lunch and take a break, and change lecture halls to study. Study time is not focused, sometimes scattered, sometimes rushed. Students do not have the habit, and have not adapted to such study time. Without fixed free time, students find it difficult to arrange their own schedule.

- PV:Another conclusion drawn from your research: “With their current abilities and skills, K52 students have not yet adapted to the content of the curriculum”. Can you elaborate on this?

- NSV: The first year program content is characterized by many general subjects with a large amount of theoretical knowledge. Acquiring a large amount of theoretical knowledge is difficult, especially for first year students when they have to get used to self-study and teachers only guide. Because to self-study, students must be proactive in accessing knowledge, must have a learning method, read books, find documents, work in groups, plan time, stress management skills... But first year students with a passive learning style from high school are not equipped with those skills.

To equip these skills, learners must have support from many sides. Academic advisors must have class meetings to grasp the difficulties of students and give advice. On the group side, there should be training sessions on life skills and learning methods. The school side supports facilities such as books, documents, projectors. Learners must know how to fully exploit available conditions. It is important to have synchronous coordination between learners, schools, and classes.

- PV:In your opinion, since applying the credit model of training, how has teaching and learning in our schools changed in the direction of increasing the positivity and initiative of teachers and learners?

- NSV: There has been a positive change.

Students actively access more information sources, find documents on many sources such as newspapers and the internet. The formation of study groups and group activities has increased and is initially effective. Students are more aware of preparing lessons before coming to class. They study every day, prepare lessons for class and discuss, not just studying seasonally like before. In discussions, students know how to present, express opinions in front of others, and know how to use modern equipment.

Teachers increase the use of teaching aids to help students be more proactive in discussions and create conditions for students to present. Teachers have lesson outlines at the beginning of the year so that students can proactively plan their studies.

However, there are still reading and copying teaching methods, unsuccessful discussion sessions, and even though there are course outlines, sometimes teachers do not teach in the correct order... Some classes have a lot of students, while others have very few. Students can only choose their study time, not their teacher. Classes are not connected.

- PV:According to you, what difficulties do students face in self-study?

- NSV: The main difficulty is related to the fact that students do not have the right learning method and attitude. For example, students do not have the motivation to self-study, do not find the interest in studying, self-study has not become their need. In particular, many students do not have the following very important skills of self-study:

Firstly, students have not made a plan for self-study. For example, they have not taken advantage of their free time to study...

Second, students do not have the skills to find documents. For example, they do not know where to find them, some do not know how to use the library computer to find the documents they need...

Third is not having good reading skills, poor ability to synthesize documents....

Other objective factors that affect students' self-study include: facilities, for example. In foreign countries, there are lecture halls for self-study, computers for finding documents... In our school, the conditions are not like that.

- PV:You have made the following statement: “Students have correct and relatively complete awareness of credit training.... Most students have positive attitudes, in accordance with the regulations and programs of the VET” but “Students do not have positive behaviors to meet the requirements and tasks of the VET” leading to “low learning outcomes”, meaning that students are not satisfied with their learning outcomes. So what is the reason that correct awareness does not lead to correct behaviors and good results as expected?

- NSVObjectively, the requirements for the learning task are high, it takes time and a process to turn awareness into behavior. They have good awareness, good attitude, but if they don't have the skills or habits, they won't have good behavior. This takes time, because adaptation is a process.

- PV:So, in your opinion, what should students do to have the highest adaptability to studying according to the credit training model and to achieve good learning results?

- NSV: The most important thing is that students must develop self-studying skills. When they have the need, they will find a suitable learning method for themselves. In foreign countries, they have had the habit of self-studying and proactive learning from previous levels. In Vietnam, this is not the case, so it is very difficult to adapt. However, students still have to know how to overcome this because studying is for themselves. This new training model is both a challenge and an opportunity for the new generation of students to practice and adapt, to be more confident in the integration trend.

- PV:Thanks for the discussion..