VNU announces guidelines for implementing distance learning and online training to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic

Implementing the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) in Official Dispatch No. 795/BGDĐT-GDĐH dated March 13, 2020 on implementing distance learning to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic, Official Dispatch No. 988/BGDĐT-GDĐH dated March 23, 2020 on ensuring the quality of distance learning; Official Dispatch No. 737/ĐQGHN-CT&CTHSSV dated March 9, 2020 of Vietnam National University, Hanoi on preventing the Covid-19 epidemic and implementing online teaching and learning. In recent times, in order to ensure the school year plan, a number of units have proactively and actively implemented distance learning (DTTX) and online training (ĐTTT) methods.

To unify implementation, based on the actual conditions of each unit, the requirements of each training program, and the organization of online teaching and learning towards the highest quality in the current context, Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) recommends that units implement the following contents:

1. The implementation of DTTX, DTTT and recognition of cumulative learning outcomes at training units for regular training courses and work-study courses during the Covid-19 pandemic is carried out according to the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 988/BGDDT-GDDH dated March 23, 2020 of the Ministry of Education and Training (details in Official Dispatchattached).

Accordingly, heads of training units in VNU, based on the direction of the Ministry of Education and Training, evaluate and analyze the conditions to ensure online training activities of their units, consider the actual implementation conditions at the units to decide to recognize the accumulated learning results during the time students did not study in person due to the Covid-19 epidemic, ensuring quality, objectivity and honesty. Specifically:

- For courses organized on the online training system (learning management system - LMS, learning content management system - LCMS), with full learning materials and experimental simulation system according to the requirements of the training program, the head of the unit decides to recognize the cumulative results for students;

- For courses that are only organized through online teaching tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google meeting, etc., the end-of-course assessment will only be conducted when the full learning volume of the course is completed. If not, when returning to in-person learning, training units must make up for the training to evaluate and recognize the accumulated learning results according to regulations;

- For other courses, online training is only considered as a form of support for students to self-study. After the Covid 19 epidemic has temporarily stabilized, classes need to study directly, systematize, answer questions, consolidate, and then test and evaluate the end of the course according to current training regulations.

- Units can refer to some requirements when organizing and managing training at VNU (details in the Appendix attached to this Official Dispatch)here).

2. Heads of training units thoroughly raise awareness among management staff about training and retraining in the context of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Strengthening training for management staff on training and development, training and application of IT in training; Improving management staff's knowledge on information technology (IT) and application of IT in training and development management; training and educating management staff on requirements and forms of effective implementation of training and development management activities in a technology application environment.

3. Heads of training units strengthen the management of IT infrastructure effectively and better meet the needs of lecturers, students, and managers.

Manage the effective use of IT infrastructure; manage the security, maintenance, and preservation of hardware and software systems for stable, safe, and effective use; manage research, development, and updating of new technologies to meet the needs of users participating in the training process.

4. Strengthen management of developing diverse electronic learning materials, ensuring professional and technical quality.

Based on the developed learning materials, to manage the development of e-learning materials, schools need to focus on managing the design and implementation of learning material content; managing the assessment and approval work; managing the exploitation and operation of the learning material system; managing the review, editing, and regular and periodic updating of e-learning materials for all modules. Managing the development of learning material content plays a very important role in developing content in a direction that is suitable for the requirements of the labor market and meets the needs of learners. In addition, schools need to organize a system of open online courses to provide supplementary and reference knowledge for students - which is currently a trend in many universities around the world, at the school level and at the national level.

5. Building and training a team of lecturers to meet the teaching requirements in the training environment

In the current situation, in addition to the procedures for building and developing the unit's team, the Head of the unit needs to immediately organize training, fostering, and coaching lecturers to meet the necessary requirements to carry out quality online teaching activities; Manage and supervise the implementation of teaching activities of lecturers. Periodically evaluate lecturers, survey, and collect students' opinions about lecturers.

6. Strengthen management of online teaching and learning activities, efficiency and quality

Create motivation for students to actively participate in the self-study process, actively research learning materials and interact with lecturers and other students; create conditions for lecturers to actively promote their teaching role in the online environment, actively innovate and create to motivate students to study; improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching and learning; manage teaching and learning activities and interact effectively in the online environment. Based on the detailed course outline, develop a course plan and design teaching activities for the online course to improve the effectiveness of knowledge transfer to learners. It is necessary to develop a course plan with teaching content and teaching methods; teaching activities are developed in detail to be implemented in the online classroom; create a mechanism to promote and control interactive activities between lecturers and students and between students to improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

7. Manage student support activities and develop a system of support documents provided to students.

Training units need to review and update the process of managing online training, student support process, develop and promulgate student support process; manage student support team to meet the requirements of organizing and managing online training; manage student support activities according to the promulgated process; widely inform staff and students about the process of supporting students, student support activities, and process of managing online training.

8. Heads of training institutions under VNU are responsible for organizing the implementation of the above directives, ensuring training programs and quality, and being accountable; managing and storing information related to online training courses to serve the work of quality assessment, inspection, and examination.

Any comments or suggestions regarding online teaching and implementation of assessment and testing, please send to the email address:bandaotaodhqghn@vnu.edu.vn.