Parallel Session II - Room 3

Research Paper

Session Chair: Intan Azura Mohktar, Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore

Changing Landscapes for Community-Engaged Learning in Vietnam: Exploring Excitement and Confusion in Community-Campus Partnership Development [1463]
Huong Tran¹ and Kevin Kecskes^2
1Vietnam Campus Engage
²Portland State University

Abstract

Change can be both exciting and challenging. Given that higher education in Asian contexts is changing, and especially so in Vietnam where approaches in higher education are currently experiencing significant shifts, it is not surprising that actors experience both enthusiasm and challenges. Pedagogical and research approaches in Vietnam are transforming from more traditional techniques to ones that engage community members in myriad ways. The increased prevalence of powerful interactions with faculty and students in community-based, partnered settings – for the express purposes of augmenting educational outcomes, building stronger communities, and establishing community partnerships for social change – can be empowering as well as destabilizing. Based on eight years of on-the-ground experiential/experimental action and research, our analysis: 1) briefly explores the history of community-campus partnership development, including community engaged learning (CEL)/service-learning (SL), in Vietnamese higher education; and 2) presents early findings regarding what stultifies and/or motivates various higher education and community actors to engage in community-campus partnerships and CEL/SL practices. In particular, we share findings that focus specifically on faculty, administrators, and community members’ motivations and concerns in the context of the changing higher education landscape in Vietnam.

Keywords: Vietnam, motivation, community-engaged learning, partnerships, higher education change

Thematic Area(s): 1. Community Engagement, Partnership, and Entrepreneurship & 7. Theory, Concept, Pedagogy, and Methods

The DANAS Ecological Engagement Program: Fostering Environmental Education and Active Stewardship in Grade 8 Students [7254]
Bernadette Ilao, Jomell Caramancion and Dickel Dagoc
Ateneo de Manila Junior High School

Abstract

In his encyclical Laudato ‘Si, Pope Francis encourages everyone to be stewards of creation. A central theme is the imperative of educating young people about environmental issues and, more importantly, engaging them in action.

In this study, we present findings from the academic year 2023-2024 of implementing the Danas Ecological Engagement Program, designed for Grade 8 students to embody the essence of stewardship and service learning. First, we highlight how the program responds to the call of Pope Francis. Lifted from Laudato Si’, the modules emphasize integral ecology, urging students to appreciate the beauty of creation, examine their lifestyle, and think of concrete ways to preserve and protect the environment. In addition, we present the connection of the Danas program to Dewey’s and Kolb’s experiential learning and, consequently, service learning, as well as to the Ignatian principles. Another feature of the program is enkindling students’ interest in agriculture through farming service learning and activities. Then, we describe the program and present data that highlight the program’s impact on students. Finally, we conclude by emphasizing the significance of promoting ecological education in schools and the need for further research.

Keywords: active stewardship, ecological education, experiential learning, Laudato Si’, service learning

Thematic Area(s): 1. Community Engagement, Partnership, and Entrepreneurship & 3. Service-Learning in Graduate, Secondary, and Co-curricular Education

A Multi-Method Approach: University Student Descriptions, Motivations, and Experiences of Community Service in Vietnam  [2664]
Myles L. Lynch, Thi Minh Tien Thai, Dat Nguyen Dang, Nam Anh Lu, Quang Thang Hoang, Huy Vu Ngoc, Ngoc Anh Duong
VinUniversity 

Abstract

In 2018, the Vietnam Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) mandated that all schools incorporate an experiential learning (learning by doing) component focused on skill building and career readiness as part of the national curriculum. Community service is a form of experiential learning and can provide opportunities for student skill-building, professional development, and cultural awareness through providing authentic and collaborative community activities. Student descriptions, level of involvement, and motivation to do community service and related activities can vary based on individual experiences, attitudes, and opportunities. Within Vietnam, few Universities offer academic coursework focused specifically on community service and there may be stark differences related to knowledge (i.e. descriptions), motivations, and experiences among students. The current study used quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how University students within Vietnam describe community service (qualitative) and differences in motivation and experiences based on programmatic differences (quantitative). A total of 332 students from 30 different Universities across Vietnam took part in the current study. Qualitative results yielded higher and lower-order themes associated with student descriptions of community service. Quantitative results explored differences in frequencies relative to motivation and experience items grouped based on programmatic differences.

Keywords: Community Service, Experiential Learning, Motivation, Programmatic Difference, Analysis of Frequencies, Vietnam

Thematic Area(s): 1. Community Engagement, Partnership, and Entrepreneurship, 6. Student Outcomes, Assessment, and Measurement