Đào tạo quốc tế học bằng tiếng Anh: Quan điểm của giảng viên

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hi nhp Tháng 11/2014 329 ĐÀO TẠO QUỐC TẾ HỌC BẰNG TIẾNG ANH: QUAN ĐIỂM CỦA GIẢNG VIÊN Lê Hi Trường Đại học Hà Nội Tóm t t: Giảng dạy các môn chuyên ngành bằng tiếng Anh là một xu hướng mới tại các trường đại học ở Việt Nam trong thời gian gần đây. Trong xu thế đó, Quốc tế học, một môn học đa ngành, đã được giảng dạy bằng tiếng Anh tại một số trường đại học tại Việt Nam trong thập niên vừa qua. Tuy nhiên, ở Việt Nam hiện nay, chưa có nhiều công trình nghiên cứu đánh giá về thuận lợi và khó khăn của việc giảng dạy chuyên ngành bằng tiếng Anh nói chung và giảng dạy Quốc tế học bằng tiếng Anh nói riêng. Bài viết là nỗ lực bước đầu của một giảng viên trực tiếp giảng dạy các môn thuộc chuyên ngành Quốc tế bằng tiếng Anh nhằm đánh giá những thuận lợi và khó khăn của việc giảng dạy chuyên ngành này bằng tiếng Anh so với phương pháp giảng dạy truyền thống bằng tiếng Việt. Bài viết bắt đầu bằng việc cung cấp cái nhìn tổng quan về chuyên ngành Quốc tế học là gì, thường bao gồm những môn học nào, quan niệm của các nước như Anh, Mỹ, Úc, Singapore... về chuyên ngành này, xu thế của việc giảng dạy và học tập chuyên ngành này trên thế giới. Trước khi phân tích những thuận lợi và khó khăn của việc giảng dạy chuyên ngành Quốc tế học bằng tiếng Anh, bài viết nêu ra những nhân tố cơ bản có ảnh hưởng tới việc giảng dạy các môn chuyên ngành bằng tiếng Anh nói chung. Bài viết chỉ ra các thuận lợi chính của việc giảng dạy chuyên ngành Quốc tế học bằng tiếng Anh bao gồm: Có nhiều tài liệu tham khảo hơn cho cả giáo viên và sinh viên; Giúp khơi dậy và phát huy sự suy nghĩ độc lập và tư duy phản biện cho sinh viên; Nâng cao năng lực tiếng Anh cho cả giáo viên và sinh viên; Khả năng cập nhật kiến thức nhanh chóng, hiệu quả và dễ dàng hơn; Tạo điều kiện thuận lợi cho các chương trình hợp tác quốc tế. Sau đó, bài viết cũng chỉ ra những khó khăn chính trong việc giảng dạy chuyên ngành Quốc tế học bằng tiếng Anh bao gồm: Việc giảng dạy bằng tiếng Anh đòi hỏi khả năng sử dụng tiếng Anh rất tốt của cả giáo viên và sinh viên; Khả năng tiếp cận các nguồn tài liệu, giáo trình bằng tiếng Anh đôi khi còn hạn chế do điều kiện về cơ sở vật chất và thư viện; Đòi hỏi sinh viên phải nỗ lực nhiều hơn để hiểu sâu, hiểu kỹ bài học. Trên cơ sở đó, bài viết đưa ra các đề xuất nhằm nâng cao hiệu quả giảng dạy và học tập Quốc tế học bằng tiếng Anh tại Việt Nam, cụ thể bao gồm: Chuẩn bị tốt kỹ năng tiếng Anh cho sinh viên trước khi bước vào học chuyên ngành; Thường xuyên nâng cao năng lực tiếng Anh cho giáo viên; Cải thiện hệ thống thư viện, tài liệu, cơ sở vật chất cho sinh viên và giáo viên; Chuẩn bị cho sinh viên các kỹ năng để làm quen với hình thức học tập và giảng dạy mới (khác với cách học bằng tiếng Việt); và Đẩy mạnh hợp tác quốc tế, giúp giáo viên và sinh viên có điều kiện giao lưu, cập nhật và bổ sung kiến thức chuyên môn và trình độ tiếng Anh, theo kịp với tiêu chuẩn quốc tế và khu vực. Abstract: Teaching major courses in English is a new trend in Vietnamese universities and this has many advantages as well as difficulties over the traditional way of teaching and learning in Vietnamese mother tongue. International Studies (IS), an inter- disciplinary major course, has been delivered in English at some universities in Vietnam over the last decade, but there is still lack of research to evaluate the program of teaching this major course in English. This paper will investigate the advantages and difficulties of teaching International Studies in English from a Vietnamese teacher’s perspective. To do so, the paper will firstly present an overview on International Studies, then point out the factors that have impacts on teaching this major course in English, and then move on to the major advantages of teaching IS in English. The paper also discusses the difficulties that teachers may encounter when delivering the subjects of IS in English. From that, the paper will make recommendations to improve the quality of teaching major courses in English in Vietnamese universities. Tiu ban 2: Đào to chuyên ngành bng ngoi ng 330 TEACHING INTERNATIONAL STUDIES IN ENGLISH: A TEACHER’S PERSPECTIVE 1. Overview on International Studies The term “International Studies” can be considered as “the contemporary and historical understanding of global societies, cultures, languages and systems of government and of the complex relationships between them that shape the world we live in’1 International Studies also refers to the specific university degrees and courses which relates to the study of the major political, economic, social, and cultural issues in international arena? International Studies, as a field of studies, is closely related to International Relations (IR); however, International Relations focus more directly on the relationship between and among countries, whereas International Studies can encompass “all phenomena which are globally oriented”. The discipline of International Studies shares its history with the discipline of International Relations, which enjoy its surge after the World War I, when academics around the world, fed up with fighting, tried to look for way to promote peace in international arena. However, in 20th century when the world became increasingly complex and globalization got its momentum, International Studies gradually emerged as a separate entity. A big development of the study of International Studies is the establishment of the International Studies Association in 1959 by a group of academics and practitioners’ with the aim of ‘seeking to pursue mutual interests in world affairs through the organization of a professional association’2. In the United States, there exist a number of 1 Flinders University. (2010) Bachelor of International Studies. View 17/10/2014 at 2 International Studies Association.(2010). History and Purpose. Viewed 17/10/2014 < of-isa.html institutions which promote International Studies. The Centre for Strategic & International Studies is a foreign policy think tank founded in 1962, which “has become one of the world’s preeminent international policy institutions focused on defense and security; regional stability; and transnational challenges ranging from energy and climate to global development and economic integration” 3 . The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University “is a university-wide research and education institution at Stanford devoted to understanding the problems, policies, and processes that cross international borders and affect lives around the world”4. In the United Kingdom, International Studies is often related to or attached to the study in International Relations. At the University of Oxford, the Centre for International Studies "exists to promote and advance research in International Relations"5. In Australia, the study of the International Studies discipline occurs mostly within universities and generally approaches the subject as a holistic study of international affairs and phenomena. The two most popular units offered in International Studies are ‘Global issues and conflicts’ and ‘International Relations’. In Singapore, The S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nangyang Technological University states clearly its mission: i) Provide a rigorous professional graduate education with a strong practical emphasis; ii) Conduct policy-relevant research in 3 Centre for Strategic and International Studies, viewed at 22/10/2014. 4 Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University. Viewed 22/10/2014. 5 Centre for International Studies, University of Oxford. Viewed 22/10/2014. Chi
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hi nhp Tháng 11/2014 331 defence, national security, international relations, strategic studies and diplomacy; iii) Foster a global network of like-minded professional schools6. In Vietnam, the Faculty of International Studies, Hanoi University has four main specializations: International Economics; International Relations; Development Studies and Public Management. At the University of Social Sciences & Humanities, Faculty of International Studies offered three specializations: International Relations, European Studies, and American Studies with such subjects as Theory and History of International Relations; Area studies; International laws; International Economics Recently, many education institutions worldwide developed International Studies degrees both undergraduate and postgraduate as these institutions understand that the discipline is becoming increasingly relevant and necessary in the context of the 21st century. Justification for the popularity of the degree in international studies is the increasing demand for understanding of international phenomena and issues in the employment market. Under the degree of International Studies, a very broad range of subjects are offered. However, some areas of study which are regularly offered include: the political, social, economic and cultural relationships within the international system; foreign policy, diplomacy and other modes of interaction between the countries of the world; the significance of foreign societies, cultures and systems of government; the international movement of people as immigrants, refugees, workers, students, tourists and investors; the role of international organizations; the globalization of the world economy; foreign languages; history. 6 S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nangyang Technological University, viewed 22/10/2014 at rsis/introduction/#.VEe85_nF_Ls 2 The advantage and difficulties of teaching International Studies in English over the traditional way of teaching and learning this major in Vietnamese 2.1. Factors that influence on teaching major courses in English In Vietnam, at the beginning of 21st century, after nearly 20 years of renovation, Vietnamese foreign relations were highly promoted and Vietnam is integrated more comprehensively in the region as well as the world. In that context, education has been one of the most prominent areas of international cooperation. Each year, the number of Vietnamese students goes to study abroad is increasing. At the same time, more and more foreign universities and education institutions come into Vietnam to seek opportunities for cooperation and investment. Realising the potential of international cooperation and integration, many universities in Vietnam launched programs to teach major courses in English and Hanoi University is one of them. Now this becomes a popular trend in Vietnamese education and more and more universities implement these programs of teaching major courses in English. However, there are still lack of research on the advantages and difficulties of teaching and learning major course sin English for Vietnamese lecturers and students. One of the researches is of Professor Nguyen Van Toan, from Hue University on “The capability and measures to teaching major courses in foreign languages”. In his research, professor Nguyen Van Toan points out the factors that influence the teaching and learning major course in English. To understand about the advantages and disadvantages of teaching International Studies in English, we should first put it in context of teaching major courses in English and understand the factors that influence on this new way of teaching and learning in Vietnam. Tiu ban 2: Đào to chuyên ngành bng ngoi ng 332 According to Nguyen Van Toan’s research, the English ability of teachers, the English ability of learners, the education programs, the textbooks and other reading materials, and the education environments are the main factors that influence teaching and learning major courses in English. While the general of context of politics, legal mechanism, education regulations and the ability to adaptation of learners are less important7. So that, the research draws conclusions that universities specifically and education institutions generally should focus on preparation of English capability for teachers and more importantly for learners. Besides, the program developments, preparation of textbooks and reading materials and facilities to teach are also very important to the quality of teaching and learning in foreign languages. At the same time, students should also be prepared for the adaptation to new way of learning and encouraged to participate in learning major courses in foreign languages. 2.2. The advantages of teaching IS in English * Teaching IS in English have more sources of reference/reading materials. One of the most prominent advantages of teaching major course in English generally and teaching IS in English specifically is that it has more sources of reference than traditional way of teaching in mother tongue. In any subject, reading materials play extremely important role in the quality of teaching and learning. One cannot say that he or she can teach well without reading materials. With various sources of references in English, teacher can have more information, thus he or she can make the lecture more interesting. Nowadays, a large percentage of human 7 Vietnam Institute of Education Science (2014). The capability and measures to teaching major courses in foreign languages. Viewed 18/10/2014 at nang-va-bien-phap-thuc-hien-giang-day-chuyen-mon- bang-ngoai-ngu.html knowledge is stored in English, so having access to English sources of reference means that access to a large storage of human knowledge. One can argue that teaching major courses in Vietnamese we can still access to English reading materials as long as teacher have high level of English. Yes, that is true. However, in classes teaching in Vietnamese, the motivation for reference in English is usually low. Teachers may assign reading materials in English, but students generally prefer to read in their mother tongue more. Not to mention that in class taught in Vietnamese, English level of student is usually not enough to read and understand in English. Not only the reading materials in English are more abundant, but also the slides and other audio-visual materials in English are also more widely available than in Vietnamese. Nowadays, using slides in teaching and learning at university level is very popular. In internet, there are sites that slides of famous lecturers all over the world are shared. They are good sources for lecturers to refer to while preparing their lectures. Also, using audio-visual method in teaching makes lectures more interesting. Teaching international studies is teaching about global phenomena and issues. In the internet, there are documentaries, short movie clips about issues in the world and of course, these documentaries are widely in English. So if we teach in English, we can make use of these great sources of slides shares and audio-visual materials in English which are not often available in Vietnamese. More sources of references are important to a multi-disciplinary subject such as International Studies. International Studies relates to other fields of studies such as history, philosophy, laws, culture studiesTo have good lecture in International Studies, lecturers need to prepare well by reading wide range of literature. At the same time, for a student in IS to understand well, Chi
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hi nhp Tháng 11/2014 333 he or she also needs to read more widely. So widely available sources of references and reading materials are important to the quality of teaching and learning IS at university. * Teaching IS in English encourages students’ critical thinking Critical thinking is very important to any student and it needs to be nurtured and encouraged. At high school level, the most important objective for Vietnamese students arguably is to be able to get in to university. Due to this way of thinking, students at high school focus most of their time and resources to learn what they are assigned and there is little room for questioning, for critical thinking. At university level, students should be encouraged to develop critical thinking, which enable students to think and act independently in their real life. Teaching major courses in English is very good way to inspire student’s critical thinking. Students, learning in English, will be required to read the writings of many authors with different perspectives. As reading materials in English are more widely available, students can access to more reading resources. When reading materials from various perspectives, students expose themselves to various arguments on one issue. At first they would find it is difficult to ascertain whose arguments are “right” and “wrong”. But then gradually, their critical thinking skills are developed, they can think independently and then put forward their own arguments. Thus, students can learn the arguments of different authors and find whose is more persuasive. * Teaching IS in English helps to improve the English skills of learners as well as lecturers. Learning IS in English would help students to master both their general English and their English for specialization. They can improve all four skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking. Especially, right after the period of learning general English, students have their chance to learn their specialized major in English, so they will think in English, learn and understand all the new concepts of their majors in English. This will make their English more natural, just like native English speakers. And also it will be easier for students to communicate, discuss and make arguments about their specialized major in English. When the students, having learnt their specialized major courses in English, go to study abroad, it will be easier for them to get used to the new environments. For example, there are many students from Faculty of International Studies, Hanoi University participating in exchange programs with foreign university partners, where they learn just one semester there, but the students can adapt to the new academic environment very quickly. * Teaching IS in English would help to update knowledge quicker and easier. International studies involves the study about global issues and phenomena, thus the knowledge on this subject needs to be updated constantly. Everyday, event stakes place all over the world, these events can be the subject of study for the course of international study. A majority of information about these developments is in English. With a huge amount of knowledge in English, lecturers and students can update their knowledge more easily. It is easier to find information in English than in any other languages. Moreover, when teaching and learning IS in English, both students and lecturers need to have a substantial level of English. And with their constant exposure to English, they are used to getting information in English. So with their ability to understand global issues and phenomena in English languages, it would help them to update their knowledge constantly. * Teaching IS in English creates favourable condition for international cooperation English is the most popular language in the world nowaday