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Educational reforms in many Asian countries, particularly in China and Vietnam, have highlighted the pivotal role of the constructivist approach. However, the implementation of constructivism into the classroom is still very challenging for teachers. Although there is a wealth of research on constructivism, few studies have focused on the difficulties teachers often encounter when organizing constructivist lessons, especially in the EFL context. To address this gap, this study employed a mixed-methods approach, including triangulated data (a questionnaire, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews) with the participation of 120 EFL teachers in a private university in Vietnam. The findings indicate that teachers faced a wide array of problems in their constructivist classes, including conceptual, pedagogical, cultural, political, and technological dilemmas. Furthermore, they did not comprehend constructivism as they believed, probably due to a superficial understanding of this approach or the effect of Confucian culture. Additionally, this study verifies and contributes to the framework of Windschitl regarding the four dilemmas teachers often confront in constructivist classrooms. Theoretical and practical implications for future researchers as well as for educational stakeholders and institutional leaders on what should be taken into careful consideration prior to the incorporation of constructivism, were also discussed in detail. Plain Language Summary Purpose: explore the difficulties teachers often encounter when organizing constructivist lessons, especially in the EFL context. Methods: employ a mixed-methods approach, including triangulated data (a questionnaire, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews) with the participation of 120 EFL teachers in a private university in Vietnam. Findings: 1. Teachers faced a wide array of problems in their constructivist classes, including conceptual, pedagogical, cultural, political, and technological dilemmas. 2. Teachers did not comprehend constructivism as they believed, probably due to a superficial understanding of this approach or the effect of Confucian culture. 3. The framework of Windschitl is still applicable to today’s educational context regarding teachers’ difficulties in constructivist classes. Technological dilemmas should also be taken into consideration. Implications: 1. Thorough training on constructivism for teachers is highly needed to assure the successful implementation of this approach. 2. The curriculum and assessment should be modified in correspondence with the constructivist approach. 3. In-depth orientations are needed for both teachers and students to comprehend their expected roles. 4. Technological tools should only be used when necessary to avoid students’ distraction. Limitations: 1. Small sample size 2. EFL context only 3. Individual differences (age, years of teaching experience, etc.) not taken into consideration.

PurposeThe rapid expansion of online education in the 21st century, driven by technological advancements and the COVID-19 pandemic, has highlighted the critical role of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in higher education. This study aims to investigate student satisfaction with the instructional design of MOOCs at a private university in Vietnam.Design/methodology/approachThis mixed-methods research integrates quantitative data from a survey of 225 students with qualitative insights from interviews with 10 students. The study examines key determinants of student satisfaction, including course content, instructional methodologies, assessment systems, engagement in discussion forums and the overall online learning environment.FindingsThe findings reveal high levels of student satisfaction with the quality of course materials, the flexibility of the platform and the usability of the interface. However, areas of dissatisfaction include limited interactive engagement, inadequate motivational elements, suboptimal assessment strategies and insufficient staff support. The study underscores the need for comprehensive instructor evaluations, increased student-instructor interactions, improved plagiarism detection mechanisms and timely academic support to enhance the instructional design and educational outcomes of MOOCs.Originality/valueThis study provides a nuanced understanding of student satisfaction with MOOCs, specifically within the context of a private university in Vietnam. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative data, the research offers valuable insights into specific elements that contribute to or detract from learner satisfaction. These findings can inform practical enhancements in MOOC design and delivery, ultimately aiming to improve educational outcomes in online learning environments.

The aim of this research is to identify policy and practice interventions that support a just transition towards resilient practices for resource-dependent communities. We focus on Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho, two provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains of Vietnam. The region is reliant on agriculture but is assessed as highly vulnerable to climate change. We surveyed 105 farming households. A Likert-type questionnaire asked respondents to self-assess their experiences of weather extremes and of changes they had made to their farming practices. Our results show that for both Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho, farmers see the effects of climate change on their crops. Respondents in Thai Nguyen were more likely to report technically driven adaptation and engagement with extension services. Respondents in Pho Tho were more likely to continue traditional practices. For both, use of traditional knowledge and practices was related to taking measures to adapt to climate change. Our main conclusion is that at least three actions could support a just transition to resilient livelihoods. First is incorporating natural science and traditional knowledge into decision-making for just transitions. Second is considering long-term implications of interventions that appear to support livelihoods in the short term. Third is tailoring messaging and engagement strategies to the requirements of the most vulnerable people. The main message of this study is that a just transition for resource-dependent communities will inevitably be context-specific. Even in centralized and authoritarian contexts, flexibility to adapt top-down policies to locals’ own experiences of changing climates is needed.

This investigation delves into the comparative reticence and passive participation tendencies among engineering students from Malaysia and Vietnam, challenging the prevailing pedagogical paradigms that prioritize vocal engagement and analytical prowess in educational forums. Through a meticulous phenomenographic qualitative analysis of 16 students from two private tertiary institutions, this study unveils the profound influence of ingrained cultural hierarchies and the authoritative educator archetype on the students' hesitance to initiate inquiries in academic settings. The findings illuminate the pivotal role of educator responsiveness in either fostering or hindering student engagement and the development of critical analytical faculties. Proposing pedagogical strategies aimed at nurturing an educational milieu conducive to active participation and critical thinking for South East Asian learners, this research extends its implications to a broader academic discourse on culturally responsive teaching methodologies that promote inclusivity and active learning across diverse educational landscapes.

Vocabulary plays a significant role in the learning process of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, especially undergraduates who need to read academic materials and listen to specialized lectures in English. However, retaining lexical items is still a challenging task for many EFL learners. The current study seeks to examine the effectiveness of a constructivist approach in improving EFL learners' vocabulary retention, mainly meaning recall, as well as investigate their attitude towards this learning method. To achieve this aim, a quasi-experimental design, including a pretest and a posttest, was employed with the participation of 75 EFL Vietnamese undergraduates. The participants were assigned into two groups: the control group (Group 1, N = 37) and the experimental group (Group 2, N = 38). While Group 1 was taught in a conventional way, Group 2 received vocabulary training following the constructivist approach. At the end of the eight-week treatment, a questionnaire was administered to the experimental group to gauge their view on vocabulary learning using constructivism. The results showed that Group 2 retained lexical items more effectively than Group 1. Furthermore, the experimental group had a favorable opinion of learning vocabulary in the constructivist approach. Recommendations for future studies as well as implications for teachers regarding vocabulary and constructivism, were presented in detail.

The integration of technologies into education, especially language learning, has become more prevalent in this information age. One of the widely used tools for supporting second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition is Quizlet. Despite its increased popularity, empirical research on the effectiveness of Quizlet in enhancing L2 learners' lexical retention is still limited. Furthermore, most works primarily used conventional statistical methods such as t-tests or ANOVA, which might generate errors of Type I and II. This study aims to fill in these gaps by examining the impact of Quizlet on the lexical gains of EFL students at a private institution in Vietnam. Fifty-nine undergraduates participated in the study and were separated into two groups. The control group (n=28) did not utilize Quizlet during the in-class lessons, while the experimental group (n=31) revised vocabulary using Quizlet on a weekly basis. During four weeks, the experimental group reviewed thirty-two target words, divided into four sets (one set including eight items). Each set was utilized for one week in class under the supervision of the teacher. The data from the pretest and posttest were analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Model to generate more reliable statistics. The results demonstrated that learners in the experimental group achieved significantly better scores than those in the control group. Therefore, it could be concluded that Quizlet should be implemented in the classroom as a review or practice activity on a regular basis.

A number of studies in environmental disclosure have suggested that corporates accountable for environmental responsibility practice have lower cost of capital. However, this relationship has not yet been discovered in Vietnam. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between environmental disclosure and the equity cost of 115 non-financial companies listed on Vietnamese stock market from 2014 to 2017 with 460 observations. This study uses the panel data regression model (the fixed effects model (FEM) and the random effects model (REM)) to assess the impact of environmental disclosure on the equity cost of listed companies in Vietnam. Content analysis method according to GRI guidelines is used to measure the level of the environmental responsibility practice and Easton’s model (2004) is used to estimate firms’ ex ante cost of equity. The research results show that the level of environmental information disclosure of listed companies in Vietnam is not high and there is a negative relationship with statistical significance between the environmental disclosure and cost of equity of listed companies in Vietnam. The findings suggest that environmental practice can be profitable and beneficial to Vietnamese listed companies. Therefore, companies in Vietnam need to change their awareness of social and environmental responsibility practices. This study also shows that the suitable model for listed companies in Vietnam is the FEM.

Achieving a sufficient IELTS band score for academic purposes has been a major goal of many L2 learners around the world, especially those in Asia. However, IELTS writing scores were consistently reported to be the lowest when compared to the scores in speaking, reading, and listening. Despite a growing body of research in IELTS writing, little focused on the role of model essays and noticing hypotheses. The present study aimed to fill in this gap by examining whether or not the implementation of both noticing hypothesis and model essays had a discernible influence on learners’ IELTS task 2 writing. To reach this goal, a quasi-experimental design including a pretest and a posttest was conducted with the voluntary participation of 52 undergraduates. These participants were divided into two groups: control group (CG, n = 25), learning in the conventional method (peer feedback and teacher feedback), and experimental group (EG, n = 27), using the noticing-model essays method. Following this, semi-structured interviews were performed to gain insights into the quantitative data. The results from this mixed-methods approach showed that there were significant gains in the overall performance and in the lexical resources subscale in the EG while no considerable changes were observed in the CG. Additionally, the other subscales (task response, grammatical range and accuracy, and cohesion-coherence) did not witness any significant differences between the two groups. Several pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research, especially in the Asian context, were also discussed.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the critical reading (CR) strategies utilized by English major students at a university in Vietnam, identifying both frequently employed and underutilized tactics. The study encompassed a quantitative survey of 147 students who had successfully finished a CR course in their curriculum, supplemented by qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews with 12 individuals. The findings suggest that students have a significant inclination to depend on lower-level cognitive abilities, rather than actively participating in higher-level critical thinking. The study reveals several obstacles that impede the development of effective critical reading skills. These include deficiencies in language proficiency, a limited comprehension of critical reading strategies, insufficient instructional assistance, and a dearth of diverse and captivating critical reading tasks. This study offers a thorough examination of the critical reading techniques and challenges encountered by students majoring in English, illuminating potential areas for enhancing pedagogical practices in reading instruction.

An ideal bone graft would satisfy both clinical and social criteria; therefore, there is a continuing quest to develop a novel bone scaffold. In this study, a novel 3-dimensional (3D) scaffolds mimicking bone structure were fabricated from chitosan/starch loaded with different amounts of HA nanoparticles (5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% wt./wt. of polymers) using co−precipitation combined with a freeze−drying method in which HA nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 60 to 240 nm were generated from chicken bone. Based on SEM micrographs, all the obtained scaffolds presented high and connected porous structures with large pore sizes ranging from 150 to 500 μm; moreover, the presence of HA in the composite scaffolds was confirmed by XRD and EDS analyses. Besides, the porosity and elastic modulus of all the obtained scaffolds were characterized. Specifically, composite scaffolds with HA displayed high biocompatibility in vitro as well as a lower biodegradable rate in both PBS and SBF solutions than did scaffolds from a chitosan/starch matrix; moreover, calcium ions released from the scaffolds provided the effect of HA nanoparticles on biomineralization. The obtained results suggested that chitosan/starch/HA composite scaffolds provide a promising candidate scaffold for BTE application in which HA nanoparticles behave as bioactive components triggering the mineralization of chitosan/starch scaffolds.