Advance HE has delivered a Teaching Skills Masterclass (TSMC) programme to academics in Vietnam, generously funded by the World Bank. The programme, hosted by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Vietnamese-German University (VGU), brought together 30 academics from institutions across Vietnam to develop and enhance their online teaching practices.
High quality digital learning is a key focus for global development at Advance HE, which has only been amplified by the global pandemic and the impact it has had on face-to-face learning. The programme hosted by VGU was a fantastic opportunity to reach academics from across Vietnam and for them to discuss and share their ideas.
The programme, delivered in November 2020, focused on several key aspects of online teaching during the pandemic including the design of effective activities, assessment and feedback, and learning in times of change. It also involved presentations from a range of guest speakers, including e-learning consultant Burnie Burnell and VGU’s own Dr Mark Spittle and Winfrid Messmer.
Dr Spittle, Director of CETL, commented: “The participants have all returned to their respective universities, inspired to start using the techniques and tools so competently demonstrated by the Advance HE team, and to share their new-found knowledge and skills with their colleagues.”
Feedback from the participants was excellent, many of whom had recently been forced to teach online for the very first time, and all of whom have since been able to promote the latest and most effective online-teaching practices at their respective institutions, to the immense benefit of university students throughout Vietnam.
Advance HE’s Assistant Director, International, Becky Smith said of the programme: “With the shift to online and to ensure they can continue to deliver outstanding student learning experiences many HE teachers worldwide have needed to rapidly alter their teaching practice.
"Advance HE was delighted to support VGU in their efforts to assist their own, and, generously, those from other institutions, as they adapted to the online environment by providing new tools, techniques and approaches to teaching via this Masterclass.”
Vietnamese-German University was founded as recently as 2008, following a partnership agreement between the Vietnamese and German governments aimed at bringing German programmes of study to Vietnam. The university offers Bachelors and Masters degrees across a range of subjects focusing on engineering and natural sciences.
Find out more about our Teaching Skills Masterclasses and how they could support staff development at your institution.