UEF lecturers learned how to design curriculum which integrate community service activities

Service-Learning is an educational method that has been highly appreciated and applied for a long time in schools in developed countries. In Vietnam, UEF is one of the pioneering universities in integrating Service-Learning into training programs for students.
On the morning of August 9th, the UEF Service - Learning Center organized a sharing session "Designing a subject that integrates community service activities" to help lecturers of the Faculties better understand the method of building courses and apply it to their actual teaching process.

Service-Learning is a form of experiential education in which learners participate in activities that address human and community needs. Through this, students gain a deeper understanding of professional knowledge, create opportunities to develop soft skills, nurture personality, think about connecting with the social community, and exercise the responsibilities of a citizen. At the program, MSc. Tran Thi My Phuong - Deputy Director of the Service-Learning Center shared more details about this learning method.
An integrated subject is built based on 3 models: the Circle of awareness, the Circle of inspiration, and the Circle of values. This method has been implemented in forms such as workshops, volunteer activities, sharing forums, training, community connection projects, etc. Particularly, when integrating into the subject through solving real social problems, lecturers have the opportunity to research and deepen the theory taught, as well as update and apply theory from books into practice. From here, students also have the opportunity to interact with reality, increase skills, awareness, and thinking towards society, and enhance the sense of responsibility of a citizen.

Also attending the sharing session was Ms. Truong Thi Thu Trang - Representative of IECD Vietnam - European Institute for Cooperation and Development. She also shared one of her projects, which is aimed at small-scale workers, construction, and support to build a more developed economy. Referring to the connection with UEF, the organization's representative felt fortunate to be able to cooperate with the university to bring great value to the community.
 
At UEF, the Service-Learning method is integrated into several subjects. Students will be able to implement projects with different topics, selected from the problems of partner businesses to solve and implement in practice. Students can interact and work with real partners. At the same time, when participating in activities, they will better understand the needs of the target customers.

Attending the sharing session, Dr. Nhan Cam Tri - Vice Principal of UEF also expressed his joy when many lecturers participated in the activity: "At UEF, we have a Service-Learning Center that is operating properly. Integrating Service-Learning activities into the subject is an effective teaching method, bringing great value to the subject. Hopefully today we will carefully analyze and discuss this method in more depth so that we can develop it further in the future."






At the end of the program, lecturers were given more clarity on how to ask questions to discuss with partners and carefully identify goals based on student's learning needs and community issues. Many methods applied in the actual teaching process are enthusiastically shared and analyzed by lecturers.
We are confident that, through this sharing session, UEF lecturers can strengthen their skills in designing courses that integrate community service activities. From this foundation, students of the Faculties will have more effective learning methods, both developing knowledge and skills, while demonstrating the responsibility and role of young people in the community and society.