Vietnam Journal of Education

Designing and Evaluating the EVALLOS Model for Course Learning Outcome Attainment Measurement and Quality Assurance in Vietnamese Higher Education

Dat Duc Pham — 2025-12-28

Outcome-based education requires higher education institutions to provide evidence of Course Learning Outcome attainment that is transparent, consistent, and suitable for quality assurance and accreditation. In practice, course learning outcome reporting is often computed manually from assessment data, which can be time-consuming and difficult to audit across courses and assessment instances. This study proposes and evaluates a structured model to computing course learning outcome attainment using item-level assessment evidence and explicit item-to-course learning outcome mappings in a Vietnamese university context. The research study was conducted over two consecutive semesters using exam-team assessments (e.g., midterm and end-of-term assignments/papers) that included both score-based items and rubric-based evaluations. Accuracy was examined by comparing computed course learning outcome attainment results with instructor-validated spreadsheet calculations. The findings show close consistency with manual computation and improved traceability from course learning outcome attainment indicators back to assessment evidence, supporting more consistent outcome reporting for internal quality assurance and accreditation preparation. The study highlights the value of item-level course learning outcome attainment analytics as a practical foundation for strengthening outcome-based quality assurance in higher education.

Teachers’ Psychological Difficulties in Online Teaching: Research in some Middle and High Schools in the North and South of Vietnam

Hoc Trung Hoang — 2025-12-31

In the context of global educational digital transformation and the widespread shift to online teaching, teachers’ mental health has become a critical concern in both developed and developing countries. This study presents the research results on teachers’ psychological difficulties in online teaching at some middle and high schools in the North and South of Vietnam. The goal of the study is to explore the manifestations and factors affecting teachers’ psychological difficulties in a digital environment. Research results show that nearly 90% of the teachers faced psychological difficulties during online teaching. Psychological difficulties manifest in all three aspects: cognitive difficulties; emotional and behavioral difficulties. The findings indicated that 42.7% of the teachers experienced anxiety, 32.6% reported depressive symptoms, and nearly one quarter showed stress-related difficulties. There are subjective and objective factors that cause psychological difficulties in teachers during online teaching. Particularly, subjective factors have a stronger impact than objective factors. Among the factors affecting teachers’ psychological difficulties in online teaching, namely the level of stress, limitations in teachers’ online teaching competency; students’ poor sense of learning; self-assessment of the teacher’s difficulties in online teaching; network infrastructure for online teaching; overloading teaching content; teaching experience are the main and significant factors. Thus, from the perspective of digital transformation in education, it is clear that the internet infrastructure, teachers’ adaptive capacity and interaction in digital teaching environments greatly affect the psychological difficulties, even teachers’ mental health. The research results on Vietnamese teachers resonate with previous findings on teachers’ psychological difficulties in the world.

Predatory Journals: How Should We Understand and Evaluate Them?

An Binh Thai Nguyen — 2025-12-29

Predatory journals have emerged as a growing challenge to academic integrity worldwide, driven by increasing publication pressures and ongoing changes in scholarly publishing. Although numerous lists, warning signs, and checklists have been proposed to identify such journals, the lack of consensus and standardized approaches has created confusion among researchers and institutions. This paper is presented as an opinion piece that reflects on existing debates and practical experiences related to predatory publishing. Drawing on the literature and the authors’ analytical perspectives, the paper discusses common misunderstandings surrounding predatory journals and highlights limitations of list-based evaluation approaches. It argues for a more cautious, context-sensitive, and process-oriented approach to assessing journals, emphasizing transparency, peer-review practices, editorial governance, and publisher credibility. By offering reflective insights rather than empirical findings, this article aims to stimulate critical discussion and support more informed decision-making in journal evaluation.

English Vocabulary Learning among First Year Non-English Major Students: A Cross-sectional Study at a Private University in Vietnam

Nguyet Thi Pham — 2025-12-19

Learning a language inherently involves acquiring its vocabulary. However, developing a comprehensive vocabulary is a significant challenge for many language learners. This study aimed to assess the current situation and students' awareness of English vocabulary learning among first year non-English majors at Thanh Do University, Vietnam. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 347 students from five departments (Information Technology, Automotive Engineering Technology, Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology, Economics and Law, and Pharmacy) from September to November 2024. The results revealed that 89.63% of the respondents recognized the importance of vocabulary, with 53.60% viewing it as “very necessary”. Despite this awareness, the students faced significant challenges in retaining and applying vocabulary in practical contexts. The primary barriers identified comprised lack of motivation (67.72%), limited study time (63.41%), and ineffective learning methods (e.g., rote memorization, used by 66.33% of students). Only 28.74% of students were motivated to improve their communication skills, with the majority (63.22%) focusing on enhancing academic performance. Additionally, 80.69% reported difficulty with long-term vocabulary retention, while 76.37% struggled with pronunciation. To address these issues, the researchers propose practical solutions such as diversifying teaching methods, incorporating modern learning tools, and creating more language practice environments both in and outside the classroom. These strategies aim to enhance vocabulary retention, application, and overall English proficiency, ultimately helping students meet academic and professional demands.

A Scoping Review on Psychological Capital and Its Impact on Academic Outcomes

Huong Thi Pham — 2025-06-30

Psychological Capital (PsyCap) is an emerging construct in positive psychology that has garnered significant attention in organizational and academic contexts. While extensively studied in workplace settings, PsyCap’s relevance in academic environments is increasingly recognized, as it influences students’ motivation, engagement, and academic success. This literature review synthesizes the conceptual framework of PsyCap, its components, antecedents, and consequences, and examines its impact on academic outcomes through a review of related empirical studies. Studies in the Scopus database were searched, and a total of 16 studies were included in this review. Drawing on studies employing cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, the review highlights PsyCap’s function as a mediator, direct predictor, and occasional moderator in linking psychosocial factors (e.g., teacher-student relationships, parent-child relationships, positive emotions, school climate, personality traits) to academic outcomes, typically measured by grade point average (GPA) or cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Grounded in theoretical frameworks such as Self-Determination Theory, Broaden-and-Build Theory, and Conservation of Resources Theory, the findings confirm PsyCap’s capacity to translate supportive environments into enhanced performance while mitigating challenges like stress and burnout. Theoretical implications extend PsyCap frameworks to educational contexts, while practical recommendations advocate for PsyCap-focused interventions, supportive relationships, and positive school climates. Policy implications emphasize curriculum integration and teacher training. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, diverse samples, and multi-method approaches to enhance causal inferences and applicability, reinforcing PsyCap’s transformative potential in optimizing student success.

Stakeholder Engagement in the Development of the General Education Curriculum for Language Arts and Literature in Vietnam (2022-2025)

Hai Anh Doan — 2025-12-19

Curriculum development is a complex process that requires the coordinated participation of various stakeholders both inside and outside of the school. Based on this reality, Kettunen (2015) proposes a stakeholder map for curriculum development, distinguishing between internal and external stakeholders. Drawing on local and international research regarding stakeholder involvement in curriculum development in general, as well as the practice of developing the General Education Curriculum for Language Arts and Literature from 2022 to 2025 (corresponding to the three school years of implementing the 2018 General Curriculum: 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2024-2025) in Vietnam, this article analyzes the extent of stakeholder participation in the curriculum development process, specially focus on the Needs Analysis phase within the ADDIE model. Therefore, this article provides several recommendations for effectively mobilizing stakeholder participation in the development of the General Education Curriculum for Language Arts and Literature at the upper secondary school level in the future.