The current situation of seniors’ usage of active teaching methods during practicums – a case study in Vietnam

Abstract

In Vietnam, pedagogical students are not just equipped with a system of knowledge and skills in the classroom, they also need to apply the knowledge and skills in general education through practicums. To develop learners' capacity, student teachers need to be equipped to use active teaching methods that are appropriate and promote positiveness. The use of pedagogical methods is most evident during a practicum. This article focuses on determining the reality of seniors who are about to become trained teachers and use pedagogical methods in general education when they join a practicum. The article uses a mixed methods approach, including qualitative and quantitative methods. The questionaries were used to survey 122 seniors regarding the active teaching methods at the pedagogical school and applied during practicums. SPSS software was used for data analysis. The results show that pre-service teachers are aware of the importance of using active teaching methods when practicing. However, they are not proficient, have not applied a variety of these methods, and there is a significant difference in the way they are used by students of different disciplines. The research has implications for the process of training pre-service teachers. It is necessary to equip them to deal with issues related to active teaching methods. On the other hand, students need to actively apply these methods during the practicum. In addition to the efforts of student teachers, this issue needs the close coordination of pedagogical universities and practicum schools.