Autonomy - The fundamental direction in modern educational innovation

One of the major contents of the workshop was “Promoting student autonomy to effectively apply Learning through Play” – a new, humane approach in moderneducation . According to Mr. Nguyen Bao Chau – iPLAY Project Coordinator, VVOB Vietnam, “Autonomy is not only a capacity but also a right of learners. When trusted, students can choose, give opinions, be creative and take responsibility for their learning process”.

Autonomy is not only the destination but also the means for students to learn effectively, develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills and lifelong learning. "Autonomy - core competencies in the 2018 education program According to the 2018 General Education Program", "autonomy and self-study capacity" is identified as one of the core competencies, including 6 elements: self-reliance, self-regulation of behavior, adaptation to life, career orientation, self-study and self-improvement. Student autonomy is the foundational pillar of modern education, equipping learners with essential skills to support the development of critical thinking, problem-solving and lifelong learning.

Workshop delegates participated in activities that illustrated Learning through Play and promoted autonomy.

In Vietnam, autonomy and self-learning have been clearly stated in the 2018 General Education Program as one of the core competencies in supporting children's comprehensive development to achieve the goals of the general education program. However, autonomy is often confused with self-study or independent learning, causing broader aspects such as the ability to cooperate, creative thinking and adaptability to be overlooked and not fully reflected in teaching practice.

In order to identify gaps in understanding and practice of promoting student autonomy in the Vietnamese education system, VVOB in Vietnam, together with members of the technical team from educational institutions and pedagogical universities, has developed a document: “Promoting student autonomy: Pedagogical practices to develop autonomy according to the 2018 General Education Program”, analyzing different understandings of autonomy and providing many practical recommendations for integrating autonomy in the classroom and in schools, along with practices to promote student autonomy.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Chau - iPLAY Project Coordinator, VVOB Organization in Vietnam introduces Learning through Play and student autonomy.

Mr. Nguyen Bao Chau - Project Coordinator shared: "We need to shift from viewing self-study as reading materials alone, to seeing autonomy as an integrated capacity - students need to know how to set goals, evaluate progress, cooperate with classmates and adjust their learning methods to suit themselves".

“The technical paper is not only a theoretical orientation, but also a practical tool for teachers, school leaders and pedagogical lecturers to apply directly to teaching and learning activities. This is a necessary step to bring autonomy into the classroom.”

Delegation of Lai Chau Department of Education and Training attended the workshop.

At the workshop, a representative of ChildFund presented a summary report with many specific recommendations to promote the development of student autonomy, emphasizing the role of a safe and open learning environment, teacher accompaniment and support policies from education management levels.

Sharing in the group discussion, Ms. Nguyen Le Huyen - Education Strategy Advisor of VVOB Vietnam emphasized: "It is impossible to demand autonomy from students when the learning environment does not allow them to try, make mistakes and adjust. Student autonomy begins with the autonomy of the teacher and flexibility in teaching and learning activities."

Good practices introduced by the Vietnam Association for Education for All (VAEFA), pedagogical universities and especially District 7 Primary School, Ho Chi Minh City have clearly demonstrated: When teachers change the way they organize their classrooms, listen more to their students and believe in their abilities, learning outcomes become lively, sustainable and bring real joy.

At the workshop, experts proposed five groups of recommendations to promote student autonomy: Strengthen the role of school leaders in curriculum design, creating a supportive environment and recognizing teacher initiatives. Enhance teacher capacity through training, instructional materials, autonomy assessment tools and encouraging learning through play. Promote the role of families and communities in supporting the development of autonomy at home through positive interactions and effective communication. Encourage students to participate in activities that demonstrate autonomy such as clubs, group projects, and extracurricular activities. Strengthen the role of teacher training institutions in training/retraining in developing autonomy, from undergraduate programs to teaching practice.

The workshop also recognized successful models such as inclusive education practices for students with disabilities, specifically the Bilingual - Bicultural model for deaf students (VAEFA).

Representatives of the Central Deaf Education and Support Center share experiences in sign language.

The workshop concluded that to build a modern and humane education, nurturing learners' autonomy needs to be a focus from policy to classroom, from school to family.

Through the workshop, VVOB hopes to spread the right understanding of student autonomy, while promoting innovative pedagogical practices with the role of stakeholders to build a learning environment where students can be proactive, creative and develop comprehensively. The representative of VVOB in Vietnam also affirmed its commitment to continue accompanying educational partners in Vietnam to replicate the student-centered educational model and enhance students' autonomy to promote the application of Learning through Play more effectively in each school.

About VVOB Vietnam

VVOB is a non-profit organization for development cooperation and technical assistance, established in 1982 in Belgium. The unit has been operating in Vietnam since 1992 in the field of education with the motto "education for development". The organization hopes to contribute to creating equality and opportunities for everyone.

VVOB’s goal is to support the improvement of quality and effectiveness of education in a sustainable way in developing countries. In 2022, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary, the organization set out the goals to be achieved ahead of schedule in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030, through the Learning Unlimited Strategy document.

Source: https://baolaichau.vn/xa-hoi/nang-luc-tu-chu-huong-di-can-ban-trong-doi-moi-giao-duc-hien-dai-654816