Teaching Activities in the Economics (Foreign Trade) Major: Dedication and Creativity.

Teaching at the university level always requires a substantial body of knowledge and pedagogical skills. It is no longer merely a matter of grades or knowledge acquired in high school; the objective of higher education is to train skilled workers who are passionate about the majors in which they are educated.

The educational system of Lac Hong University in general, and the Faculty of Business Administration – International Economics in particular, has long applied active and modernized teaching methods in higher education. Current methods revolve around and focus on learners by fostering their spirit of progress and stimulating proactive awareness. Lecturers are no longer simply transmitters of subject knowledge; they have become mentors and advisors who guide students to think independently and actively acquire knowledge from various information sources.

Below are several experiences drawn from teaching students majoring in Foreign Trade at Lac Hong University.

First, create an inspiring learning environment

The first thing lecturers should do is ensure an engaging and stimulating learning atmosphere, creating a space where students feel confident to ask questions and discuss what is being taught. This requires showing respect for students and ensuring that students respect one another’s questions and opinions. Lecturers are advisors in terms of knowledge; however, they will not do everything, and openness to student discussion is essential. Inspiring students through statements such as, “This is not an easy subject, but I know all of you can do it,” will motivate and help students learn more effectively.

Second, organize teaching sessions effectively

An effective teaching session increases learning opportunities for both students and lecturers. In an effective session, students simply have more time to absorb knowledge. Therefore, thorough preparation for each class is essential. Lecturers should ensure that teaching materials and tools such as laptops, audio systems, videos, etc., function properly before the class begins. Lecturers should have a clear plan of what they intend to do and, especially, what they expect their students to do. They should then clearly communicate this plan to students so that they understand what to expect throughout the session.

Third, provide clear guidance

Clear instruction begins with lecturers having a precise understanding of what they want students to learn in a specific session. This means starting by establishing the expected learning outcomes. It is beneficial for students’ learning if lecturers clearly state these outcomes at the beginning of the class. It also helps students recognize the connection between the knowledge in the current lesson and the knowledge from previous and subsequent teaching and learning activities, once they understand why the content of the lesson is important and relevant.

Fourth, activate learning

Learning does not stop at lecturers delivering knowledge during a 45-minute session. Students are responsible for learning from what is taught. However, lecturers are also responsible for activating students’ learning, and these two aspects do not naturally occur simultaneously. Assigning in-class exercises, organizing discussions with students (and ensuring everyone participates), encouraging students to think more broadly, etc., are all important factors that ensure students are genuinely thinking about the lesson.

In addition, many studies have shown that cooperative learning—where students learn together, discuss lessons together, and guide one another—is highly effective. Therefore, directing students to explain the content to one another is an effective way to activate learning.

Fifth, encourage students’ thinking

Lecturers often expect students to know how to learn and how to manage their own learning processes within their fields. However, most students struggle when studying entirely new areas because they are not aware of their own learning strategies. Therefore, to improve student learning, it is helpful for lecturers to clarify the learning process and discuss it with students. An example is teaching students how to simplify complex problems and solve problems in front of the class through positive thinking. “Let us think about how we will solve this problem... Last week we encountered a similar issue, but this time it is different, so perhaps we can start with last week’s solution and see how it works...”. When lecturers teach students to consistently check their answers and encourage critical thinking, it is highly effective in university-level teaching.

At any level of education, not only in higher education, the role of lecturers in teaching is extremely important. Vietnamese education is currently undergoing innovation, with significant changes in teaching methods from content-based approaches to approaches that focus more closely on learners’ competencies. Strengthening learning, particularly group learning, and transforming the lecturer–student perspective toward collaboration have been and continue to be effective approaches applied by FAIE in particular and Lac Hong University in general.