Challenges in Online Teaching Management in Vietnam Universities

In Vietnam today, online teaching is still in the development stage. There has not been a set of quality assurance standards for universities to organize online education. Universities that apply online teaching are mainly based on the ability to use information technology. The resources of each university are at a different level and limited while receiving no government investment. Furthermore, the implementation of online teaching requires a significant and methodical investment in technology infrastructure, training content, human resources, and implementation. Therefore, there is a need for online teaching management solutions in universities.

Self-assessment of Consecutive Interpreting by MTI Interpreting Students

Assessing the quality of interpreting practice and conducting targeted training is the key to improving interpreting ability of MTI student interpreters. By reviewing literature on interpreting assessment and self-assessment, the research has decided the parameters for self-assessment of consecutive interpreting practice, developed a self-assessment form and conducted self-assessment of MTI interpreting students for fifteen weeks. Research results show that students have developed awareness of autonomous quality monitoring and improved their overall interpreting ability.

On the Application of Translation Quality Assessment Model in MTI Teaching

The 21st century is an era of globalization with rapid development of information technology and there are more and more close exchanges among countries. Under this background, the importance of translation is self-evident, and MTI (Master of Translation and Interpreting) teaching, which is closely related to it, has also attracted increasing attention. On the whole, after over ten years of development, translation teaching in China has begun to take shape. Both major foreign language colleges and foreign language departments of various comprehensive colleges have set up corresponding translation courses. But at present, the teaching effect of MTI is far from satisfaction. Based on the translation quality assessment model of Malcolm Williams, the necessity and possibility of the application of the translation quality assessment model in MTI teaching is explored, and the concept of the application of the translation quality assessment model in the classroom is put forward, aiming to establish an objective and effective evaluation system in MTI teaching so as to further promote the development of MTI teaching.

Culture Clash and the Oppression Olympics

Cultural proficiency opens the window to understanding diversity and its value in society. Studies have shown that when communities organize, have the ability to see the differences, and respond positively, their interactions are effective in diverse environments. Alliance-forming approaches to grapple with inequities substantiate the need for communities of color to collaborate and willingly address power imbalances by speaking out against systems of oppression. Instead of engaging in divisive forms of advocacy, cultural humility encourages critical self-reflection and acknowledges that unhealthy comparison about racial oppression implies that power structures and privilege are reserved for one specific group. This critical commentary calls for increased solidarity and compassion to learn from one another to further the movement towards an anti-racist society.

Uncovering the Challenge of Vocational Education Policy

This study aims to describe the challenges faced by educational actors in developing vocational education mainly in the political perspective of vocational education. This research is a qualitative research. Data were collected using open interviews with 16 participants. Participants in this study came from the government, schools, industry, professional associations, media, the community, and non-governmental organizations. The results showed that the interest groups in vocational education faced four challenges in the development of vocational education. The challenges are in the form of bureaucratic challenges, management challenges, collaborative challenges, and trust challenges. This challenge arises because the development of vocational education is closely related to the allocation of resources including, human resources, budget, and facilities. The implications of this research can be used to improve communication between interest groups in the development of vocational education that can be used at the national and global levels.

Faculty Perspectives on Research Collaborations between the U.S. and Mexico

The transfer of knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across countries is a common practice in academia, which is both timely and useful to achieve research collaborations. Through a qualitative research approach, using interviews and observations, five STEM Mexican professors shared their experiences and expectations in leading the research collaborations where professors and students participated. This qualitative inquiry utilized Sargent and Water’s (2004) academic research collaborations framework, which highlights the interactive phases for achieving successful collaborations. The findings revealed that: 1) institutional support through department chairs’ encouragement along with professors’ leadership to expand research collaborations in both countries are favorable and 2) more resources to fund students’ participation in international research collaborations and better climate that help students feel socially included and academically integrated to a new setting seem necessary. The article concludes with perspectives and implications for strengthening the research exchanges between the United States (U.S.) and Mexico. Among them, highlighting the positive impact that international research collaborations have for universities in both countries, the need to expand the funding for students’ mobility overseas, and the improvement of English language training to strengthen students’ connections, and, consequently, collaboration.

Exploring Food Cultures through Art: Meeting People Where They Are at

Engaging people in critical conversations about food practices is often challenging. In this paper, we explore how an exhibition was used as an educative site to explore food insecurity and food cultures and to promote food ethics and healthy eating. Surveys and interviews from the opening night of an exhibition were collected and Bourdieu’s habitus was used to theoretically inform analysis. The diversity of artworks displayed were found to provoke critical reflection about food cultures among participants. Findings revealed the exhibition was a non-intrusive space for meeting people ‘where they were at’ in understandings of food and food practice. Artworks were found to evoke reflections on food as a cultural phenomenon and as a deeply personal component of everyday worlds. The tensions in making food choices and food as agentic in participants lives were highlighted. Findings suggest that exhibitions may support critical engagement with food practice when audiences are given opportunities to discuss their thoughts and ideas.

VR Technology and International Business Negotiation Teaching

With the continuous advancement of science and technology, technological products not only bring convenience to people’s lives, but also bring great benefits to education. The emergence of VR technology is a major milestone in the history of human development. This article starts with the theoretical basis of Virtual Reality technology in teaching application, analyzes the characteristics of VR technology, summarizes the problems existing in negotiation teaching, and finally discusses the advantages of VR technology to the teaching of International Business Negotiation courses.

Crossing Borders in Initial Teacher Education: Supporting Translations in the Inner-City Practicum

Research examining teacher candidates’ preparation to teach in high-poverty, urban contexts marked by diversities and inequalities, throughout North America and internationally, is predominantly focused on examining and changing problematic attitudes based in white normativity and privilege. While this is extremely important, there has been a noted absence of research that supports translations of critical ideas from coursework into the practicum experience. In this article we share a case-study of eight teacher candidates supported by a practicum team approach designed to support these translations into the inner-city teaching practicum. The study is designed and analyzed through decolonial, settler-colonial, critical, and Indigenous theories and philosophies. The authors found common deficit perspectives in the practicum site, but that a relational focus across university and school contexts supported the translation of critical ideas into practice. This study recommends a more explicit engagement with settler colonialism and white privilege within both the practicum and coursework.

Challenges Head Start Teachers Face with Dual Language Learners

In the Midwestern state, there are 164,000 of the 1,064,000 children enrolled in Head Start programs are dual language learners. Although the number of dual language learners is increasing in the United States, there is a gap in educational practice about challenges Head Start teachers and education coordinators face in working with this population. An exploration of Head Start teachers’ and education coordinators’ perspectives regarding the support teachers need to meet the challenges working with dual language learners is presented. This study was grounded in Jim Cummins’s language acquisition framework, which suggests that dual language learners’ benefit from instruction in their native language and the language of the classroom. A basic qualitative study design was used with a purposeful sample of 8 Head Start teachers, 1 Head Start education coordinator, and 1 Head Start site manager. Using semi- structured interviews, results revealed that Head Start teachers realized they need additional support to meet the challenges of working with dual language learners. Three themes emerged from the data: (a) participants had a positive outlook on using native language both in the classroom and at home, (b) perspectives on support needed to meet the challenges of working with dual language learners varied from teacher to teacher and from teachers to education coordinators, and (c) participants had a positive outlook on teaching dual language learners while recognizing the need for support in working with these learners.