Fulbright University Vietnam, in collaboration with EdLab Asia and Delta Global School, is launching the “Science of Learning” (SOL) course for teachers and educators. Conducted and awarded by Teachers College, Columbia University (USA), the training of trainers (ToT) course will consist of a 4-week training (6 hours/week) and a 2-week final project. The course looks to recruit and train 16 teachers and educators to be coaches who will assist us in operating future SOL courses for teachers and educators all over Vietnam.
The “Science of Learning” course shows participants, through current research, how we learn — the way our brain makes, stores, and retrieves memories. Throughout the course, participants will be prepared to become agents of change within their institution by gaining knowledge in:
- How the brain encodes memories, stores them, and retrieves them for later use;
- Why working memory is so important for learning and ways to prevent it from getting overloaded;
- Strategies for making memories that “stick” and can be readily recalled when needed;
- Misconceptions that many students have about learning and ways to correct them;
- How student mindsets and beliefs about learning can help or hinder their academic success;
- How to help students become independent and self-regulated learners so they can lead their own learning;
- Teaching strategies and assessment techniques that maximize student learning.
Along the way, participants will explore the practical implications of cognitive science for classroom teaching in terms of choosing effective instructional strategies, developing useful assessments, motivating student effort, and designing learner-centered curricular units. This course is aimed to enhance the practice of K-12 teachers.
Leading the course’s training faculty is Dr. Kevin Mattingly, Advisory Board member and a co-founder of Delta Global School located in Hanoi, who has been a science teacher, administrator, and athletic coach for 35 years in junior high and high schools. In addition, he has taught graduate courses in learning theory and its practical teaching applications for 10 years at Teachers College, Columbia University (USA). Over the years, he has helped start the Mountain School in Vermont (USA), been a consultant to systemic school reform initiatives, and worked with over thirty schools on curriculum design, teaching strategies and professional development programs. He has also been involved with a variety of summer academic programs for students including the New Jersey Scholars, Vermont Governor’s Institute on Science and Technology, Hotchkiss Summer Portals, and a number of summer enrichment programs for public school students from New York City, Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey (USA). Since the fall of 2015, he is the director of the co-curricular for the Riverdale School, New York City.
The SOL course will be open to 16 educational trainers who work in both public and private institutions, have competent English and commit to becoming an agent of change in the education sector. Once selected, all participants will be fully funded by Teachers College, Columbia University, USA. Apart from a Certificate of Completion after completing the course, participants will be awarded a SOL Trainer Certificate after successfully coaching 5 programs for learners.
Timeline:
- Application: April 07-28, 2022
- Result announcement: May 08, 2022
- Course Duration: May 14 to June 04, 2022. Each week includes 3 hours of self-paced learning and 3 hours of meeting on Saturday morning.
- Final project and Finalization: June 04-18, 2022
To apply: https://bit.ly/SOLcourse
Frequently Asked Questions on “The Science of Learning Course” – SOL
1. How will the first SOL course be structured?
Fulbright University Vietnam, in collaboration with EdLab Asia and Delta Global School, organizes the SOL Program for teachers and educators across Vietnam to share knowledge about the science of learning. SOL courses will be taught and certified by Teachers College, Columbia University (USA).
The SOL 1 course will be open to 16 educational trainers who work in both public and private institutions, have competent English and commit to becoming an agent of change in the education sector. The SOL 1 course will be taught directly in English with Dr. Kevin Mattingly. And this is also a training course to train the trainers for future SOL courses. Apart from a Certificate of Completion after completing the course, participants will be awarded a SOL Trainer Certificate after successfully coaching 5 programs for learners.
Course SOL 2 onwards will be taught in Vietnamese, no English required for attendees, scheduled to take place from July 2022. Information about the SOL 2 will be announced at the end of May 2022.
2. What is the main language of instruction for this SOL course?
The first SOL course – the training course for companions as Trainers for future SOL courses – will be taught and communicated entirely in English. This is a requirement to ensure the quality of the course.
3. What is the minimum English requirement for this first SOL course?
Participants must obtain a minimum English test score of IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) prior to joining the course. During the application period, if you do not have an English test score report, you can still apply. Then, should you be invited to the interview round, you will be asked to take an online English test (free of charge) proctored by the SOL organizers.
4. What is the process of applying for this SOL course?
As the participants of this SOL course are expected to engage with us for a long period of time, we want to recruit educators who do not only hold strong English skills but also a deep devotion to bringing forth changes in the education sector in Vietnam.
All applicants will be pre-screened prior to having their application fully assessed by our panel of examiners from Fulbright University Vietnam, EdLab Asia and Delta Global School. The top qualified applicants will subsequently partake in an interview round (and have their English assessed if applicable).
The final results will be holistically based on both the application responses and the interview performance.
5. Do I have to submit a recommendation letter in the application?
This first SOL course requires that you submit a letter of recommendation from your school administrator (principal/vice-principal) or educational organization board/director. If you are unable to obtain this letter prior to the application’s deadline, please upload a document including the detailed contact information of the recommender (full name, position/title, phone number, email) so that the organizers can reach for your referral.
6. How and where is this SOL course organized?
This SOL course will take place in 4 weeks between 14/05/2022 and 04/06/2022. Each week during this period, the course will consist of 3 hours of self-learning and 3 hours of online instructions on Saturday. Besides these active course sessions, you are expected to conduct and finish your final projects for 2 more weeks thereafter. This course is currently planned to be conducted 100% virtually. However, there may be chances that we can potentially organize this course in a hybrid mode with some offline classes in Ha Noi and some in Ho Chi Minh City depending on the participants’ location. The detailed format will be communicated to participants in a timely manner.
About EdLab Asia:
EdLab Asia is the leading non-profit education hub in Vietnam designed to inspire educators, develop skilled researchers, and grow strong educational leaders through action research, academic research and social campaigns. EdLab Asia implements normal-but-missing activities to elevate educational practices in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and Asia.
About Delta Global School:
Delta Global School, a Grade 6 through Grade 12 “school within a school,” provides Vietnamese students and families with a rigorous academic program, a curated set of co-curricular activities, an intense immersive English language experience, and a focus on the development of character strengths within a dynamic entrepreneurial environment. Delta Global School (DGS) provides a thriving dynamic academic environment that challenges its diverse community members to learn more effectively, preparing them both for university study and for life.
https://sites.google.com/dgs.org.vn/dgs-central/home?authuser=0
About Fulbright University Vietnam:
Fulbright University Vietnam is Vietnam’s first independent, not-for-profit, liberal arts university. We are an expanding international team of educational innovators, with deep roots in Vietnam, strong political and financial backing, and connections to educational institutions around the world.
We believe in the power of collaboration, transdisciplinary thinking, and risk-taking, and we understand that effective education requires putting students at its center. Globally integrated but deeply embedded in Vietnamese society, Fulbright is dedicated to providing a world-class education, utilizing the latest advancements in institutional design, teaching, learning, technology and other fields to create an institution that is both innovative and globally relevant. Importantly, Fulbright is committed to serving Vietnamese society through rigorous research and responsible civic engagement
About Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College is located in New York City and is an affiliate of Columbia University.
For over 125 years, Teachers College – the largest and most comprehensive graduate and professional school of education in the United States – has educated nearly 100,000 people from around the world. With a tradition of innovation and insight, Teachers College embraces three fields of study: education, psychology, and health.
The Teachers College spirit of academic inquiry is embodied by current faculty working in the tradition of such distinguished predecessors as John Dewey and Maxine Greene in defining new fields of study. In addition to examining the ways education in the United States and around the world is affected by larger economic, social, and political contexts, Teachers College faculty help students to realize their full potential as learners, to make informed decisions, and to attain the best possible quality of life.
