The University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNU-UET) is actively piloting blended learning courses, yet the initial implementation has faced notable challenges. Currently, most blended courses are conducted by uploading materials to a Learning Management System (LMS) and assigning exercises for students to practice online combined with discussion sessions via Zoom classrooms. Despite these efforts, the courses have yet to be fully designed according to blended learning standards, with a lack of integration between online and in-person activities.

In an effort to enhance the quality of blended courses, from September to December 2024, VNU-UET has partnered with the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform Project to identify the technical support to equip the core team with the necessary skills to develop effective blended learning courses. As part of this collaboration, the project’s blended learning expert Associate Professor Michael Truong from Azusa Pacific University, United States provided technical assistance and professional guidance to the VNU-UET team. His expertise has been instrumental in supporting VNU-UET faculty in designing and implementing effective blended learning courses.

Training to introduce the Quality Matters (QM) standards for online/blended learning evaluation

During the collaboration, the core team of the Faculty of Information Technology, VNU-UET participated in a series of training activities, including: a webinar introducing the principles and practices of blended course design; a hands-on training workshop aimed at enhancing skills and understanding of blended learning course design; one in-person technical support session; and three online coaching sessions featuring in-depth discussions with experts to receive feedback and improve course designs for blended learning.

The project’s expert collaborated with the core team to review the current detailed syllabus of the “Advanced Programming” course, identifying areas for improvement and revision. Recognizing that the syllabus did not clearly reflect a blended learning design, the expert provided a new template to convert the course into a more professionally designed format.

With technical support from the expert, the new syllabus underwent two rounds of feedback for refinement. Subsequently, the core team developed instructional content for modules that integrated theory and practical activities, combining face-to-face and online learning, and uploaded them to the university’s Canvas platform. The initial modules received feedback from the expert, particularly focusing on enhancing interactivity and ensuring cohesion between in-person and online instruction. Insights and lessons learned from this process were applied to adjust and finalize the design of remaining modules.

Online coaching sessions with the core group in charge of designing 02 modules of the Advanced Programming course from VNU-UET to review and provide feedback on the

After four months of intensive work, the core team finalized the design of the “Advanced Programming” course in a blended learning format, with plans to officially offer it to students starting January 2025. Additionally, the course syllabus template, developed with support from the project’s expert, received high praise from the university for its clear structure and practical applicability.

VNU-UET is currently seeking approval from Vietnam National University-Hanoi, to apply this syllabus template across all courses within the institution. This initiative marks a significant advancement in enhancing the quality assurance of academic programs at VNU-UET.