"Improving the Teaching Quality of the Course “Cross-Cultural Communication” Employing CDIO Approach: A Case Study of Vinh University "

Abstract

Over the past decade which marked Vietnam’s deepening international integration, Cross-Cultural Communication has become a crucial and significant course in a large number of curricula at institutions nationwide. The present status of the teaching quality of Cross-Cultural Communication at higher education level in Vietnam and at Vinh University in particular, however, is raising some issues of particular concern, including imbalance between theory and practice of the course syllabus and lack of teaching materials, students’ background and motivation, among other things. By employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, this article attempts to look into the reality of the teaching quality of the course in terms of syllabus and sources, teaching staff, students, facilities and other relevant conditions to serve the training of the course, given Vinh University as a case study. A substantial part of the article digs out merits of CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, Operate) approach as fundamental solutions to the improvement of the course teaching. We find that to address the pressing requirements to address the aforementioned problems for better teaching quality of the course, it is vital in the first place to renew teaching methods and assessment and to design of a course book based on CDIO approach.