MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ------ GRADUATIONTHESIS LEARNING A GRADUATION THESIS COURSE ONLINE: THE MATCH AND MISMATCH BETWEEN FFL SENIORS' AND LECTURERS' PERCEPTIONS AT IUH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STUDENT NAME: TRAN KIM HOANG ID NUMBER: 18062621 CLASS CODE: 420300165601 COHORT: 2018-2022 SUPERVISOR NAME: Phan Thi Tuyet Nga, Ph. MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES ------ Student name : Tran Kim Hoang ID Number : 18062621 Class Code : 420300165601 Cohort : 2018-2022 Supervisor Name : Phan Thi Tuyet Nga, Ph. Student’s declaration: I declare that this graduation report is entirely my own work and does not involve in plagiarism or collusion. It also has not been accepted as part of a submission to another purpose else where.
I accept heavy penalty for any cheating or plagiarism. Date submitted : December 8th, 2021. Signed : Word count : 8,284 words. LEARNING A GRADUATION THESIS COURSE ONLINE: THE MATCH AND MISMATCH BETWEEN FFL SENIORS' AND LECTURERS' PERCEPTIONS AT IUH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ABSTRACT: The research paper was conducted to find out the similarities and differences opinions between lecturers and students about important requirements in the process of writing a graduation thesis in online.
In particular, the study also investigated the benefits and difficulties that students faced when completing their thesis online. The study focused on senior students and lecturers studying and working at the Faculty of Foreign Languages (FFL) in the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City (IUH). There were two instruments used to collect data. First, the questionnaires were answered by 200 students and 20 lecturers.
Second, there were 20 students and 3 lecturers invited to interview supplying more information. The results revealed that online resources, social media, technical devices, and virtual learning platforms played an important role in writing an online graduation thesis. Furthermore, it was convenient and this was an opportunity for students to upgrade some essential skills, and improve their learning attitudes. Nevertheless, students got difficulties understanding the instructor's direction, feedback, and correction as wells as the research method and interaction with each other being restricted.
Not only that, but the study also suggested some ways for students to be able to have the best preparation before writing an online graduation thesis. With students, they should focus to develop their knowledge and skills in research. For instructors, they should record their video instructions and make a weekly meeting to have some talk to help students reduce stress and pressure as well as increase interaction in the group during thesis work. Key words: An online graduation thesis course, Covid-19 pandemic, FFL seniors’ and lecturers’ perceptions, Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh city.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research has been completed thanks to the help of many people I have received. I desire to give my sincere gratitude to them. First of all, I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to my supervisor, Ms. Phan Thi Tuyet Nga, for her help, guidance, and encouragement during the course of this thesis.
This is my first time doing a research paper and this is also a very new topic for me so anxiety, confusion, and mistakes are unavoidable. Despite her busy schedule, she still guided me through all of the procedures and provided detailed comments and feedback on my research paper. Thanks to her, I not only gained practical knowledge but also acquired the necessary skills during the study. I would not have been able to complete this research without her guidance, support, and encouragement.
I would like to give my appreciation to all of the lecturers at the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Foreign Languages, particularly the 20 teachers that helped this study completed. Furthermore, I want to give a big thank you to the final-year foreign language, because of their cooperation eager involvement, this study was completed. And the last, I desire to express my deepest gratitude to my family, friends, and two partners. They were the mental support that encouraged and helped me overcome all difficulties of doing the study.
To be honest, I sometimes tended to give up completing this course in the semester due to the lack of knowledge and skills as well as being stressed, they helped me out of those negative thoughts, gave me advice and instructions during the study. Again, thank you so much! Thanks for being side by side with me. Table of Contents CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION. Scope of the study:.
2 CHAPTER II LITURATURE REVIEW .1 Definition of key terms/concepts .1 Definition of Covid 19 pandemic: .2 Definition of Graduation Thesis: .3 Definition of learning online. Definition of Technology devices and challenges:. Results of previous studies: .1 The necessary requirements:.4 Virtual Learning Platforms. Advantages of online courses:.
Disadvantages of online courses:. 9 CHAPTER III RESEARCH DESIGN .1 Research site/context: .3 Research methodology and research methods: .1 Questionnaires for students: .2 Questionnaires for teachers .1 The questions for students.2 The questions for lecturers. 13 CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION. 39 List of Tables Demographic lecturers informations:.
14 Demographic students informations:. 24 Student’s name: Tran Kim Hoang ID Number: 18062621 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale According to Rashid & Yadav (2020), the Covid 19 pandemic has affected most aspects of our life, especially in education. Currently, education activities have transformed suddenly from face- to-face classroom to online courses. In Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh city, because of the social isolation, almost all schools and universities have been empty of students and online learning has become a compulsory method for education at the moment.
Likewise, other universities, the Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh city is not an exception, students at IUH are catching up within the process of getting used to distancing learning and are more concerning than seniors majoring in FFL have to complete the graduation thesis course this year in a university. Online courses are a relatively new concept so whether the graduation thesis course, is an important and indispensable project to assess and evaluate the entire educational quality of a university student (Han, 2013), can be completed by students in an online form. In fact, there are not plenty of studies on this topic from previous researchers in the global research and Vietnam is the same though this course plays an important role for last-year students today. For this reason, it is strictly necessary for seniors to understand a graduation thesis course when doing it online.
The research is conducted to investigate the seniors’ and lecturers’ opinions on what is required for students in working on this course. And what benefits and drawbacks which students will have if this course is done online. Research objectives: The research aims to find out the similarities and differences in FFL’s seniors' and lecturers’ perceptions about some necessary requirements as well as some information regarding the advantages and disadvantages of distancing doing and instructing the Graduation Thesis Course. In addition, the research gives useful suggestions and solutions to help final-year students improve or enhance their Graduation thesis course if the Covid 19 pandemic keeps going on.
What are FFL seniors’ and lecturers' perceptions of the necessary requirements of an online Graduation Thesis course? Supervisor: Phan Thi Tuyet Nga, Ph.D 1 Student’s name: Tran Kim Hoang ID Number: 18062621 2.What are FFL seniors’ and lecturers’ perceptions of the expected advantages of an online graduation thesis course? 3.What are FFL seniors’ and lecturers’ perceptions of the expected disadvantages of an online graduation thesis course? 1. Scope of the study: There are many real issues around doing the graduation thesis course online of the Final-year English major students at IUH; However, with a limited time, the research just only concentrates on the key requirements that students must have knowledged as well as the advantages and disadvantages of 200 FFL’ seniors and 25 lecturers at Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh city in learning and instructing an online graduation thesis course. Supervisor: Phan Thi Tuyet Nga, Ph.D Page 2 Student’s name: Tran Kim Hoang ID Number: 18062621 CHAPTER II LITURATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definition of key terms/concepts 2.1 Definition of Covid 19 pandemic: In 2019, the new virus was quickly identified by World Health Organization (WHO) and the China officials and was given the term “Novel Corona Virus (2019-nCoV)” (Roy et al. Fever, cough, and hard breathing are the most common indications and symptoms of COVID-19.
Tiredness, muscular aches, fever, headaches, sore throats, sneezing, stomach problems, diarrhea problems, and a loss of smell or taste are all possible secondary effects (Coronavirus, 2020). By April 8, 2020, there had been 211 local cases of coronavirus COVID-19 infection, with over 1.5 million infected patients worldwide (Basilaia & Kvavadze, 2020). The countries' border locks down, leading to the slow development of the economy, tourism, and service worldwide (Harper et al. Besides, the schools and institutions have immediately canceled all education activities according to the government guidance to limit the spread and save lives (Rashid & Yadav, 2020).2 Definition of Graduation Thesis: A graduation thesis mentions a research project which students have to complete before graduating from colleges and universities.
The goal is to help college students develop and apply their theoretical knowledge and professional abilities to real-world situations in order to cope with difficulties. The process of completing a graduation thesis is the final part of university education and is also a necessary preparation in practical teaching (He & You, 2020). In addition, working on a graduation thesis is an indispensable and important step for students to apply their knowledge, skills, and experience in the learning process to handle real problems in society and work. Moreover, it is not a measure to test and evaluate comprehensively specialization knowledge, but it is also an opportunity for students to acquire and develop their abilities, working-related skills, resolve real-world issues, work thinking, and independent analyzing.
Students will be provided with basic training in professional and associated work as a result of this. These are both vital and essential parts in developing students’ performance (Wei, Yuan, Lian & Ding, 2018). Supervisor: Phan Thi Tuyet Nga, Ph.D Page 3 Student’s name: Tran Kim Hoang ID Number: 18062621 2.3 Definition of learning online Online learning is one of the aspects of the concept of distance education, combining the use of the technological applications and learning process including learning-based on the Internet, virtual platforms, virtual classrooms, and network collaboration. In addition, online learning is a wide range of computer-based learning technologies and modes of delivery, as well as styles, forms, and materials such as audiovisual, education programs, simulations, tools, and the use of contemporary media on fixed and movable platforms across all fields.
Similarly, online learning, also called learning on the internet or network, does not have any restriction of time and place for learners, and therefore, makes educational systems flexible based on providing information on the internet (Pei & Wu, 2019). Furthermore, online learning is the apply full kind of technologies to the process of learning via website, email, video lesson, and the internet is considered as the fundamental tool in process of learning online. Learning is everywhere, a not fixed place (Sari, 2020). An online instructor makes up for the lack of physical presence in the online course by establishing an ideal environment in which all students feel at ease taking part in the class (JENA, 2020).
Definition of Technology devices and challenges: Mobile phones, computers, the Internet, and television are examples of technological items that have influenced student performance (Yesilyurt et al. Also mentioned to this topic, Aksoğan (2020) showed technological devices can be connected to the internet to support distance education activities and in the community, communication taking place at the same time. According to Lozano (2021), all cell phones, tablets, laptops, and computers are kinds of technological devices. They are useful tools bringing many benefits for education.
Results of previous studies: 2.1 The necessary requirements: 2.