Perspectives on English Language Teaching and Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic

Since its outbreak two years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world-wide education systems, leading to school closures in many countries as well as the changes in the whole educational procedures. In order to reassure parents, students and other involved leaders, there has been a rapid shift from face-to-face education to emergency online teaching. English language teaching and learning is accordingly an integral flow in this stream of online process, which then motivates educators and researchers to have a further look at the effects of COVID-19 on digital language acquisition. Hence, this study aims to explore both teachers’ and students’ perspectives on English language teaching and learning during COVID-19 pandemic. The findings, from both quantitative and qualitative data, reveal that all the participants as learners agreed upon the positive influences of online English learning in terms of skill development. Besides, they also considered the flexibility of class schedules and a variety of online assignments as the biggest advantages while bothering with some disadvantages such as internet/technical and health problems. As for English language teachers, speaking skill is the most challenging skill to help students; moreover, some of their concerns include difficulties in class management, online interaction, facilitation, assessment and digital literacy. Nevertheless, they confirmed the advantages of online resources, new knowledge of technological issues and development of learner autonomy. Overall, the research appeals more support from the university officials to improve the quality of online English teaching and learning; in addition, it contributes to make both teachers’ and learners’ voices heard during the coronavirus quarantine. Keywords: Pandemic, Online, English, Teaching, Learning, Perspectives, Development. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-34-01 Publication date: December 31st 202

AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT: A REAL LIFE APPROACH TO WRITING SKILL DEVELOPMENT

 Since assessment is an indispensable part of education, curriculum makers, educators and teachers have engaged in an ongoing discussion of how to address student performance. A variety of assessments including both short-term and long-term ones can be applied during or at the end of the learning process. Among such types, authentic assessment is a prominent approach. This paper is going to advocate authentic assessments as it fosters students' growth and teachers' pedagogical strategies. In addition, it helps to reach the goals of educational practices through the authenticity of equity and innovation when students actively seek their own ways to appreciate what they have learnt. Particularly, in a writing skills class, learners can take this opportunity to improve step by step their own proficiency in the use of written words. The paper, hence, discusses how authentic assessment can be applied to develop college students' writing through classroom observation and a set of semi-structured interviews. The result of the study revealed that using authentic assessment is an effective strategy for enhancing students’ interest in writing process and writing task fulfillment. Students would find it easier to become skillful writers at their English levels. The study, therefore, recommends more uses of authentic assessment in teaching writing skills as well as in teaching and learning the English language in general

An HPLC Quantitative Analysis of Paraquat in Human Plasma: A Helpful Tool for Diagnosis and Evaluation of Treatment of Paraquat Poisoning in Vietnamese Hospitals

In this paper, the paraquat (PQ) concentrations in plasma of poisoned patients were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with a DAD detector followed simple extraction of PQ from plasma. The sample was simply pretreated with 15% trichloroacetic acid for deproteinization and directly injected to HPLC system. PQ in plasma was separated on a C8 column HPLC system using 2 channel mobile phase (A and B) with a volume ratio of 5:95, respectively. Channel A was 5% acetonitrile (ACN) and Channel B was a mixture of phosphate buffer (pH 2.5), sodium 1-heptanesulphonate (0.11% w / v), KCl (0.20% w / v), polyethylene glycol G400 (0.20% v / v) and methanol (20% v / v). The flow rate of mobile phase was 0.5 mL/min. The method detection limit (MDL) is 0.013 ?g/ mL and the quantitative limit is 0.040 ?g/ mL. The recovery of PQ in plasma samples was 96.1% - 105.9 % at 5 different concentrations ranging from 0.040 ?g / mL to 10.00 ?g/ mL. The within- and between-day relative standard deviations were all less than 0.82% and 1.43% respectively. The method was successfully applied for determining paraquat concentrations in plasma samples of 31 acute paraquat poisoned patients at Poison Control Center, Bach Mai hospital, Vietnam. Quantitative results revealed that plasma PQ level was a key factor for prognosis and hemoperfusion using resin membrane had significant effect in removing PQ from the blood

Technical efficiency of smallholder banana production: a case study in Viet Nam

Bananas are considered one of the leading trading crops due to their high demand all over the globe. Since the increasing demand leads to the expansion of global import, the existing literature is in dire need of updating, especially from the producing economies that fall in the category of developing nations. The study, thus, intends to estimate the critical efficiency of said area. Along with it, the study aims to determine the elements of banana production in the context of Vietnam using a stochastic frontier approach and technical efficiency technique. The sample of the study is the province of Vietnam named Hung Yen, and it made sure to collect the data from 160 farmers in 2022. Results of the study reveal that the farmers' technical efficiency fluctuates between the range of 89.68- 97.81%. However, the average technical efficiency of banana farmers was reported to be 95.92%. From the result, it is gauged that factors such as potassium, manure, distance, capital, and training showed positive signs at a 0.01 significance level. Also, the education and area coefficient show a positive sign at a 0.05 significance level. Finally, distance and district variables, which were the dummy variable, show a negative sign at 0.01 and 0.05 significance levels, respectively.Hoang Van Hung (Hung Yen University of Technology and Education (UTEHY)), Nguyen Van Huong (Hung Yen University of Technology and Education (UTEHY)), Le Thi Thuong (Hung Yen University of Technology and Education (UTEHY)), Thai Thi Kim Oanh (Vinh University (VU)), Nguyen Van Chuong (University of Financial – Business Administration (UFBA)), Nguyen Cong Tiep (Viet Nam National University of Agriculture (VNUA)), Thai Van Ha (Ha Noi University of Business and Technology (HUBT)), Nguyen Thi Luong (Can Tho University (CTU))Includes bibliographical references

FTIR Combined with Chemometrics for Fast Simultaneous Determination of Penicillin and Cephalexin in Pharmaceutical Tablets

In this research, the potential of combining chemometrics with FTIR techniques to provide a rapid and simultaneous quantitative analyses method for determination penicillin, cephalexin is studied. Unlike other methods, FTIR is considered as a time saving method due to its non-destructive and simple sample preparation. Due to the similarity of infrared spectral, PLS and PCR couples with spectral treatment techniques are applied to make the calibration model for penicillin and cephalexin determination at the same time. The result is also validated in term of RMSEP and R2 value using validation set. The FTIR combined with PLS method shows the best results

Spatiotemporal evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Alpha and Delta variants during large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19, Vietnam, 2021

We analyzed 1,303 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences from Vietnam, and found the Alpha and Delta variants were responsible for a large nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 in 2021. The Delta variant was confined to the AY.57 lineage and caused >1.7 million infections and >32,000 deaths. Viral transmission was strongly affected by nonpharmaceutical interventions

Successful Treatment of Facial Atrophic Acne Scars by Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedle in Vietnamese Patients

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the fractional Radiofrequency microneedle treatment for facial atrophic acne scars. METHODS: A group of 52 patients were recruited for the study. Goodman & Baron’s acne scar grading system was used for assessment at their first visit and at the end of 3 months after the last treatment session. RESULTS: The results displayed that 73.1% of patients have the improvement of the Goodman scar level after four times treatment. The Goodman and Baron scar point mean was reduced from 16 ± 7.6 to 5.6 ± 5.0 (p < 0.01). Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation was experienced in 5 patients (9.6%). CONCLUSION: The microneedle fractional Radiofrequency is an effective treatment method of facial atrophic acne scars, with minor side effects and a short down-time

Lack of knowledge about sexually transmitted infections among women in North rural Vietnam

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The serious long-term complications of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in women and newborns are well-documented. Particularly, STI imply considerable social consequences for women. Low STI knowledge has been shown to be associated with unsafe sex. In Vietnam, misconceptions regarding STI exist, and rural women delay seeking care for STI. The aim of the study was to investigate knowledge of STI among women aged 15 to 49 years in a rural district of Vietnam and to evaluate possible associations between socioeconomic factors and STI knowledge.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional population-based study using face-to-face interviews was carried out between March and May 2006 in a demographic surveillance site in rural Vietnam. In total, 1805 women aged 15–49 years were randomly selected to participate in the study. The interviews were based on a structured questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic characteristics of the women and their knowledge about STI. Each correct answer was scored 1, incorrect or do not know answer was scored 0. Multivariate analyses were applied to examine associations between socio-economic conditions and STI knowledge. Intra-cluster correlation was calculated to examine similarities of STI knowledge within clusters.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 1,805 respondents, 78% (73% married vs. 93% unmarried, p < 0.001) did not know any symptoms of STI, 50% could not identify any cause of STI, 59% (54% married vs. 76% unmarried, p < 0.001) did not know that STI can be prevented. Only 31% of the respondents (36% married vs. 14% unmarried, p < 0.001) answered that condom use could protect against STI, and 56% considered partner treatment necessary. Of 40 possible correct answers, the mean knowledge score was 6.5 (range 0–26, median 6). Young, unmarried women and women who lived in the highlands or mountainous areas demonstrated very low levels of STI knowledge (regression coefficients -1.3 and -2.5, respectively, p < 0.001). Experience of an induced abortion was significantly associated with a higher level of knowledge.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The low levels of STI knowledge found among women of reproductive age in a rural district of Vietnam indicate an urgent need of health education interventions, of which, young and unmarried women should be specifically targeted.</p

Epidemiologic and Virologic Investigation of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease, Southern Vietnam, 2005

Human enterovirus 71, but not coxsackievirus A16, is strongly associated with acute neurologic disease

Anal human papillomavirus prevalence and risk factors among men who have sex with men in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers, while published data are scarce. This study determined HPV prevalence and risk factors in MSM in Vietnam to inform HPV prevention strategies in this key population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 799 MSM aged 16-50 years was conducted in Vietnam in 2017-2018. Information was collected on risk behaviours, and knowledge of HPV and anal cancer; rectal swabs were taken to detect anal HPV infection. An in-house polymerase chain reaction and Genoflow HPV array test kit were used for HPV detection and genotyping. RESULTS: The median age of the study participants was 25 years (range 18-52). Overall prevalence of any HPV and HPV16/18 infection was 32.3% and 11.0%, respectively. A higher prevalence of high-risk HPV infection to all 14 types tested was found in Ho Chi Minh City (30.9%) than in Hanoi (18.4%). High-risk HPV infection was associated with inconsistent condom use and history of engaging in sex under the influence of drugs (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 2.27; 95% CI, 1.48-10.67), as well as having multiple sexual partners (aOR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.02). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk anal HPV infections in Vietnamese MSM were significantly associated with risky sexual behaviours. A targeted HPV vaccination strategy would have substantial benefit for MSM in Vietnam