Examining Blended Learning Implementation in Hard and Soft Sciences: A Qualitative Analysis

peer reviewedTogether with the rapid growth of blended courses implemented in higher education, instructors and researchers are keen on exploring the efficient models of blended learning (BL) to enhance students' achievement. While many BL theoretical models exist, robust empirical evidence confirming instructors' strategies and implementation is still scarce, particularly the possible differences as a function of disciplines. To address this lack of evidence, a qualitative study was conducted among 29 instructors in a large public university in Vietnam. Employing the Content-Construction- Communication framework as the guiding lens, the present study conducted semi-structured interviews to capture how instructors in hard and soft disciplines designed and implemented their blended courses. The findings revealed that instructors from hard and soft sciences shared both similarities and differences in their instructional strategies. Similar aspects included the alignment of course objectives with learning activities design and assessment, recognition of the importance of students' individual learning and collaborative learning, and responsiveness regarding students' questions. Yet, differences were observed in the design of both individual and collaborative online activities and instructors' online facilitation. Thus, the results provide a clear picture of different BL designs, which can be helpful for instructional designers and policies aimed at professional development support for successful BL implementation

Vietnam’s Accession to the World Trade Organization: Economic Projections to 2020

This study presents a set of assessments of the long term economic effects of Vietnam’s accession to the WTO. Generally speaking, our results indicate that Vietnam would benefit from accelerating its participation in more open multilateralism. However, it is also clear from our analysis that these benefits will remain modest in the absence of comprehensive and complementary domestic economic reforms. Passive external liberalization, even when coupled with determined domestic reform, is inferior to WTO participation combined with negotiated market access and other activist multilateral agreements. Finally, our analysis shows that capital insufficiency is a very serious constraint on Vietnamese economic growth and diversification. Capital market reform can play an essential role in dynamic and sustained economic development for the country.Vietnam, WTO, Trade

The Distribution of Microplastics in Beach Sand in Tien Giang Province and Vung Tau City, Vietnam

Microplastics threaten the ecosystem because of undesirable properties such as non-biodegradability, easy-to-absorb persistant organic compounds, etc. They are found worldwide in marine, fresh water and beach sand environments. In this study, microplastics in beach sand samples from two sites in Tien Giang province and two sites in Vung Tau city were investigated. The results showed that the microplastics amount was 0 to 295 pieces/kg dry sand and they mainly distributed near estuarine areas. Microplastics were more prevalent at bathing sites than non-bathing sites. In Tien Giang fragments were the most dominant among the three types of shapes (fragments, fibers, granules) at 60.2%. In Vung Tau granules were most prevalent at 71.7%. The composition of the plastics was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. It was revealed that PE, PP and PS were the main types of plastics found in the sampling sites.

Evolutionary dynamics of influenza B strains detected from paediatric acute respiratory infections in central Vietnam

Influenza virus B belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae with segmented negative-sense RNA genomes. Since 1970s, influenza B has diverged intoVictoria and Yamagata, which differs in antigenic and evolutionary characteristics. Yet, molecular-epidemiological information of influenza B from developing nations is limited. In central Vietnam, influenza A subtype-specific circulation pattern and clinical characteristics were previously described. However, molecular evolutionary characteristics of influenza B has not been discussed to date. We utilized the influenza B positives obtained from paediatric ARI surveillance during 2007?2013. Influenza B HA and NA genes were amplified, sequenced, and phylogenetic/molecular evolutionary analysis was performed using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian MCMC. Phylodynamics analysis was performed with Bayesian Skyline Plot (BSP). Furthermore, we performed selection pressure analysis and estimated N-glycosylation sites. In the current study, overall positive rate for influenza B was 3.0%, and Victoria lineage immediately became predominant in post-A/H1N1pdm09 period. The noticeable shift in Victoria lineage WHO Group occurred. With respect to the evolutionary rate (substitutions/site/year), Victoria lineage HA gene was evolving faster than Yamagata lineage (2.43 × 10?3 vs 2.00 × 10?3). Furthermore, the evolutionary rate of Victoria Group 5 was greater than Group 1. BSP presented the rapid growth in Effective Population Size (EPS) of Victoria lineage occurred soon after the 1st A/H1N1pdm09 case was detected whereas the EPS of Yamagata lineage was stable for both genes. N-glycosylation pattern between lineages and among WHO Groups were slightly different, and HA gene had a total of 6 amino acid substitutions under positive section pressure (4 for Victoria and 2 for Yamagata). The current results highlight the importance of Victoria lineage in post-A/H1N1pdm09 period. Difference in evolutionary characteristics and phylodynamics may indicate lineage and WHO Group-specific evolutionary dynamics. It is necessary to further continue the molecular-epidemiological surveillance in local setting to gain a better understanding of local evolutionary characteristics of influenza B strains

Influenza B associated paediatric acute respiratory infection hospitalization in central vietnam

Background: Influenza B is one of the major etiologies for acute respiratory infections (ARI) among children worldwide; however, its clinical-epidemiological information is limited. We aimed to investigate the hospitalization incidence and clinical-epidemiological characteristics of influenza B-associated paediatric ARIs in central Vietnam. Methods: We collected clinical-epidemiological information and nasopharyngeal swabs from ARI children hospitalized at Khanh Hoa General Hospital, Nha Trang, Vietnam from February 2007 through June 2013. Nasopharyngeal samples were screened for 13 respiratory viruses using Multiplex-PCRs. Influenza B-confirmed cases were genotyped by Haemagglutinin gene sequencing. We analyzed the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of influenza B Lineages (Victoria/Yamagata) and WHO Groups. Results: In the pre-A/H1N1pdm09 period, influenza B-associated ARI hospitalization incidence among children under five was low, ranging between 14.7 and 80.7 per 100 000 population. The incidence increased to between 51.4 and 330 in the post-A/H1N1pdm09. Influenza B ARI cases were slightly older with milder symptoms. Both Victoria and Yamagata lineages were detected before the A/H1N1pdm09 outbreak; however, Victoria lineage became predominant in 2010-2013 (84% Victoria vs 16% Yamagata).Victoria and Yamagata lineages did not differ in demographic and clinical characteristics. In Victoria lineage, Group1 ARI cases were clinically more severe compared to Group5, presenting a greater proportion of wheeze, tachypnea, and lower respiratory tract infection. Conclusions: The current results highlight the increased incidence of influenza B-related ARI hospitalization among children in central Vietnam in the post-A/H1N1pdm09 era. Furthermore,the difference in clinical severity between Victoria lineage Group1 and 5 implies the importance of influenza B genetic variation on clinical presentation

Vietnam’s Accession to the World Trade Organization: Economic Projections to 2020

This study presents a set of assessments of the long term economic effects of Vietnam’s accession to the WTO. Generally speaking, our results indicate that Vietnam would benefit from accelerating its participation in more open multilateralism. However, it is also clear from our analysis that these benefits will remain modest in the absence of comprehensive and complementary domestic economic reforms. Passive external liberalization, even when coupled with determined domestic reform, is inferior to WTO participation combined with negotiated market access and other activist multilateral agreements. Finally, our analysis shows that capital insufficiency is a very serious constraint on Vietnamese economic growth and diversification. Capital market reform can play an essential role in dynamic and sustained economic development for the country

Differences in clinical severity of respiratory viral infections in hospitalized children.

It is uncertain whether clinical severity of an infection varies by pathogen or by multiple infections. Using hospital-based surveillance in children, we investigate the range of clinical severity for patients singly, multiply, and not infected with a group of commonly circulating viruses in Nha Trang, Vietnam. RT-PCR was performed to detect 13 respiratory viruses in nasopharyngeal samples from enrolled patients. We apply a novel clinical severity score and examine associations with the odds of being severe and differences in raw severity scores. We find no difference in severity between 0-, 1-, and 2-concurrent infections and little differences in severity between specific viruses. We find RSV and HMPV infections to be associated with 2- and 1.5-fold increase in odds of being severe, respectively, and that infection with ADV is consistently associated with lower risk of severity. Clinically, based on the results here, if RSV or HMPV virus is suspected, PCR testing for confirmatory diagnosis and for detection of multiple coinfecting viruses would be fruitful to assess whether a patient's disease course is going to be severe

A real-time RT-PCR for detection of clade 1 and 2 H5N1 Influenza A virus using Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) TaqMan probes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The emergence and co-circulation of two different clades (clade 1 and 2) of H5N1 influenza viruses in Vietnam necessitates the availability of a diagnostic assay that can detect both variants.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed a single real-time RT-PCR assay for detection of both clades of H5N1 viruses, directly from clinical specimens, using locked nucleic acid TaqMan probes. Primers and probe used in this assay were designed based on a highly conserved region in the <it>HA </it>gene of H5N1 viruses. The analytical sensitivity of the assay was < 0.5 PFU and 10 - 100 ssDNA plasmid copies. A total of 106 clinical samples (58 from patients infected with clade 1, 2.1 or 2.3 H5N1 viruses and 48 from uninfected or seasonal influenza A virus-infected individuals) were tested by the assay. The assay showed 97% concordance with initial diagnostics for H5 influenza virus infection with a specificity of 100%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This assay is a useful tool for diagnosis of H5N1 virus infections in regions where different genetic clades are co-circulating.</p