Personal and professional characteristics of the academic personnel at hong duc university bases for staff development program

6 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents, by Length of Service in Hong Duc University 45 7 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents, by Monthly Income i

i

BASES FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

_

A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Southern Luzon State University, Lucban, Quezon, Philippines

in Collaboration with Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

BASES FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT

A program offered by Southern Luzon State University,

Republic of the Philippines in collaboration with

Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

has been approved by Oral Examination Committee

SUSANA A SALVACION, PhD APOLONIA A ESPINOSA, PhD

RICARYL CATHERINE P CRUZ, EdD BELLA R MUELLO, EdD

CECILIA N GASCON, PhD

Chairman Endorsed by: Recommended by:

Accepted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management

_ WALBERTO A MACARAAN, Ed.D

Date Vice President for Academic Affairs

iii

I wish to extend my sincerest gratitude to the following people who provided valuable support and assistance for the success of my research study:

Dr Cecilia N Gascon, President of the Southern Luzon State

University (SLSU)-Philippines, for linkaging with the Thai Nguyen University (TNU)-Vietnam and offering the program on Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Management, through the International Training Center-Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (ITC-TUAF);

Dr Dang Kim Vui, President of the TNU-Vietnam, for fostering the SLSU-TNU linkage and its program offerings, through the ITC-TUAF;

Dr Conrado L Abraham, my research adviser, for his tireless supervision and full support, which greatly helped me in completing my graduate program and research work;

Prof Nordelina B Ilano, Director of the Office of International Affairs of SLSU-Philippines, for her outright assistance to the Ph.D students;

Dr Tran Thanh Van, Dean of the Graduate School of TNU-Vietnam, and Dr Nguyen The Hung, Director of the International Training Center-Vietnam, for their all-out support and encouragement for me to pursue my studies;

To all the SLSU and TNU professors, who unselfishly shared their time, knowledge and exprtise in the conduct of my graduate studies in the TNU-Vietnam; and

v

encouragement, and for being my inspirations to succeed in my endeavor and career

Thank you so much to all of you!

Lai Van Chinh

PAGE

TITLE PAGE ……… i

APPROVAL SHEET ……… ii

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY ……… iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ……… iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……… vi

LIST OF TABLES ……… viii

LIST OF FIGURE ……… x

LIST OF APPENDICES ……… xi

ABSTRACT ……… xii

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Introduction ……… 1

Background of the Study ……… 4

Objectives of the Study ……… 7

Hypotheses of the Study ……… 9

Significance of the Study ……… 9

Scope and Limitation of the Study ……… 10

Definition of Terms ……… 11

II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Review of Literature ……… 14

Research Paradigm ……… ….……… 31

III METHODOLOGY Locale of the Study ……….……… 33

Research Design ……….……… 34

Respondents of the Study ……….……… 34

Research Instruments ……….…….…….… 34

Validation ……… 35

Data Gathering Procedure ……… 35

vii

IV RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ……….… 39

V SUMMARY, FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary of Findings ……… 73

Conclusions ……… 76

Recommendations ……… 78

REFERENCES ……… 80

APPENDICES ……… 85

CURRICULUM VITAE ……… 135

6 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents,

by Length of Service in Hong Duc University 45

7 Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents,

by Monthly Income in Hong Duc University 46

8 Frequency , Average Weighted Mean (WM) and Verbal

Interpretation (VI) of the Working Attitude of the

9 Frequency, Average Weighted Mean (WM) and Verbal

Interpretation (VI) of the Pedagogical Ability of Respondents 51

10 Frequency, Average Weighted Mean (WM) and Verbal

Interpretation (VI) of the Ability to Conduct Scientific

11 Frequency, Average Weighted mean (WM) and Verbal

Interpretation (VI) of the Ability of Providing Social Services

12 Frequency, Average weighted mean (WM) and Verbal

Interpretation (VI) by the Ability to Pursue Self-Development

13 Significant Differences among the Professional

Characteristics Considering Age of the Respondents 58

14 Significant Differences among Professional Characteristics

ix

15 Significant Differences of Professional Characteristics in

Terms of Civil Status of the Respondents

61

16 Significant Differences of Professional Characteristics in

Terms of Educational Attainment of the Respondents 63

17 Significant Differences of Professional Characteristics in

Terms of Length of Service of the Respondents 64

18 Significant Differences of the Professional Characteristics of

19 Correlation between Age and Professional Characteristics 66

20 Correlation between Genders and Professional

23 Correlation between Length of Service and Professional

24 Correlation of Family Income and Professional

xi

A Proposed Faculty and Staff Development of Hong Duc

B Correlation of the Professional Profiles and Respondents’

personal Characteristics ( Multi regressions and

Title of Research : PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ACADEMIC PERSONNEL AT HONG DUC UNIVERSITY:

BASES FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT

Researcher : LAI VAN CHINH (TERRY)

Degree Conferred : DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN EDUCATIONAL

MANAGEMENT Name and Address

of Institution

: Southern Luzon State University, Lucban, Quezon, Philippines and Thai Nguyen University, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Adviser : Dr Conrado L Abraham

Year Written : 2013 - 2014

This dissertation provided a view of the staff development capability through the personal profiles and professional characteristics of the faculty members and staff of Hong Duc University in Thanh Hoa province Particularly, the personal profiles considered in this research were the following: age, gender, civil status, educational attainment, length of service, and family income Also, this study evaluated the potentials and capability of the staff considering the following professional characteristics: work attitude, pedagogical ability, ability to conduct scientific research, ability to provide social services, and ability to pursue self-development Surveys, questionnaires, and discussions were applied to gather data and information Analyses were made through descriptive and quantitative approaches using percentages, frequency distributions, Likert scales and verbal interpretations, and average weighted means Significant differences and correlations among

xiii

and staff of the 13 departments of the university

Results of the study showed that most or 43.3% of the staff, in the Hong Duc University aged 31-40 years old Employed females were about 58% having an almost 1:1 ratio with the males Almost 90%were married and more than 40% had at least a master’s degree and monthly income of at least 5,000,000đ per month enough to provide the basic needs of a family

The work attitudes of the staff were rated excellent, exhibiting a good lifestyle and behavior, and being a role model for students of the school (4.88%) Their pedagogical ability was very good with high average rate of the competency assessment (3.46%) However, their ability to conduct research was still weak (3.38%) and would need improvement Their ability to provide social services (3.47%) was at the average level Their ability to pursue self-development was very good

The personal profiles – age, gender, educational attainment, length of service, and income had moderate to high correlations with working attitudes, with Rs within 461-.677 and p-values within 213-.458 Those personal profiles, however, had low correlations with the other professional characteristics The civil status of the staff had no correlation with any of the professional characteristics The study also indicated a subtle correlation between personal profiles and professional characteristics of the staff in Hong Duc University

The professional characteristics had significant differences when classified by age, gender, civil status, educational attainment, and length of

provide social services had no significant differences Meanwhile, the other professional characteristics had significant differences when classified by income

Based on the results of the research, recommendations were forwarded and a staff development program of Hong Duc University was proposed The proposed development program would also be applicable for the other universities, especially, those (usually referred to as the local universities) under the supervision of the local Provincial People’s Committee

Chapter I INTRODUCTION

The uuniversities in Vietnamare gearing upthe core competencies and distinctive competence of their faculty members and staff, forsustainable and long-term competitive advantage that would alsoallowthem to significantly contribute tothe socio-economic development of the country Relative to this, the government has established a comprehensive educational system envisioned to produce citizens who are highly literate, socially responsible, productive and law-abiding The Vietnam governmentsupports this goal by providing the needed education of its citizenry

In an educational system, the learner is one of the most important components The learner or student is the focus of the education/training process and theymust be provided with the relevant knowledge and skills demanded by the job market or the country’s economy In this regard, theuuniversities in Vietnam should take advantage of the local opportunities that would help improve the quality of higher education Their educational systems mustbe able to meet the challenges of developing the quality higher education in the knowledge economy, thatwould respond to the country’s socio-economic enhancement, as well as, the international demands for professionalsand, hence, joining the integration process

Article 9 of Education Law of Vietnam(No 38/2005/QH11, 2005)states that, educational development is the first national priority aiming to train the manpower and improve people’s knowledge, skills, and talents To attain these objectives, the development of educational programs and curricula

mustconsider the requirements of the socio-economic development, technological advances, and the national defense and security Education must respond to the country’s socio-economic needs considering its regional structure and professional requirements The educational system must improve its quality and efficiency to produce quality graduates with professions relevant to the professional/employmentrequirements of the country

In producing quality graduates, the teacher is a key player In a class, the teacher is the manager/facilitator of the teaching-learning activities and also the evaluator of the learner’s achievements As such, the teacher can influence the characters of his students because they usually regard him/her

as their role model The teacher has also an impact on the literacy of the students

In 2013, the literacy rate of the Vietnamese is over 90%, an evidence

of the government’s efforts to upgrade its human resources Compared with other countries in Asia, Vietnam has the advantage of a large and young population whose potentials can be tapped to fulfill the country’s development vision in 2020 To support the development vision, one strategy is to promote quality education and training throughintroduction of standards for learning outcomes, teacher performance, institutional capacity, and effective education management

To meet the objectives of higher education in Vietnam, the learners need to be educated – to gain political and moral qualities; to have the attitude

to serve the people;to have the professional knowledge and practical skills

relevant to the needs of the educational system, health services, infrastructures, the national defense and security, and other major areas or services for socio-economic development The higher education must guarantee to provide the students with the basic scientific knowledge, professional knowledge and skills, and the ability to apply them for socio-economic development In this regard, the professional development of the teachers/lecturers isalso very important The teacher has a key role in catering quality education to the students The teachers in various learning institutions are expected to possess personal and professional characteristics that would help produce competent graduates, at the local, regional, national, and international levels

Recognizing the critical role of higher education in the organization and modernization of the country, the Government of Vietnam issuedthe

Resolution 14/2005/NQ-CP (2005) to approve the project onComprehensive upgrading of Vietnam’s higher education in 2006 – 2020 This project aims to

promote the higher education system to be more research-based and be at par with the international education quality standards

In Vietnam, there are 20 local universities, most of which were upgraded from colleges The upgrading of the higher education created the pressing issue on the need for more teachers – quantity and quality teachers

to compensate the needs of the enhanced educational system These teachers would need professional upgrading and enhancement, also, to be efficient and effective component of the improved educational system

Researches on higher education are still exploring on what constitutes

“effective teaching” This is an indication that more studies are still required

on this area (Patrick and Smart, 1998; Reid and Johnston, 1999; Marks, 2000; Laverie, 2002; Voss and Gruber, 2006) Moreover, Marsh and Roche (1997) agreed that effective teaching is multidimensional – involving the attributes of teachers, subject designs,and organization Hence, this research study focuses, particularly, on the personal and professional characteristics of the lecturers/teachers in Hong Duc University in Thanh Hoa province of Vietnam

Background of the Study

The Thanh Hoa province with an area of 11,106.09 km2is located in the north central coast of Vietnam It is 150 kmsfrom Hanoi and 1,560 kms fromHo Chi Minh City

Located at the northern tip of central Vietnam, the province is adjacent

to Son La, Hoa Binh and Ninh Binh provinces to the north and NgheAn province to the south The province is also contiguous to the East Sea and Hua Phan province of Laos In its west is Tonkin Bay Thanh Hoa has a 102-

km coastline

Thanh Hoa’s population is over 3.7 million composing of seven ethnic groups – the Kinh’s people (84.75%), Muong people (8.7%), Thai’s people (6.0%), and the rest are H’Mong, Dao, Tho, and Hoa people

Located in Thanh Hoa is Hong Duc University which is a multidisciplinary public university It is directly under the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa

province and managed by the Ministry of Education and Training The University was established through the Prime Minister’s Decision 797/TTg on 24 September 1997, considering its three schools: the College of Education, College of Engineering-Economics, and the Thanh Hoa Medical College The Medical Department was separated and established into the Medical College in October 2004

For more than 15 years of its development, the Hong Duc University has providedin-house trainingcourses forits human resources It has also provided joint training/educational programs for human resources of other universities, colleges and the lower education levels Training programs/courses provided are on pedagogy, science, and economics; business administration and informatics technology; agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; construction and mechanics; electronics-telecommunications and electricity Likewise, the University has constantly improved the quality of scientific researches to meet requirements of the socio-economic development in the process of industrialization and modernization of ThanhHoa province and its neighboring areas

To further enhance its training and educational system, it strengthened its human resources by recruiting, training and fostering lecturers and managers It also enhanced its facilities and equipments to improve the quality of trainings provided Moreover, it has promoted its scientific researches and strengthened international relationships The university has improved the measures of comprehensive education for students It has also

expanded its training/education industry/services to meet the growing social needs for higher quality training/education programs

Industrialization and modernization provide new opportunities and challenges to the learning/education industry The immediate and long-term tasks of Hong Duc University are to train staffs who havethe qualities, qualifications, and professional skills to meet the development requirements

of the province and the country

The educational system of Hong Duc University in Thanh Hoa enabled

to meet the training needs of local human resources which contributed to the successful implementation of the XVI Resolution Party Congress(2005).This resolution has the following objectives: to develop the human resources; to apply scientific and technological achievements; and to promote educational socialization Moreover, the university strives to meet the high quality training needs of the regional and national human resources of the region and the country with the mission of developing the national university and the network

of universities in the country

To develop a university to a regional, national, or global level, would largely depend on its strategies, e.g., strategies to improve the quality of training/education programs For over 15 years, the university has identified trainings and scientific researches as vital in the development process Trainings and scientific researchers are very important in meeting the requirements for the international integration of the university This would require the university to continuously improve the quality of its training and education programs to meet the international academic standards

In the networkof higher education, Hong Duc University plays an important role in thetrainingof human resources for the local socio-economic development Among the universities, colleges, professional secondary schools, and vocational colleges in Thanh Hoa, the Hong Duc University is considered the leader in training; scientific research; advisory for making policies on socio-economic development and educational system of the province

To be able to accomplish its important tasks, Hong Duc University must train and enhance capabilities of its personnel However, reports in the past three years revealed that the quality of its academic staff failed to meet the requirements of the University in terms of personnel profiles This somehow affected the development and reputation of the University

The percentage of teaching staff with the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the different disciplines is lower thanthe required standard The foreign language of the faculty members is limited The heads and managers of the colleges and offices are mostly part-time lecturers who have not been trained or experienced on management The problem on shortage of qualified teachers still exists Most of the lead faculty members do not have the masteral or doctoral degrees required for the teachers of higher education In this premise, there is a need to determine the personal profiles of the academic staff as determinants of their professional characteristics which will serve as bases for enhancement of the quality of higher education and trainings

Objectives of the Study

This study primarily aimed to determine if personal profiles can be predictors or determinants of professional characteristics of the academic staff

in Hong Duc University

Specifically, the objectives of this study were the following:

1 To describe the personal profiles of the faculty members in Hong Duc University in terms of:

2.3 Ability to conduct scientific researches

2.4 Ability to provide social services

2.5 Ability to pursue self-development

3 To find out if there is a significant difference on the perceptions of the respondents when grouped into profiles

4 To identify which of the demographic profiles of the respondents are predictors/determinants of the professional characteristics of personnel

of the University

5 To propose a staff development program based on the results of the study

Hypotheses of the Study

1 There is no significant difference among the professional characteristics of the respondents when grouped into personal profiles

2 There is no significant correlation between the personal and professional characteristics of the respondents

Significance of the Study

The goal of this study was to describe the personal and professional characteristics of the faculty members and staff of Hong Duc University, which shall become the bases of the Proposed Faculty and Staff Development Program of Hong Duc University This proposed staff development program shall become the road map for the enhancement of the personal and professional qualities of the teachers and staff and, consequently, of the students and, then,upgrading the university and, ultimately, the university system to become a provider of a better quality higher education The proposed staff development program would be likewise applicable to the other universities in Vietnam

The researcher firmly believes that the result of the study could be beneficial to the following:

Teachers The results of the study can provide bases for the faculty

members’ development program, which shall serve as a road map for their professional and personal growths

Staff.Information derived from the research can serve as guide in

understanding the staff organization, its developments and impacts on the tertiary education of the Thanh Hoa province, and also can serve asbases for the formulation of the faculty development program to meet the requirements

in upgrading the tertiary education

Heads and officers of offices The results of this study would

encourage school officials to develop workable plans and strategies includingthe staff development program of the university

The University.This will help the University tocome up with principles

on selecting solutions and recommending action plans to develop a functional staff development program of Hong Duc University to meet the requirements

of the fundamental and comprehensive upgrading of the tertiary education in Vietnam

Future researchers.This study can also serve as reference on other

areas of the manpower development to further improve the personnel profile

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study involvedthe 508 faculty members and staff of 13 departments of Hong Duc Universityin Thanh Hoa and focused on fivecomponents of its staff development program, to wit: the objectives, activity the persons involved in, time frame, budgetary requirements, and source of funds

Surveys were made on the lecturers and on the staff development activities of the University, covering the period 2005-2010 This is to formulate strategies for the five-year (2014-2019) faculty and staff development plan of Hong Duc University

Definition of Terms

For clarity and better understanding of the study, the following terminologies were defined conceptually and operationally:

Ability to conduct scientific research refers to the capability to undertake

researches, collect and process data and information, analyze and interpret research results, and write scientific reports

Ability to provide social services refers to the capability of relating the

goals and activities in schoolto the values and aspirations in the learners’ home and communities In addition, the teacher can draw from resources, ideas and activities from the learners’ communities in the teaching-learning situations Social services in this study refer to the basic social services system that provides services for the basic needs of the people and their social recognition It includes four main categories: the services to meet the basic physical needs, such as, food, hygiene, care, and shelter; medical services; educational services; and services for entertainment, linkaging, and information

Ability to pursue self-development refers to the personal growth and

professional development emphasizing the ideal teacher’s value of having a high personal regard, concern for professional development and continuous improvement

Agerefers to the age of the respondents when the study was conducted Civil status refers to the conjugality of the school leader with regards to the

marriage laws in Vietnam

Educational attainmentis the highest educational qualification or academic

degree that a school leader or the respondent has obtained during the conduct of this study

Gender refers to the state of being a male or female of a school leader,

regardless of his/her biological well-being Gender is used to describe the social construct characteristics, roles and responsibilities of men and women or boys and girls

Length of servicerefers to the duration of the management position held by

the school leader

Monthly income refers to the total amount of money a school leader earns in

a month

Pedagogical ability is the competence in educating and teaching according

to the educational objectives, principles and curriculum of the university degree programs and training courses (Education Law of Vietnam, 2010)

Personal characteristicsin this studyrefer to the demographic profiles of the

respondents as to age, gender, civil status, educational attainment, length of service, and family income

Professional characteristicsin this study refer tothe work attitudes;

pedagogical ability; ability to conduct scientific researches; ability to provide social services; and ability to pursue self-development of the respondents

Workattitude refers to being exemplary in the fulfillment of civic duties,

regulations of law and school charters; maintaining moral quality, prestige and honor, respecting the learners’ dignity, to treat learners equally, and protect their legal rights and interests (Education Law of Vietnam, 2010)

Chapter II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies, particularly, on topics related to staff development and professional characteristics

Professional Characteristics of Teachers

In this section the teacher’s professional characteristics to be discussed include the work attitude, pedagogical ability, ability to conduct research, ability to provide social services, and the ability to pursue self-development

Working Attitude

The teacher is the manager in the teaching-learning set up, the facilitator of learning, and the evaluator of the learner’s achievement Hence, he/she needs to possess characteristics and working attitudes, such as the following: good lifestyle and behavior asa role model for students; good reputation; healthy and free expression of ideas; respects standards, rules, regulations, and people; ability to provide timely and accurate evaluation feedback for consideration of the learners; and the ability to facilitate diverse learning environments (Bigge, 2004)

For the benefits of the teachers and students, the higher education system should provide conditions favorable to effective teaching and learning This should consider the people involved and the efficient measure of their

performances contributing to teaching-learning environment Knowing the performance levels of the teachers and students can serve as basis in providing the proper and adequate teaching, working and learning facilities and environments for the students and teachers, thereby, improving efficiency and effectiveness This can also help improve the working attitudes of the teachers and the learning behavior of the students

Instructors in Ho Chi Minh City University of Education were evaluated

by their students, considering the general qualities, teaching qualities, and education qualities of the students (Doan Van Dieu, 2013) As reported by Đoan Van Đieu (2013), the teaching qualities ranked the highest This result can provide inspiration to the teachers and their teaching career in the university

In 101 Great Ways to Enhance Your Career(David Rican, Michelle A

Rican, 2009),experts suggested to encourage, inspire, and guide a person to hiscareerpath to achieve and sustain his/her career objectives Meanwhile, Riklan &Riklan (2009) claimed that the most important thing to do as one begina new career is to define his/her attitude towards work by asking his/herself the following questions:

• How will it contribute towards my career?

• How will it add value to my role as I build my career?

One should understand that a positive attitude is very important Attitude towards work means deciding the values one should posses that would helpthepersonto grow and succeed in hiscareer

The work attitudes that affect career development include the following (R Riklan, 2009):

Pride It connotes arrogance, especially,when one has too high

regards of him/herself.Pride is also related to self-dignity If you

knoweverything and confidentaboutyourwork which shall bear your name and signature, then you tend to give it your best

Passion The simple plain ‘interest’ in any work or career one has

chosenmaynot be enough to bring the person through the tough times But,

passionor the intense enthusiasm for all things worth doing can allow a

person to get over the toughest times

Belief To generate passion, it is important to believe.A deep belief

can createa driving force to a person As the saying goes, “Know that you can achieve all that you set out to do for yourself You only need to start believing

in yourself.”

As described by Ricanand Rican (2009), work attitude is abehavior which one sees and feels In a group work, the group members can feel the work attitude and behavior of each other The group can feel whether someone had carried out his tasks with pride They can feel whether someone believes in his work, and they know if someone in the group has the passion for the work

Certain work attitudes are required to carry out the various responsibilities in a teaching job (Anil Sahu, 2013) A good teacher has good qualities and attitudes But, a teacher is evaluated not only on his/her

teaching performance but also on his/her other job functions However, the teacher’s performance on his/her major field is very important

Sahu (2013) added that a teacher must possess the following qualities and attitudes: pursues toenhance his graduate education; teaches well; conducts innovative school activities; well-disciplined; very punctual and obedient; attends school and holds classes on time, regularly; possesses sound knowledge about the school; shows mastery of his/her teaching subjects; diligent in other work assignments, e.g., preparing test papers, making the list of scholarship, etc.; possesses a pleasant personality; passionate on his/her teaching work; exercises authority over the students and able to impose discipline in school

appropriate and authentic curriculum vitae (Education Law in Vietnam, 2010)

In addition, teachers should have positive attitude towards work, considering that they are tasked to perform duties, such as the following: (1) educating and teaching according to the educational objectives, principles and curriculum; (2) being exemplary as law abiding citizen, e.g., in the school and community; (3) upholding to the moral quality, prestige and honor of a teacher – respecting learners’ dignity, treating them equally, and protecting theirrights and interests; (4) studying continuously to improve moral quality, ethics,

professional qualification and be an example tothe students; and (5) performing other duties as provided by law

The article also states that the rights of the teacher are as follows: (1)

to teach according to their educational qualifications; (2) to receive further education and training to improve qualifications; (3) to work under contract as

a teacher and/or researcher; and (4) to be protected with regard to their honor and dignity The right of the teacher to receive further education and training

is very important in enhancing his/her knowledge, mastery of subjects, and teaching ability

Pedagogical Ability

Considering that teachers play the vital role in enhancing the quality of education, he/she should have the following characteristics: (1) comprehensive knowledge of his/her subjects; (2) versatile application of teaching skills and processes, including curriculum development, lesson planning, use of appropriate technology, materials development, educational assessment, and teaching approaches; (3) ability to facilitate learning of diverse learners in diverse learning environments, applying various teaching knowledge and skills; (4) creativity and innovativeness in his/her teaching approaches, and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching approaches in improving thelearning of the student

Professor Carolyn J Sharp (2009) of Yale Divinity School explained in her study that enhancing pedagogical skills improves teaching skills,

raisespedagogical issues valuable to reflect on, and improves understanding

of classroom ethos and dynamics

While enhancing one’s pedagogical ability, the staff should also make efforts on improving ability to conduct scientific researches

Ability to Conduct Scientific Research

In Vietnam, the state shall help schools and other educational institutions in organizing scientific-technological research, application, and dissemination; in combining education with research and production so as to improve educational quality, and gradually performing the role of a cultural,

scientific and technological center, locally or nationally (Education Law of Vietnam, 2009) In this regard, schools and other educational institutions are

mandated to cooperate with scientific research organizations; production, trade, and service units to carry out education, scientific research and technology transfer for socio-economic development In addition, the State elaborates the priority policy for the development of research, application and dissemination of educational sciences Guidelines and policies on education were formulated based on the results of scientific research, appropriate for the Vietnamese condition

Do Tien Sy (2010) studied on the development of research capacity by the young teaching staff However, researches of these teachers in higher education institutions were not given enough attention making their teachings and researches stagnant To overcome this condition, the author proposes fivemeasures to develop the young teaching staff in HEIs

Efforts had been exerted to improve scientific researches of the universities These researches are expected to produce results that will have positive impact to the community and society As, such, the ability in providing social services would likewise be improved, in terms of improved

products, advanced technologies, improved services, and many more

Ability to Provide Social Services

The graduates of Vermont College of Education and Social Services in the United States of America are prepared to make a difference through innovative professional practices and scholarship in this fast advancing world They claimed that they are proud of their mission to educate and prepare outstanding professionals in education, social work, and human services; to engage in high quality scholarship; and to provide exemplary professional services to Vermont, nationally and globally They aim to create a more humane and just society, free from oppression, that maximizes human potentials and quality life of all individuals, families, and communities Moreover, they stated that they are proud of theirgraduates, seeing CESS graduates all over the United States and abroad, engaged invarioussocial services sectors In making connection with CESS people, they could extend

the following:

• Teach art, music, reading, math, physical education and many other subjects in public and private pre-schools, kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools

• Act as principals and superintendents of school districts in Vermont and elsewhere in the country

• Serve as Deans of students, faculty, student affairs, professionals, and administrators at colleges and universities

• Work in public arts programs, museums, galleries, and health, education, justice and social service agencies

• Enroll in Masteral and Doctoral programs in the fine arts, music, education, social work, art therapy, family therapy, family law and counseling

• Employ as social workers in hospice centers, the Department of Immigration Services, Northeastern Family Institute, the Vermont Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, and in other health, education, justice and social services agencies

• Work in the human services or strive to improve the quality of the workplace in the private sector, museums, foundations, or health, educational, and governmental agencies

• Direct youth programs in alternative educational settings, teach in the Peace Corps, and work in museums, science centers, software companies and government educational agencies

CESS graduates are everywhere, striving to make a positive difference

in the lives of all people To be able sustain these quality outputs andpositive impacts, professors should likewise continue to pursue self-development

Ability to Pursue Self-Development

In a broad sense, self-development is a part of the teacher’s professional advancement which may be offered by the human resource department The professional development on one’s job which develops or

enhances process skills is sometimes referred to as leadership skills or task

skills Examples of process skills include: effectiveness skills, team building skills, and systems thinking skills

Teachers are dedicated to the well-being of the students and communities they serve, considering the pride in the nobility of teaching profession So, a professor maintains stature and behavior that upholds the dignity of teaching; allocates time for personal and professional development through participation in educational seminars and workshops, reading educational materials regularly, and engaging in educational research; maintains personal qualities such as enthusiasm, flexibility and caring; and, articulates and demonstrates one’s personal philosophy of teaching

Professional development for teachers offers a wide range of opportunities, e.g., from a one-day workshop to a semester-long academic course Hammond (2009) states that there are services offered by a medley

of different professional development providers and varying widely in philosophy, content, and format of the learning experiences Examples of approaches to professional development include:

Case study method – is a teaching approach which presents a case

to the students and giving them the role of a decision-maker facing a problem

Consultation – aims to assist an individual or group of individuals to

clarify and address immediate concerns by following a systematic solving process

problem-Coaching – intends to enhance a person’s competencies in a specific

skill area by providing a process of observation, reflection, and action

Communities of practice – designed to improve professional practice

by engaging in shared inquiry and learning with people who have a common goal

Lesson study – sets to solve practical dilemmas related to intervention

or instruction through participation with other professionals in a systematically examining practice

Mentoring – has the purpose to promote an individual’s awareness

and refinement of his/her own professional development by providing and recommending structured opportunities for reflection and observation

Reflective Supervision – aims to support, develop, and ultimately

evaluate the performance of employees through a process of inquiry that encourages their understanding and articulation of the rationale for their own practices

Technical Assistance – aims to assist individuals and their

organization to improve by offering resources and information, supporting networking and change efforts

Professional development is a broad term, encompassing a range of people, interests and approaches Those who engage in professional development share a common purpose of enhancing their ability to do their work At the heart of professional development is the individual's continuing interest in learning and increasing their own skills and knowledge

Moreover, there has been a significant growth in online professional development in the 21st century Content providers incorporate collaborative platform such as discussion boards, which encourages and facilitates interaction, and optimizes training effectiveness In the education industry, the use of online sources for self- development had significantly progressed Whereas, many other industries have used online sources of continuing education and professional practices for many years, traditional educators have turned solely to internal professional development departments, local education agencies (LEAs), and local colleges and universities to acquire the necessary education to meet the required hours/units for the renewal of their state teaching licenses

However, the economic pressures facing school districts with a conviction that online self- development can be effective has led to increased interest in this virtual approach Rather than replacing the traditional options for professional development, the online sources and providers can enhance the existing career development programs and can bring a wider access to topics and a broader scope to “learning communities” As teacher performance comes under increased scrutiny, a study conducted by Boston College (2011) found that English and Math teachers who took professional self-development courses online improved their instructional practices and boosted their scores on the subject knowledge and made a modest improvement on the performance of their students

“A series of online professional self-development courses that focus on specific content and student learning needs can have positive effects on the

teacher’s knowledge and instructional practices,” said Boston College Associate Professor of Education Laura O’Dwyer (2011) Her studies also showed that engagement of the teacher in online professional self-development can translate into improved targeted student outcomes This type of research-based and outcomes-focused study showed that online professional self-development can serve an important role in supporting the educational goals of the United States Department of Education

Regarding private schools, the Research Center of University Education and Occupation, Vietnam Institute of Scientific Education proposed a framework policy (CS) on lecturer development (DNGV) in private universities (DHNCL) in our country today, which shall apply the following:

• Analyzing the theory about the present framework policy on the lecturer development in non-public universities (DHNCL) in Vietnam;

• Presenting the current framework policy on lecturer development at non-public universities in the country;

• Introducing the lecturers to the non-public universities of the country; and

• Proposing the framework policy on lecturer development (DNGV) at non-public universities

Dinh Thi Hong Hai (2012) stated the solutions on how to improve the quality of the teaching staff at Hanoi Community College The author proposes management measures for quality improvement of staff development at Hanoi Community College in 2010-2020

Nguyen Minh Duong(2012) wrote on the system approach in his study

on human resources development The article addresses the system approach in research on human resources development According to the author, besides the components of human resources development, there are also relationships and impacts of external factors to be considered

Caldwell et al (2010), stated that the University of Georgia, Athens,

GA, United States; Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Viet Nam Strategic Human Resource Management will serve as Ethical Stewardship The research about strategic human resource management (SHRM) has suggested that human resource professionals (HRPs) have the opportunity to play a great role in contributing to organizational success if they are effective

in developing systems and policies aligned with the organization's values, goals, and mission They suggested that HRPs need to raise the standard of their performance and that the competitive demands of the modern economic environment create implicit ethical duties that HRPs owe to their organizations Further, they defined ethical stewardship as a model of governance that honors obligations due to the many stakeholders and which maximizes the long-term income-generation of the organization They, therefore, proposed that if the HRPs adopt an ethical stewardship framework and the qualities of transformative leaders, they will be more aware of their ethical duties to their organizations As such, they will be more effective in helping their organizations to increase income, achieve desired organizational outcomes, and establish working environments favorable to employees