Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at division level

“Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at division level” is a subject matter of Psychology in the military education. The author has researched on the theoretical and practical studies to develop the concept of self-studyning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets at division level, including essential elements of the skill, stages of building the skill and important factors effecting the skill; specifying the situation and propose psychological - pedagogical measures to improve the skills.

To Teachers

Before starting to teach the social sciences and humanities,

teachers not only help students to determine the purpose, requirements

and tasks of learning but also help them know how to study this

subject Depending on the requirements of each subject , teachers

choose the content and form of action towards improving study skills

matching the stitching, learning actions of cadets Teachers should

strengthen chronic form of talks, exchanges, suggestions, raise issues

using political events - social progress, and avoid teacher read students

record style

To Faculties

They should be equipped with knowledge about self-learning

skills of social sciences and humanities as a basis for guiding cadets

study Promoting responsibility in managing self-learning students

Maintaining and promoting the role of the club, group study Keeping

track with status of skills practicing of cadets to improve the

performance The learning club should choose the cadets who have

good academic archivement as leaders Political staff members at the

university should be president of the club

INTRODUCTION

1 General Introduction

We all live in an era of information explosion To adapt to the rapid increase of human knowledge, the education system has made radical changes: from the concept of learning in a certain time to the conception of frequent learning, continuing education, lifelong learning Each one of us must choose a suitable study method to make our lifelong learning to be effective

“Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets

at division level” is a subject matter of Psychology in the military

education The author has researched on the theoretical and practical studies to develop the concept of self-studyning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets at division level, including essential elements of the skill, stages of building the skill and important factors effecting the skill; specifying the situation and propose psychological - pedagogical measures to improve the skills

2 Why this topic?

The traditional teaching methodology which teacher speaks, students listen, is still a challenge in our Vietnamese education system This passive learning creates obstacles for students to learn new things Therefore, the teacher needs to change his/her teaching methods to motivate students continuously studying and lifelong studying by improving self-study skills

Social sciences and humanities classes are important subjects

in military schools They play an important role to help military officers

to build their scientific views, political views, when the officers need to assess the phenomenon, social events and military operations They also play the important role to form and develop the political, ideological, moral, military lifestyle of those officers However, the freshman in military schools often are not familiar with the new teaching and learning methodology, so they are confused, mostly learn from experience of senior officers, and sometimes, they fell lost

3 Purpose and research tasks

3.1 Purpose of this research

The research is to clarify the theoretical and practical basis of

self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level Relying on the basis, the author proposes

psychological measures to improve the skills of the cadets

3.2 Tasks of this research

Tasks of this research include building rationale basis of

studying the skills, surveying and assessing the current situation and

the factors affecting the skills, recommending psychological and

pedagogic, and organizing practices to improve the skills in current

military universities

4 Objects and Scope of the research and scientific theory

4.1 Objects of the research

Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level

The object of study: cadets, teachers, school faculties

4.2 Scope of the research

- Content

Study the skills in perspectives of pedagogical psychology The

reasearch focuses on studying in depth the proficiency of self learning

and exploring factors affecting self-learning skills

- Location

The research focuses on military schools in the North,

including School of Politics, School of Political officer; Army officer

school no 1; Institute of Logistics; Military Technical Institute

4.3 Scientific theory

Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level are still weak in three categories: orientation,

organization and self-examination

Experimental results show that the skills can be improved through appropriate pedagogical method This proves the direction of this research is correct The study results also match the hypothesis of the research

2 Suggestions

To Department of Defense

Ensure good quality enrolling students by focusing on selecting students with right qualility, capacity and the psychological and physical qualities

Ensure better infrastructure, technical equipment and teaching aids for teaching and learning social sciences and humanities in military schools

There should be mechanism, policies and regulations facilitate faculties in general, teachers of social sciences and humanities in particular

To Military Universities

Strengthening co-innovation process from content teaching methods towards promoting positive attitude of students and enhance learners' self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets in military schools Ensuring adequate physical facilities, teaching equipments, documentation systems and curriculums to better serve the learning of social sciences and humanities Reforming assessment system to promote positive attitudes, initiative and creativity of cadets, avoid mechanical assessment that requirements memorize style Focusing on content improvements, encourage cadets to innovatively analyze issues, not mechanically copy the document Step by step applying modern equipments, software testing in learning and teaching of social sciences and humanities

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

1 Conclusion

Studying this matter has both practical and theoretical

meaning It defines:

Skill is to master how to perform the action of the subject by

applying the knowledge, experience to match practical terms, or to

implement identified goals

Self study skill is how to effectively implement self- designing,

self-organizing, self- assessing on the basis of applying the

knowledge, tips, experience to achieve the objectives of learning

requirements

Self studying social sciences and humanities skills have a very

important role in the learning process, decisive outcomes, as a basis

for cadets can learn life, improve the level of leadership - command -

managing the team, constantly improve themselves to respond to the

development of the country and defending the country in any

situations

Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level include 3 groups: group 1 is orientational skills of

self-study plans; group 2 is practical skills of self-self-study plans; and group

3 is self-examination and self- evaluation skills In all 3 groups, the

skills of subjects in this research are very weak

There are many factors that affect the self-learning skills of

social sciences and humanities of cadets, including elements

belonging to students, elements belonging to the teachers, the

environmental elements of pedagogy, in which elements of the

participants were rated as the most influential skills to study social

sciences and humanities

If clarification is 3 study skills group, the form factor, the phase formation and the factors affecting self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities, and conduct measures impacts raise some skills such as skills self-study plan; Reading and recording of information when reading documents in a reasonable manner; students know how to do post-harvest will enhance self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets division level

In order to improve the skills, the officers need to clarify groups of self study skills, the formation factors, the effecting factors, and conduct practices such creating as self-study plan, reading and taking notes, measuring the results

5 Rationale, practice and research method

5.1 Rationale

The thesis uses the perspectives of Marxism - Leninism and

Ho Chi Minh, the perspectives of Vietnam Communist Party as rationale Also it is based on the psychology of military operations; theoretical system of self-studying skills of the scientists in the world and in the country to resolve the issues raised

In fact, the quality of self study classes in military schools today is under expected Students still don’t have good studying skillset to archive the goals The past scientific studies in this field did not provide a systemetic methodology to improve the skills

5.2 Research method

The research is conducted based on basis of Marxism - Leninism, the methodological principles of psychology such as deterministic principles of dialectical materialism and psychological phenomena; the principle of unity among psychology, consciousness and activity; psychological development principles: activity - value - personality, system - structure, history - logic , arguments and the development of human psychology

6 Findings

New theoretical contributions

The thesis will identify the skills in Self-studying social

sciences and humanities of officers It points out essential elements

of the skills, stages of building the skill and important factors

effecting the skill The important factors belong to the cadet, the

teacher and the teaching environment The essential elements include

self-taught knowledge, study skills and methodology to apply the

knowledge and the skills in the study The stages include awareness

stage, training stage and skills formation stage

New contributions on practical

Thesis assess the true state of self-studying skills of social

sciences and humanities of cadets division level Offering experimental

method impacts raise some study skills for cadets of military schools

7 Rational meaning and practical meaning of the research

In this thesis, the author will clarify some of the concepts of

military psychology, such as self-study skills in social sciences and

humanities This research will also enrich the theories of self-learning

skills in social sciences and humanities The thesis will be the

reference for the study in general, officers at the military universities in

particular, and contribute to improving the quality of officer training in

military schools

8 Conclusion

In addition to the introduction, the topic of this research,

findings, suggestions, references, the thesis is divided into 3 chapters,

11 sessions

Conclusion

The experimental results prove our experimental methods are appropriate to apply to cadets in military universities After the experiment the self-learning skills of cadets are improved significantly They now know how to apply effective practices in the learning process, training in military schools Self-learning skills of cadets is markedly improved when they are under the influences of our experiments Cadets have learned to

do planning accordingly to training conditions in military environments, to exploiting information from different sources to serve the academic social sciences and humanities better, and reporting better Contents of the classes are redesigned to serve better objectives of cadets in military schools The guidance of teachers has created awareness of cadets in improving their skills However, this method could not bring immediate results In order to successfully improve the skills, their teachers should guide cadets Therefore, teachers must be equipped with knowledge about self-learning skills, as a basis for guiding cadets and contribute to improve the quality of education and training in military schools

Chapter 3 Conclusion

The results of the this research shows that skills of the cadets

at selected military universities are only at average level Students have self study skills from high school, but do not know how to self study at university level Mastering three groups of self study skills are still inadequate Although students have knowledge with a certain degree of self-studying social sciences and humanities, but they still face many difficulties in the study

There are many factors that affecting self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets at division level The survey results show that elements belonging to students are more important To enhance self-learning skills students need to overcome the factors that influence and impact combining synchronized measures to cadets The experimental results show that students with guided self-study skills have improved their academic results The results of the experiment effects allow us to conclude that the measures used in this study are are on the right direction Therefore, it is necessary to apply flexible measures to improve the quality of education and training in military schools

figure shows a decrease of low-quality plans and the rise of

high-quality plan are not much The gap between the levels of experimental

unit and the control unit is relatively high, X= 0.97 This proven the

experimental method in the experimental unit is heading right

direction Cadets have improved their self-studying skills faster

The results measure taking-note skills of cadets

After the pedagogic influence to promote a positive attitude

self-discipline, independence to improve reading and taking note

skills, and 2 practices, the results show:

Reading and taking note skills in the experimental units have

been improved, the number of poor-quality assessments reduces and

the number of good quality assessment increases The increases in the

experimental unit and the control unit are not the same In the

experimental unit, the difference between the 1st and 3rd practice is

X= 1.77 in average This means the numbers of cadets not mastering

these skills decrease relatively Meanwhile in the control unit, the

difference between 1st and 3rd practice is X= 0.92 in average This

figure shows that different between the decrease of low quality

assessments and the increase in skills of cadets has is not much, only

X= 0.85 Thus, after the practices, with appropriate methods, these

skills are improved

The results measure reporting skills of cadets

After two practices, reporting skills in experimental units are

improved The numbers of poor reports are reduced, and the numbers

of good reports increase The increase in experimental unit and the

control unit are different In experimental unit, the difference

between the 1st and 3rd practice is X= 1.72 in average, while in the

control unit, the difference between the average score of 1st and 3rd

practice is X= 1,05 in average The gap is 0.68 In all experimental

units, the numbers of low quality reports decrease significantly after

3rd practice While in the control unit, the poor reports only increase

in 1st practice, but not much in 2nd and 3rd practice This proves our

method in the control unit is appropriate

OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

1 Foreinge research on this topic

1.1 Research on self-learning

The author summarizes findings of these researchs as below: Research on role of self learning: The research references are from

wokrs of H Hippơ và M Phorvec Those authors address the importance of self learning by poiting out that the tearchers is not the center in schools, but students Students should self study with guidence of teachers

Research on elements of self learning: D.Goleman, D.Pam,

E.Dyson, L Porelman discuss about studying in the advanced technology era They mention the hyperlinks outside schools, new technologies to predict the end of a classical education Students will not only receive knowledge teachers but also aquire knowledge through other channels enable by technologies Therefore, new technologies are crucial parts

Research on methodology of self learning: These researches

analyze the psychological scientific basis, the optimum conditions influencing the process of self-learning, and self-learning methods such as reading methods, some basic psychological factors ensuring effective reading The comprehensive view from these studies confirms the important role of self-study, the elements, the method enabling the self effective learning The authors consider self learning in relation to training activities of the teaching process The practice activities were organized by students under the direction of teachers through a system of cognitive exercises to perform academic tasks However, in general, the authors have not studied in a systematic way and indicated the degree of influence of various

factors on self study skills, the formation elements, the stages of

formation and advanced technical solutions

1.2 Research on Self Learning

The studies from foreing psycologists are heading into 3

directions:

Training to form the self studying skills Includes authors such

as D.C Fuller, I Shah, N.Đ Levitov, C Kyriacou (1998), Shuell,

Brow, Weinert, Helmke, N.J.Richard (2003)

Researching on the specific study skills Includes authors such

as K Barry và L King, R Gross, A.N Lêônchiev In their study,

the authors have pointed out the study skills necessary to ensure

learners to achieve high results In self-learning skills, the author

emphasizes on reading skills

Researching on skill formation stages

In this research, the authors distinguish three phases forming

self-taught skills: determine conditions to form effective study skills

is to create the specific concept of training models

Thus, the foreign psychologists mentioned comprehensive

study on the skills in different aspects, such as how to obtain skills

for learners, study skills needed to establish self-learning skills

However, the authors do not dig deeper into the influencing factors,

the formation factors The skill formation stages in these studies are

not sufficient, they are only suitable to the mere technical

manipulations in a stable system

2 Domestic research on this topic

The authors, such as Tran Thi Minh Hang, Le Minh Vu, Trinh

Quang Tu, Le Nam Hai … also researched on thi totic Overall, the

domestic research has explained the factors of self-learning,

including: The stages of skills formation, factors affecting the quality

Table 3.7: Describe statistical skills impact experiment

Skill experimental

Experimental Unit A control unit

Deviation Mean

Std Deviation

1 Skills study plan 2.70 1.12031 2.36 1.1666

Difference between the

2 Reading and recording information skill

Difference between the

3 Measure

Difference between the

The results measure planning skills of cadets

After the pedagogic influence to promote a positive attitude, self-discipline, independence and 2 practices, the results show: Before the practice, at both experimental subjects (experimental unit) and non-experimental subjects (control unit) their skills are both inadequate After two pedagogical practices of planning, the results were improved, the numbers of good plans increased The increases in both units are not the same In the experimental unit, difference between the 1st and 3rd practice is X= 1.65 in average, whereas in the control unit the difference is X= 0.68 in average This

Experience: 3 mearsuring times before 3 times after after the

experiements Students are provided with learning taks and methods

to study or solve problems

3.4.2 Recommendations

Based on the author’s observation, he recommeds:

- If cadets understands the purpose of these experiments, they

will know how to implement the action and archive high proficiency

level of performance and vice versa

- In the study of social sciences and humanities, necessary

skills are planning, time management, taking notes, and reporting

Therefore, selecting right measures to improve these skills are

important

3.4.3 Experiment Content

The practice is to improve 3 basic self studying skills:

planning, taking note and reporting

The reason the author chooses these three skills is that based

on the theories and survey results, these 3 skills of cadets are very

weak, which cause the low performances of the students Also

preliminary survey from teachers and faculty managers have the

same feedbacks

Skill nunber 1: Cadets plan their study schedule in weekly basis

Skill number 2: Cadets take note in 10 minutes from Content

of the textbook

Skill number 3: Cadets report the results according to teachers’

guidance, from easy to difficult level

3.4.4 Evaluating the results

Experimental results are evalucated by integrating content into

experimental subjects The results show that he changes in skills after

impact study empirically obtained showed three skills before and

after the experiment have significant differences

of study, time management, study methods, practices, conditions affecting students' self-learning, solutions to improve performance The results of these researches are an important achievement to theoretical study on self learning skills on social sciences and humanities

3 Perspectives on the prior research results

Theoretical: The scientific work of prior authors has

contributed to improve the performance, systemize the skill under different views, affirm the importance of self-learning skills, which are decisive elements The bottom lines of self study are self organization, self control, self adjust to adopt new knowledge and skills The core of self study is to develop at a self learning skills

Practical: The study focuses on analyzing the status of skills,

self-learning activities of students, pointing out some self-learning skills that students need to master, addressing some formation factors, practices and measurements However, these studies on self-learning skills has not been studied systematically They need to be studied further

The thesis will solve following problems:

This dissertation will clarify the concepts, the influence factors, the formation factors, the formation stages, and based on that to determine the psychological and pedagogical methods to

improve the skills

Chapter 1 RATIONALE RESEARCH ON SELF STUDYING SOCIAL

SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES SKILLS OF CADETS AT

DIVISION LEVEL 1.1 Basic Concepts

Taking into account the findings from both foreign and

domestic researches, the author discusses the concept of self study

skills in general and self studying social sciences and humanities

skills of cadets at division level in particular

1.1.1 Skills

Self learning or self studying skill is master how to perform the

action of the subject by applying the knowledge, skills had matching

practical terms, to implement identified goals

1.1.2 Self studying skills

Self studying skills are how to implement effective actions in

study, in which the self- designing, self-organizing, self- assessing on

the basis of applying the knowledge, tips, experience to achieve the

objectives of learning requirements

1.1.3 Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of

cadets at division level

Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level are how to effectively implement designing,

self-organizing, self-assessing on the basis of applying the knowledge,

tips, experience to achieve the objectives of learning requirements

Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level include the following groups: group 1 is orientational

skills of self-study activities; group 2 is practical skills of self-study

activities; and group 3 is self-examination and self- evaluation skills

1.2 The formation factors and formation stages

1.2.1 The formation factors

Based on the views of the classical Marxist - Nazis, the view

of the psychologist when reviewing operational issues to determine

want to improve their skills, they must proactively take part in practical activities In the beginning, they may only archive limited results, but after certant numbers of practical activities, the improvement will gradually show progress Through these practical activities in which their knowledge and skills are improved, student will gain more confidence to continue go further Results of the practices also are index to assest students’ performance

3.2.4 Promote positive attitude of the cadets

Improving the self studying skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets in the current military universities is a result of the training process, which are object elements, and internal resources of learners, which are subjective elements Wherein the objective elements of the training process are content, programs, quality of teachers and their teaching methods as well as the management of the universities Whereas subjective elements are internal forces of magnetic resonance subjectivity of cadets

3.4 Experimental results

3.4.1 Goals of the experiments

- Goals: to enhance self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets at division level Based on e impact of the training methods, the author determines the positive changes in self-learning of cadets at military universities This direction was demonstrated by pedagogical experiment in the process of organizing and teaching psychology at the University of the military

- Experimental Methods: Conducting the experiments by teaching self studying skills of social sciences and humanities to cadets in departements such as, Experimental Center Military Psychology, Education Military, Government and law In the experiement, the author uses content of regular classes to practice self-learning skills The classes include all 03 subjects, each subject has 03 sessions, a total of 9 sessions with 06 measurements

faculties must be promoted Also adequate material are necessary for

self-learning process of cadets

3.3 Psychological - Pedagogical measures to enhance the skills

3.3.1 Promote proper attitude of cadets

The beneficial subjects of self learning activities are learners

So, self studying is only really effective when cadets are discipline

and proactively act according to their individual study plan They

must utilize their best psychological, intellectual and emotional

capabilities, to obtain knowledge and skills from the materials and

teachers In other words, this process must always be driven, by

attitude

3.3.2 Equip cadates with knowledge and skills to apply to

solve the learning task

Knowledge is the foundation in any learning steps For

self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities, students must know

how to use their knowledge to solve learning tasks effectively

During the training time in the university, they are not equipped with

all neccessary knowledge of the social sciences and humanities for

students Learning in the univerisity really is to learn the

methodology to solve problems, improve creative thinking, being

independence So after graduating, they can continue to self-learning

and fostering professional capacity The program content in the

university must meet the dialectical unity between nature: basic,

system, unity, depth and ensure a balance between the social sciences

and humanities with the other sciences

3.3.3 Through the forms of various learning activities to

help students gradually apply the knowledge, the experience to be

problem solver

Skills are formed via activities, so to enhance self-learning skills

of social sciences and humanities, the universities should take steps to

directly address the learning tasks in the school ciriculums If cadets

skill the factors forming the study skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets division level We believe that the cadets at division level who have self study skills are characterized by the following elements: self-learning knowledge, skillsets and study methods to apply knowledge in the study of science social and humanities These factors are interconnected under certain conditions, in which knowledge is the first factor important platform When learners have practice knowledge and creative use of it under

different conditions in military activities, the skills are formed 1.2.2 Formation stages

The foundation of the forming self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities is the process of restructuring the study manipulated by circumstances and subject to new conditions Based

on the concept of the formation stages in foreign studies, we categorize them into three stages: stage of awareness , training stage and stage of skills formation

1.3 Characteristics of self-learning activities and the factors affecting self-learning skills

1.3.1 Characteristics

The characteristics include self studying in the training process under the teacher’s guidance The numbers of study activities increase while techniques and skills do not change The self learning activities are placed in specific relations Self study in the subjects of social sciences and humanities of cadets division levels are associated with self-discipline other personality qualities

Activity study of social sciences and humanities of cadets division level theoretical, requiring practices associated with military operations; Activity study of social sciences and humanities contribute worldview, scientific belief for cadets

1.3.2 The influence factors

According to the principle of materialistic determinism of

psychological phenomena, in order to study the formation of the

psychological phenomenon in general, self-learning skills of

science and human society in particular, away from the study of

weak external factors in the relationship of mutual interaction with

the elements inside With this approach, we believe that

self-learning skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets at

division level are under influences of the following factors: The

elements of the trainees; elements of the teacher; the environmental

elements of pedagogy

Chapter 1 Conclusion

Based on the scientific research, the author concludes that:

Self study social sciences and humanities skills of cadets

division at level are are how to effectively implement self- designing,

self-organizing, self- assessing on the basis of applying the

knowledge, tips, experience to achieve the objectives of learning

requirements

Self-studying social sciences and humanities skills of cadets at

division level include the following groups: group 1 is orientational

skills of self-study activities; groud 2 is practical skills of self-study

activities; and group 3 is self-examination and self- evaluation skills

To create a self-learning skill of social sciences and humanities

of cadets at division level, the offices need to have 3 factors:

self-taught knowledge, study skills, methods to apply knowledge and

skills The skills are formed through three stages: stage of awareness,

training stage and stage of skills formation

The results showed that, among groups with different skills correlate relationships in the forward direction, which means that if this skill group increases, the other skill groups also increased, in particular

Results of comparing proficiency of self study skills of social sciences and humanities at middle school students with fairly good grade and academic students on average, or above average showed that in three skill groups, group of cadets having pretty good scores outperform those cadets with average or just above average scores It proves that students of the Political Academy have better skills This shows that the direction and the subject of the research is approriate and meaningfull

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

AOS 1 SPO IOL MTI

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

Figure 3.7 Proficiency self-studying social sciences and humanities

of cadets division level of the military school

3.2 Current influencing factors

The self studying skills of social sciences and humanities of cadets are affected by many factors To see the impact of such factors

on the skills by looking at students’ GPA, the author analyzes the influence of these factors on self studying skills The results showed that the elements belonging to students and elements belonging to pedagogy environment have greatest effect on self-learning skills Therefore, in the process of forming the skills, the responsibilities of