Pivotal roles of teachers and students in enhancing an active learning environment

Abstract

The success of a language class does not simply depend on the students’ achievement of learning outcomes. However, this is mostly expected by educators who advocate applying outcome-based education. Indeed, it is how the teacher and the students within a class can create an environment where active learning is of greater importance. This paper discusses the results of a case study at a selected faculty. The data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 12 full-time teachers and staff and surveyed responses from 233 students taking an English undergraduate honors program at a selected public university in Ho Chi Minh City. This case study aims to analyze difficulties students and teachers encounter in building an active learning environment for a program. It also aims to identify the roles of teachers and students in doing so. As found in the study, major difficulties in building an active learning environment include the fixed curriculum, large class size, students’ low autonomy, limited learning resources, and the wide gap between teachers’ teaching activities and students’ expectations. In order to successfully create an active learning environment at Vietnamese universities, it is suggested that teachers should be more reasonably flexible, open-minded, and helpful throughout the teaching process, while students are expected to be more critical, self-directed, and disciplined in learning. Several major pedagogical implications for both teachers and students are also well elaborated.