July 17, 2015

New Vietnamese Fellows Complete 3-Week Social Work Academy

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project (SWEEP) completed its third Fellows Academy on July 11, with eight Vietnamese faculty members participating in a three-week training session at San José State University (SJSU).

The members of the SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy III gather for a group photo with College of Applied Sciences and Arts staff and faculty.

The eight Fellows were:

Tung Nguyen, of Vietnam National University/HCM, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Thao Do, of Dong Thap University

Sy Pham, of Hue University, College of Sciences

Cam Ly Vo, of Vinh University

Minh Bui, of Vietnam Natioinal University/Hanoi, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Bich Do, of University of Labor and Social Affairs

Hien Nguyen, of DaLat University

Trang Nguyen, of Hanoi University of Education

SWEEP is an international consortium which includes the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, Vietnamese government Ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., and community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded with a grant from USAID and support from CISCO through September, 2015, aims to improve:

The administration of social work programs
Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
Social work curriculum, and
Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

Fast-emerging social problems in Vietnam are creating a high demand for professionally-trained social workers. Bich Do emphasized how important it is for young faculty members to gain knowledge in order to effectively improve social work in Vietnamese higher education. She was appointed by the SWEEP coordinator from her university.

Social Work Education Enhancement Program, eight Vietnamese faculty members were presented with certificates on the last day of the Fellows Academy.

“I learned how to design a syllabus for assignments and assessments through the competency-based curriculum training,” Do said during a short break from a workshop. She explained the importance of building a foundation to teach social work. “I will apply the training and use of technology I learned here to the way I teach.”

Throughout the three weeks, the Fellows were able to use Cisco telepresence equipment for workshops and meetings. The use of improved technology promotes easier access of communication among the universities.

Hien Nguyen expressed how this technology could be used to keep a connection with SJSU and for her own teaching approach. “I will look for ways to include technology to my teaching methods and network with colleagues and social services in Vietnam.”

In addition to workshops on campus, the Fellows were able to visit various social service agencies in the Bay Area, including the Santa Clara County Child Protective Services, Mekong Community Center, Gardner Family Care Mental Health Services and the California Social Work Education Center in Berkeley.

Sy Pham said he likes to learn new things and the site visits gave him an opportunity to study how these social services operate. “The field of social work is new and limited in Vietnam, so I will share the practices of social work we observed here which is very useful to help create a foundation” said Pham.

The Fellows gained much knowledge from the program and were pleased with how hospitable SJSU faculty and staff were. Do said she enjoyed the “spirit of collaboration and openness.”

Hien Nguyen said she would like to “continue the connection with SJSU faculty for support and hopefully bring Vietnamese social workers from the U.S. to Vietnam to share knowledge.”

“The faculty and staff were very informative and showed me an integrated way to apply the competency-based training where I will provide a seminar on it back home,” said Pham.

The Fellows were the third and final group to participate in SWEEP.

SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy III gather for a group photo on the last day of the program

March 25, 2015

SWEEP: Fellows learn about social work and technology at SJSU

The Social Work Education Enhancement Project completed its second Fellows Academy in March, with eight Vietnamese faculty members undergoing an intense three-week training session at San José State University.

After completing an three-week training with the SJSU Social Work Education Enhancement Program, eight Vietnamese professors were presented with certificates on the last day of the Fellows Academy.

Nguyen Thi Thai Lan said she was appointed by her university to attend the SWEEP Fellows Academy in March. She is a faculty member at the University of Labor and Social Affairs in Hanoi, one of eight partner universities that are working to create a model of Social Work education based on best practices in the United States.

“The first thing I learned was a better understanding of competency-based curriculum,” Nguyen said on the last day of the Academy, noting that the field trips to government agencies and nonprofits that provide services directly to the community were especially helpful. “I learned the structure in providing services to people.”

During their visit, the Fellows visited the Mekong Community Center, Santa Clara County Child Protective Services, East Side Unified High School, Gardner Family Care Mental Health Services and the California Social Work Education Center.

Many College of Applied Sciences and Arts Social Work faculty were involved in sharing knowledge about how to teach social work for the fellows, but other departments at SJSU also provided support. Other groups involved in leading workshops included the School of Information, the Center for Faculty Development, the SJSU Global Leadership Advancement Center, Academic Technology and the University Library.

Some of the workshops focused on faculty development, creating curriculum and setting a research agenda, among other topics. They used Cisco telepresence equipment in some of their meetings and workshops.

Interim Dean Alice Hines is the director of SWEEP, while Social Work Professor Ed Cohen serves as a co-director. SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded through September 2015, aims to improve:

The administration of social work programs
Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
Social work curriculum, and
Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

Pham Tien Dong, a faculty member at Vinh University, said he wanted to attend the Fellows Academy so he can contribute to the development of social work in Vietnam.

Using a translator, Pham said he learned about “new material in social work and accessing modern technology in teaching.”

“They shared a lot of how to instruct students and the use of technology in teaching,” Nguyen said. “I wish we had a wonderful environment like this.”

Nguyen and Pham both commented on how welcoming all the SJSU faculty and staff had been during their visit.

“I appreciate the friendship of the faculty and staff from SJSU, the personal environment and the nice weather,” Pham said.

The members of the SJSU SWEEP Fellows Academy II gather for a group photo with College of Applied Sciences and Arts staff and faculty when they started a three-week training program to enhance social work education in Vietnam.

Other faculty who visited from Vietnam for the second Fellows Academy include:

Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, of Vietnam National University/HCM, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Nugyen Thi Bich Hung, of Dong Thap University

Bui Quang Dung, of Hue University, College of Sciences

Dang Kim Khanh Ly, of Vietnam National University/Hanoi, University of Social Sciences and Humanities

Vo Thuan, of DaLat University

Nguyen Le Hoai Anh, of Hanoi University of Education

A third Fellows Academy is planned for June.

March 5, 2015

SWEEP: Vietnamese fellows settle in for Social Work Academy in March

The College of Applied Sciences and Arts at San José State University is hosting its second Social Work Education Enhancement Project Fellows Academy, with eight Vietnamese professors visiting for three weeks in March to learn skills they will be able to bring home to their own universities in Vietnam. The 2015 fellows arrived in San José on March 1 and have been involved in lectures and workshops all week. The Fellows Academy is March 2-20.

: College of Applied Sciences and Arts Interim Dean Alice Hines, left, and Director of the School of Information Sandy Hirsh, center, talk with one of the Social Work Education Enhancement Project fellows from Vietnam during a reception March 4, held at the Yoshihiro Uchida Hall rooftop terrace. The fellows are staying in San Jose for three weeks to learn about social work education and practice in the U.S.

: Health Science Professor Jane Pham, second from the left, and Social Work Professor Meekyung Han, second from the right, talk with visitors from Vietnam during the Social Work Education Enhancement Program Fellows’ reception March 4 on the Yoshihiro Uchida Hall rooftop terrace.

: Director of Social Work Jack Wall, second from the left, enjoys appetizers during the Social Work Education Enhancement Project Fellows’ reception March 4 while he speaks with some of the visitors from Vietnam.

: Social Work graduate student Veronica Cavillo talks with visitors from Vietnam at the Social Work Education Enhancement Project Fellows’ reception March 4.

: School of Social Work Director Jack Wall speaks with one of the fellows from Vietnam who will be at SJSU for three weeks to learn about social work education.

Many SJSU social work faculty are involved in sharing knowledge about how to teach social work for the fellows, but other departments at SJSU are also providing support including the School of Information, the Center for Faculty Development, the SJSU Global Leadership Advancement Center, Academic Technology, and the University Library. The fellows will also have a chance to visit social service agencies in the Bay Area to see what types of services are provided in the United States as the field of Social Work is relatively new in Vietnam, established 10 years ago.

Interim Dean Alice Hines is the director of SWEEP, while Social Work Professor Ed Cohen serves as a co-director. SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., and community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded through September, 2015, aims to improve:

The administration of social work programs
Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
Social work curriculum, and
Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

October 21, 2014

Vietnamese university leaders learn about social work education at SJSU

The Social Work Education Enhancement Program staff and faculty members hosted 13 leaders from Vietnamese universities and organizations Oct. 11-18 for its second SWEEP Leadership Academy at San José State University.

Hang Nguyen, the president of the Association of Vocational Training and Social work, said she attended the Leadership Academy because her agency provides social work services.

Through a translator she talked about the importance of social work education in Vietnam.

Social Work Education Enhancement Program team members and guests from Vietnam conducted a telepresence meeting during the 2014 Leadership Academy, where current visitors spoke with those who attended last year’s Academy via video conference Oct. 15.

“It is a new profession in Vietnam,” she said. “Only in 2010 was social work established as an official profession.”

Before 2010, many of the services provided by social workers in the United States were only provided by charitable groups with no training.

“The results were not productive,” she said. “We are establishing that welfare is right and mental health services are right.”

The goal in Vietnam is to train 60,000 social workers by 2020 and the SWEEP program is helping universities to establish professional training programs.

SWEEP is an international consortium which includes USAID, SJSU, eight universities in Vietnam, government Ministries, Cisco Systems, Inc., and community agencies and stakeholders. The purpose of SWEEP is to assist eight universities in Vietnam with improving their undergraduate social work educational programs. The project, which is funded with a grant from USAID and support from CISCO through September, 2015, aims to improve:

The administration of social work programs
Faculty capabilities in teaching and research
Social work curriculum, and
Network communication among the universities through the use of improved technology

“Hopefully we will reduce the time needed to be professional,” Nguyen said.

She said one thing she had learned during the week is that in the United States there are clear expectations of responsibility for leadership and management.

“We need to connect with the government, with the community and with the universities,” she said. “We hope to provide more prevention and intervention services for child welfare.”

Alice Hines, the interim dean for the College of Applied Sciences and Arts, serves as the director for SWEEP. She welcomed the visitors to the Academy on Oct. 12 and dropped in on them throughout the week. Workshops and sessions throughout the week were hosted by the SJSU School of Social Work, the College of Business, the Center for Faculty Development and the SJSU Research Foundation.

Hines said one of the highlights of the week included a telepresence conference using CISCO technology that connected the group in California with those in Vietnam for a meeting that spanned time zones. It was 6 p.m. in California and 8 a.m. in Vietnam.

“It was like having everyone in the same room,” Hines said, noting that one person in Vietnam was stuck in traffic so he connected to the meeting via a cellphone in his car. “We were able to connect Fellows from our first Leadership Academy (in Fall 2013) with those from our second Leadership Academy to talk about lessons learned and progress made.”

Hoa Nguyen, a rector at Dalat University, said he joined the Leadership Academy because his background is not in Social Work, but he understands its importance.

Through a translator, he said the program had helped him understand that social workers can satisfy needs of people in the community.

“I really believe SWEEP is important to social education,” he said. “After the length of the program, I hope they continue to be supportive.”

He said he was impressed with the passion of the presenters and their knowledge of the topics covered.

“When I return to Vietnam, I am sure this will help increase the quality (of social work education) to a new level,” he said.

Phuoc Le, vice rector at the University of Social Science and Humanities in Ho Chi Minh City, said the week had taught him the importance of training faculty.

“In our university we have a five-year strategic plan, but we haven’t paid enough attention to the resources we need to meet our goals,” he said, via translator.

He said he planned to set up meetings to determine what resources are needed to meet the goals as well as work with his university to establish a center for faculty training.

Many of travelers, including Le, said the trip to San Jose for the SWEEP Leadership Academy is their first visit to the United States.

“We see that Vietnamese people are able to live in harmony with Americans,” Le said. “I haven’t’ had a chance to engage with locals, but I see people are very friendly and pleasant.”

The group visited San Francisco, with a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge. Le said he appreciated the traditional architecture because he is an historian.

Nguyen said she enjoyed seeing the coast, but she was struck mostly by the infrastructure.

“The roads are so well paved,” she said. “I think of all the handicapped people in Vietnam and how much they would appreciate it. Our roads are not built with accommodations.”

All three visitors expressed their desire to share what they learned when they return to Vietnam.

“I will try to apply all the good things I’ve learned,” Nguyen said.

The SWEEP team includes:

Edward Cohen, co-director

Laurie Drabble, faculty lead, Social Work

Meekyung Han, faculty lead, Social Work

Soma Sen, faculty lead, Social Work

Debbie Faires, faculty lead, School of Information

Quyen Grant, project assistant

Tuan Tran, project coordinator (Vietnam)

Hoa Nguyen, project consultant (Vietnam)

Ngan Chu, project assistant (Vietnam)

Natasha Wright, student assistant, SJSU MSW student

Veronica Cavillo, student assistant, SJSU MSW student

To learn more about the Social Work Education Enhancement Program, including past events, visit http://sites.google.com/a/sjsu.edu/sweep/