What We're Doing Here
You’ve read about the travel, the heat, and the cultural contrasts. So what about our actual work? We are in our second visit, working with a group of faculty and administrators from CanTho University, two other four-year schools, and some regional community colleges to develop a plan and a grant proposal for an adult education program for the Mekong Delta Region. Last time we were here, we laid the groundwork with a task force of about 25 colleagues. They have been working since then to collect data for a context analysis and needs assessment.
And I have to say that I have never been part of a US group that has accomplished so much in a few months. They designed surveys and interview protocols, then collected 1200 surveys from potential adult learners, did 28 interviews of key leaders, did 18 interviews with the Ministry of Education and Training, and collected stacks of relevant government documents on regional economic development and workforce training needs. The 1200 surveys were a stratified sample, by 6 regions, within which the population was divided into areas of highest employment and lowest employment. Under the leadership of the dean of the college of education and the vice-dean – two remarkable colleagues who have pulled all of this together – this cross-institutional team has encountered few political roadblocks of the sort that arise instantly when US institutions attempt to work together.
This trip, we will work on data analysis to come up with the actual program that will be undertaken. John and I haven’t seen the data yet, but there are preliminary indications that the region needs non-degree, skills-development programs in areas that might include accounting, tourism, and fish raising. There is also the possibility of developing skilled workers for industry, as that is a growing field.
Today is a planning day, and tomorrow morning (probably at 7:30 am – things start earlier here) we meet up again with the task force, to begin our seven-day workshop (with one day off in the middle).
And I have to say that I have never been part of a US group that has accomplished so much in a few months. They designed surveys and interview protocols, then collected 1200 surveys from potential adult learners, did 28 interviews of key leaders, did 18 interviews with the Ministry of Education and Training, and collected stacks of relevant government documents on regional economic development and workforce training needs. The 1200 surveys were a stratified sample, by 6 regions, within which the population was divided into areas of highest employment and lowest employment. Under the leadership of the dean of the college of education and the vice-dean – two remarkable colleagues who have pulled all of this together – this cross-institutional team has encountered few political roadblocks of the sort that arise instantly when US institutions attempt to work together.
This trip, we will work on data analysis to come up with the actual program that will be undertaken. John and I haven’t seen the data yet, but there are preliminary indications that the region needs non-degree, skills-development programs in areas that might include accounting, tourism, and fish raising. There is also the possibility of developing skilled workers for industry, as that is a growing field.
Today is a planning day, and tomorrow morning (probably at 7:30 am – things start earlier here) we meet up again with the task force, to begin our seven-day workshop (with one day off in the middle).
posted by Kris at 7:58 PM
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