Thu Dau Mot University Journal of Science


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34 papers


The study aims to investigate the learning attitude of Chinese-major students who are studying non-major English at Thu Dau Mot University toward non-major English language learning. By surveying 95 randomly selected Chinese language students from Courses D21TQ and D22TQ, it was found that the majority of students had a normal attitude towards learning non-major English, accounting for 76%, while students had a normal interest in learning, accounting for 75.8%, and the biggest difficulty was learning English vocabulary, accounting for 70.8%. The article proposes solutions such as innovating teaching methods, enhancing vocabulary practice, enhancing communication skills and supporting students to learn proactively, and also contributes useful suggestions to improve the quality of teaching and learning non-major English at Thu Dau Mot University.
AI is transforming English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education by facilitating personalized learning and intelligent tutoring globally. This study examines the readiness and intentions of educators in Thu Dau Mot City, Vietnam, to adopt AI in their EFL classrooms. Through surveys and interviews with 102 teachers and lecturers, results show a high perceived usefulness and intention to integrate AI (M = 4.10). However, challenges remain with moderate ease of use (M = 3.92), low confidence in AI tools (M = 3.68), and limited institutional support (M = 3.45). Qualitative insights indicate a need for systematic training and collaborative environments. The findings emphasize that successful AI adoption relies on institutional investment in training and infrastructure. Without this support, the gap between enthusiasm and actual implementation may hinder AI's transformative potential. Policymakers and educational leaders need to create structured frameworks for effective AI integration in EFL classrooms.
The study investigates the challenges faced by Food Technology students at Thu Dau Mot University in mastering English reading and writing skills. The findings reveal that limited vocabulary and grammar knowledge significantly hinder students' proficiency in these areas. For reading, students struggle with insufficient vocabulary, poor comprehension strategies, and a lack of background knowledge, making it difficult to understand texts, identify main ideas, and interpret references. Similarly, writing is affected by challenges such as improper grammar usage, insufficient vocabulary, awkward phrasing, and issues with sentence construction. Mistakes in punctuation, spelling, and word order further reduce the quality of written work, limiting students’ ability to express ideas clearly and cohesively. These difficulties stem from a combination of linguistic limitations, lack of exposure to English, and insufficient support in structured learning strategies. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to address these challenges. Proposed solutions include vocabulary enhancement exercises, grammar-focused sessions, structured reading techniques, and writing workshops. Additionally, integrating modern tools like AI-powered learning applications can provide personalized feedback and improve overall proficiency. By adopting these strategies, students can gradually overcome their difficulties, enhancing their reading and writing skills to meet both academic and professional demands. The findings emphasize the importance of consistent practice and tailored learning approaches in language development.
This study explores the motivation and challenges faced by English majored students at Thu Dau Mot University when learning with native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) and non-native English-speaking teachers (NNESTs). Using a quantitative approach, a structured questionnaire was distributed to 50 participants to gather data on their experiences, preferences, and perceptions. The findings showed that students were positively motivated to learn English with both NESTs and NNESTs, although the sources of motivation differed. While NESTs are appreciated for their native pronunciation, interactive teaching methods, and cultural authenticity, NNESTs are valued for their clear explanations, shared language background, and supportive attitudes. The study also highlights challenges associated with each teacher group. It was found that students struggled with understanding native accents and feel intimidated by the fluency of NESTs, while they experienced limited cultural exposure and pronunciation variation with NNESTs. The results suggest that a balanced and inclusive approach to English language teaching - drawing from the advantages of both teacher types - can enhance the quality of language education in Vietnamese contexts.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS IN ENGLISH COMMUNICATION: INSIGHTS FROM NON-ENGLISH MAJORS AT THU DAU MOT UNIVERSITY

Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thương, Hồ Thị Trà My, Lê Đào Minh Thư, Hồ Trung Hậu
Effective English communication remains a significant challenge for non-English major students at many Vietnamese universities, often hindering their academic and professional development. This study explores the key difficulties faced by non-English majors at Thu Dau Mot University in English communication and their engagement in classroom speaking activities. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study collected data from 100 students through questionnaires and interviews. The findings reveal four primary challenges: limited vocabulary, pronunciation difficulties, overreliance on the native language, and lack of confidence. These issues not only affect students’ ability to express themselves in English but also reduce their participation in classroom activities. Despite these obstacles, the study found that active engagement in speaking activities positively impacts students’ learning outcomes, highlighting the importance of supportive and interactive teaching methods. Engagement varied, with students demonstrating greater participation in structured activities than in spontaneous speaking tasks. Based on the findings, the study provides recommendations for fostering a more engaging and effective learning environment.
This is a descriptive study to find out students’ awareness about the benefits and harm that they have experienced from using the AI tools during their learning process. The study was founded on a survey and an interview among majored-English students at Thu Dau Mot University. The data was then This descriptive study aims at finding out students’ awareness about the benefits and harm that they have experienced from using AI tools during their learning process. A four-section survey including open and closed-ended questions was sent out, and 193 majored-English students at Thu Dau Mot University responded randomly. The striking finding is that although students preferred AI tools to support their learning, they themselves accepted the benefits gained and the challenges faced were just a little over the average. In particular, the participants confirmed that AI tools contribute much to the fast speed of their academic work completion, but AI also makes them passively think, become inflexible, and somewhat limit the ability to equip knowledge for their English language competence.
This study is aimed to get a thorough insight into the students’ beliefs as well as the effectiveness of the use of Direct Reading and Thinking Activity (DR-TA) in teaching and learning reading comprehension. The result, by that way, wishes to enhance better concurrence and implementation among teachers and educators. The subjects are 8 Pre-Intermediate non-English majored students at the Foreign Language Center- Institute of Foreign Language Training of Thu Dau Mot University. The instruments used are questionnaires, interviews and the scores of final tests.
Athletes often need to have good English skills to communicate with foreigners for different purposes. As known, many athletes are not able to speak English fluently. To enhance the national athletes’ English proficiency, the governmental institutions arrange various English courses for them. This study reflects the long-term (over seven years) teaching process of English to the athletes in terms of the English course content, namely General English and Sports English, topics, local teacher vs foreign teacher, teaching methods, evaluation criteria, implementation of visual means and AI. The study results are based on the teachers’ observational method and students’ feedback. Most students liked the English course because they could speak English through discussions and conversations and learn new vocabulary, including General English and Sports English (ESP). The students liked the lessons’ topics (e.g. hotel/restaurant reservation, shopping, ordering food, and sports injuries) which were usually taught using PPTs, handouts, Youtube, and Kahoot. AI as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grammarly, Alexa, etc. was recently implemented in the teaching of athletes as well, facilitating the teaching and learning process and making it more effective and fun. Most athlete students were satisfied to have both a local and foreign teacher for the former could provide explanations in Chinese and the latter could help them to overcome the language barrier and gain confidence in speaking English. Most of the athlete students were motivated to improve their English to communicate internationally.
Based on previous surveys, it is evident that Food Technology students at Thu Dau Mot University face challenges in learning English, such as limited vocabulary, weak grammar, inaccurate pronunciation, and poor listening and speaking skills. These can lead to declining academic performance and restricted career opportunities. The paper highlights the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in overcoming these challenges. AI tools like Gemini Google can provide personalized learning experiences, improve interaction with the language, and offer immediate feedback. Gemini is specifically chosen due to its free access, Vietnamese interface, and support for over 40 languages. This study demonstrates that Gemini is an effective tool for undergraduate students, particularly those in Food Technology who have weak English backgrounds, to improve their English skills. Gemini improves vocabulary, grammar, speaking, listening, pronunciation, reading, and writing. It offers simple instructions and ideas in both English and Vietnamese, making it ideal for beginners, selflearners, and people with limited English proficiency. Unlike traditional learning, Gemini provides access at any time and from any location, as well as the ability to overcome shyness and blunders. Gemini's large, up-to-date database and user-friendly interface enable personalized learning paths and can be paired with other methods for best language learning. The study also proposes various strategies for utilizing Gemini Google to improve English learning effectiveness in areas like vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, reading, writing, and creating a positive learning environment. Furthermore, Gemini's value extends beyond languages, offering assistance in a variety of other areas.
English language proficiency is crucial for academic and professional success, with effective communication skills playing a pivotal role. Collaborative teaching methods, particularly group work, can significantly enhance students' creativity, evaluation, synthesis, analysis, and comparison, as well as problem-solving, essential for developing collaborative abilities. Furthermore, non-English major students often struggle to develop their speaking skills due to limited practice opportunities. This study addresses this challenge by implementing group-work activities in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather data including quantitative data collected through a questionnaire administered to 71 non-major students at Dong Nai Technology University and qualitative data came from semi-structured interviews. The results showed that group work significantly improved students' fluency, coherence, and confidence. Students reported increased motivation and engagement in speaking activities. These findings suggest that group-work activities effectively enhance speaking skills for non-English major students.
International integration not only brings opportunities but also challenges for teaching and learning English. Like other universities, Thu Dau Mot University focuses on teaching English for non-majored students of different faculties to meet the curriculum as well as provide knowledge for them to be confident when communicating. However, teaching English to non-majors still faces a lot of difficulties due to a number of factors. This study aims to understand the attitudes of non-English major students toward learning English at TDMU. Quantitative methods are used through survey questionnaires related to students' attitudes toward learning English and factors affecting students' attitudes toward learning English, and also finding out their wishes when participating in English learning activities in class. The questionnaire was sent to 190 students of different levels (levels 3-5). The results of the study show that most students are aware of the importance of learning English but they are not highly motivated to learn. According to the analysis results, students do not have a positive attitude towards learning English for the following reasons: They haven't spent time studying because they have to work part-time job for paying tuition fee; The purpose of using this language after graduation has not been determined, and they haven’t found a suitable learning method. From these findings, some solutions have been discussed to improve students' English learning attitudes, help lecturers make appropriate adjustments to improve students' learning outcomes and meet the standards school output as well as meet the needs of society.
The article explores the influence of the mother tongue (Vietnamese) on practicing to develop first-year students’ English writing skills at Thu Dau Mot University. Analytical data was collected from 100 first-year students majoring in English Language at the Faculty of Foreign Languages - Thu Dau Mot University. Research results show that students are still greatly influenced by Vietnamese (first language) in the process of practicing English writing skills. Among the students surveyed, up to 58.4% said they were still influenced by the way of thinking in Vietnamese, and then switched to English to follow the writing style of Vietnamese. … The remaining % said they had practiced writing in English through many writing activities at English centers and had practiced writing through thinking in English. The rest of the article proposes some solutions to help students overcome the above barriers to develop effective writing skills.
This research examines the scholarly literature on technology-based language learning published in the Computer Assisted Language Learning journal-one of the key journals in the field from 1990 to 2019. The researcher randomly selected 30 articles from 257 articles found in this journal during a thirty-year period (one article each year) to analyze the research method trends and the learner types focused in those studies. Results showed that mixed-method research has been more popular in recent years, and this may help academics better understand the connections between classroom environments and technology-enhanced language acquisition. For quantitative analysis, tests and Liker-scale questionnaires are the most used instruments, whereas interviews are the most common approach for qualitative analysis in mixed-method publications. Additionally, when it came to learning levels, researchers focused their attention on college and university students, but they paid no attention to pre-schoolers.
In the accelerating pace of globalization and internationalization of trade, professionals from a wide range of organizations believed that English as an international language, which is a way of thinking, researching and practicing, was used in almost all areas of life, study, and work. That’s why the study's foremost objectives were to comprehend reading learning strategies used by English-majored students at Thu Dau Mot University. A quantitative method was used to conduct the research with a questionnaire divided into four parts. The subjects of this study are 100 English majors from the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Thu Dau Mot University. According to the results, the majority of students agree with the difficulties faced when learning English reading. Likewise, students also subscribe that they also use some reading learning strategies such as extensive reading strategy, the phonics strategy, the whole language strategy, reading comprehension strategy and vocabulary building strategy. Moreover, some solutions, such as the function of the word in the sentence, the main gist, guessing the unfamiliar word and reading aloud are recommended to them to read more effectively and improve their reading ability. Ultimately, some recommendations are made in the hope of helping both teachers and students. Keywords: challenges, English reading, reading learning strategies, Thu Dau Mot University
This study aims to investigate students’ common errors in Vietnamese-English translation. For the objectives, 70 first-year students at Foreign Trade University – Ho Chi Minh campus, were invited to participate in this study. To identify students’ errors in Vietnamese-English translation, the participants were asked to complete five weekly assignments. The results revealed that students made grammatical, lexical, and spelling errors. The causes of these observed errors were also indicated, which included the difference between English and Vietnamese, inadequate culture background, students’ insufficient linguistic competence in English language and Vietnamese language, lack of cultural background knowledge, students’ inappropriate translation strategies, interference of Vietnamese, misunderstanding, and students’ carelessness. In addition, some suggestions were offered in the light of the findings identified in the study to help students improve their translation ability.
This study only deals with the range of functions of speech acts that the English language may serve all with a view to raise teachers’ and students’ awareness of the roles that the communicative intentions, the utterance functions and the interactive context play in the acquisition of language in general and in develoing students’ communicative competence in particular. With the aims beforehand, the study tries to analyse and present speech acts and implications for teaching and learning these aspects effectively. With reference to speech acts and their linguistic functions in the English language, this study can serve as a reference material for those who are interested in carrying out more research in this field.
This study which entitles “Learners’ Attitudes towards the Project Works in promoting English learner autonomy: a Case Study at Foreign Trade University-Ho Chi Minh Campus” was conducted with the following objectives: (1) to investigate students’ attitudes towards the use of project works to enhance their autonomous learning in an English speaking class; (2) to find out to what extent students believe that using project works can promote their autonomous learning; and (3) to figure out difficulties that learners have during the time they conduct Video making project. The study population was 73 second-year students who took the course English listening and speaking 2. An open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview were employed as research instruments for data collection. The result firstly shows that the students have positive attitudes towards the use of project works in English class that may have enhanced their autonomous learning. Then, it reveals students’ preference in having more project works to do in their English classes. Nonetheless, using project works’ evaluation as one of criteria for course assessment is a controversial issue among these students. In addition, students’ interest in utilizing information technology devices is remarked as one of the significant findings in this study. Furthermore, some difficulties when conducting projects are found including time constraints, teamwork conflicts, cultural differences and technology problems. In short, because of students’ positive attitudes toward Video making project in enhancing their autonomous learning, it is suggested that teachers should consider applying the project in their language teaching.
International students’ experiences are a major concern for universities and educational researchers. Globally, Vietnam is a top source country for international students but little is known about their experience. This study explores the everyday experiences of 10 Vietnamese master’s students from a New Zealand university through a series of semi-structured in-depth interviews. A qualitative approach enabled me to capture the essential meanings of the participants’ experiences and understand what it was like to be Vietnamese students in New Zealand. In academic settings, the students initially struggled to deal with a range of problems related to language and communication. These made them feel overwhelmed and bewildered. During these formative months, many of them experienced language difficulties. These difficulties forced them to learn to deal with challenges and become independent. This research helps universities become more aware of the experience of foreign students studying at the host universities, and thereby take measures to support them in their studies and daily life.
The relationship between language and gender is an interesting topic which has been under discussion over the last few centuries. Throughout the history of language study, lots of studies have been conducted and different linguists have been looking at this issue from different angles. As a socially constructed notion of what is feminine and what is masculine, gender is considered to be closely interrelated to different aspects of our life, especially to our language. From interdisciplinary perspectives with the corpus being the language used in daily communication, the study pointed out various differences between genders both in language use and in aspects of the language used to talk about each gender. From these differences, the study can help us understand a great deal of American culture which, in turns, makes it easy for us to use the language effectively.
This paper aims to identify the English-learning motivation of Thu Dau Mot University’s students. Based on the questionnaire, the data for analysis were collected from more than 100 students of different majors studying non-majored English at Thu Dau Mot University’s Foreign Language Center. The findings show that students have relatively positive learning motivation. In the relationship between learning achievement and motivation, the motive that comes from the students’ desire to get a better job occupies 58.4% of all the students surveyed because they believe it is essential and decisive to ensure their future income (applying for a job to earn money), and motivation to integrate into modern world life (because English is a global language: 40.4%) are the factors affecting students’ achievement.
In this study, we examine students at Thu Dau Mot University specializing in Food Technology’s speaking and listening skills in English. We conducted a survey on 59 students majoring in Food Technology using the questionnaire approach. Students struggle to develop macro-English abilities like speaking and listening, as seen by their responses. mastering English grammar, vocabulary, and other micro-skills might be challenging. The findings indicate that significant obstacles to learning listening and speaking skills include a lousy sound system, a lack of a communicative context, a limited vocabulary, a lack of cultural understanding, and a fear of making mistakes in communication. The findings also demonstrate that students’ limited exposure to English and weak phonological skills are to blame for their difficulty acquiring pronunciation. Many words are long and complicated, making learning and recalling word parts like verbs, nouns, and adjectives challenging. Many words are also difficult to pronounce. Learning the grammar of verbs and articles is challenging for students. When the challenges are solved, this research aims to effective foreign language learning.
This article presents the results of a study on the current application of Project-based learning (PBL) in the teaching of English productive skills to students at the Foreign Trade University - Ho Chi Minh City Campus and how students can improve them. The research also provides insights into the expectations of students and entrepreneurs on that matter. The research group used the 5-point Likert scale in a questionnaire to collect data from students and interviewed FTU - HCMC’s English teachers and entrepreneurs to give further suggestions. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze whether or not there is a significant difference in students’ English productive skills before and after using PBL in English language learning. This study found a significant difference in speaking skills of FTU - HCMC students before and after participating in PBL activities. The students improved their comprehension, range and the ability to deliver their ideas to the target reader for writing skills. However, no difference was found in their content, cohesion, and accuracy. Interviewed teachers and entrepreneurs supported the implementation of PBL in schools. Overall, PBL is encouraged in the settings of higher education institutions.
Summary: Context: In the period of Vietnam, gradually developing industrialization and modernization. Purpose: To research the needs of English language learning among office workers in Hanoi during the aforementioned period. Methods: Using questionnaires on 120 employees at companies in Hanoi. Results: Most respondents rarely use English at work. However, they still need to learn foreign languages to improve their professional English or satisfy their self-satisfaction. Conclusion: Survey is an essential suggestion in English lessons for working people.

Prediction of COVID-19 evolution in Binh Duong province using SIR epidemiological model

Pham Bao Quoc, Vo Van On, Nguyen Duy Khanh, Nguyen Thi Lien Thuong, Huynh Thi Phuong Thuy, Hoang Van Ngoc, Nguyen Thanh Tung, Vo Hoang An
With the fast growth of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-silico studies based on the susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) epidemiological model are very critical to provide reliable predictions of the COVID-19 evolution that can effectively support governments to issue the right measures to prevent and control the pandemic. In this study, the evolution of the COVID-19 in the Binh Duong province is investigated using the SIR model implemented in R-Studio software, in which the homemade computer codes based on the SIR model are developed using R language to automatically detect the optimal parameters in the model, including the reproduction ratio R0, the infection coefficient β, and the recovery coefficient γ. The SIR predictions indicate that the number of new positive cases per day in the Binh Duong province is only 40 new cases by November 30, 2021, and the total number of new cases per day becomes zero by middle February 2021. Besides, the Binh Duong province only has 1126 infected cases by November 30, 2021, which reduces to 203 cases at the end of December 2021. Through the SIR results, the COVID-19 pandemic in the Binh Duong is predicted to be ended at the end of December 2021.

Publication Information

Publisher

Thu Dau Mot University, Viet Nam

Editor-in-Chief

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Van Hiep
Thu Dau Mot University

Editorial Board

Assoc. Prof. Le Tuan Anh
Thu Dau Mot University
PhD. Nguyen Quoc Cuong
Thu Dau Mot University

PhD. Doan Ngoc Xuan
Thu Dau Mot University
PhD. Nguyen Khoa Truong An
Thu Dau Mot University

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Thanh Binh
Thu Dau Mot University
PhD. Le Thi Thuy Dung
Thu Dau Mot University

PhD. Ngo Hong Diep
Thu Dau Mot University
PhD. Nguyen Duc Dat Duc
Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade

Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Van Duc
Animal Husbandry Association of Vietnam
PhD. Nguyen Thi Nhat Hang
Department of Education and Training of Binh Duong Province

PhD. Nguyen Thi Cam Le
Vietnam Aviation Academy
PhD. Trần Hạnh Minh Phương
Thu Dau Mot University

M.A. Pham Van Thinh
Thu Dau Mot University
PhD. Nguyen Thi Lien Thuong
Thu Dau Mot University

Prof. Le Quang Tri
Can Tho University
Prof. Banh Quoc Tuan
Thu Dau Mot University