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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM

VIETNAM INSTITUTE OF CULTURE AND ARTS STUDIES Le Cao Thang

EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ON TRADITIONAL CULTURAL
VALUES FOR CURRENT STUDENTS
(A SURVEY RESEARCH AT SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES IN HANOI) Major:

Cultural Studies
Code :

62 31 06 40

SUMMARY OF PHD DISSERTATION IN CULTURAL STUDIES
At () The dissertation could be looked up at:
- Vietnam National Library
- Library of Vietnam Institute of Culture and Art Studies

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INTRODUCTION
1. The necessity of the dissertation
Vietnam national history has left many precious traditions. They are patriotism, community
solidarity, humanity, tolerance, studiousness "respect teachers and highly regard moral values" and
many other fine traditions. These precious traditional cultural values create national characters of
Vietnam. Thanks to these values, Vietnam has always stood firm and everlasting throughout the
history. The traditional cultural values of the nation need to be educated and propagated widely and
deeply in the society.
Until the school year 2011 – 2012, there were 419 universities and colleges with a total of more
than 2.2 million students. This was a valuable human resource of the country as students are those
who are young, dynamic, enthusiastic, ambitious and knowledgeable. This force has a direct and
profound impact on the socio-economic development of the country's social immediate in the short-
term as well as long term.
Due to the psychological features of specific age group, the youth and students are sensitive to the
new and progressive things under the influence of outside impact; changes in economy, politics,
culture and society in our country in recent years, especially the transition to the market economy
opening up to the international integration, have created strong fluctuations in the spiritual life of
the young generation.
However, during the development of the market economy, there has risen negative influence to a
great part of people, including students and the youth, which has changed their views about the
traditional values. The worrying issue is the decline in quality and ethics in a part of students,
shown in the actions of running after material values, foreign bias, disregard or forgetting the

ideology, moral and lifestyle of the youth and students; proposes solutions to improve the efficiency
of education for the youth and students, hence build the cultural environment in universities and
colleges.
Fourthly, researches on building ethics, lifestyles and healthy cultural life in Hanoi in general and
Hanoi universities in particular: the works mention the importance and necessity of the construction
of ideology, ethics, lifestyle and cultural life in Hanoi; analyzes the development trend of the
intelligentsia in Hanoi during the process of promoting industrialization and modernization of the
country.
Although issues related to the subject are quite plentiful, so far there have not been any works
focusing on Educational activities on Traditional cultural values for current students (a survey
research at several universities in Hanoi). The researches on cultural and spiritual life of students
and educational activities on fine traditional cultural values for the youth, especially students, still
have a gap. The works focus on determining traditional cultural valuesin general, but specific
relationship between traditional cultural factors and the development of current students, the
solutions from the perspective of the development needs of the students, the close relationship
between traditional culture and the youth nowadays. There is lack of highly technical proposals, the
practical model to deliver traditional cultural values to students.
3. Research purpose and missions:

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Purpose:
Based on clarification on reasoning issues of values, traditional cultural values and survey to
appraise real situation of educational activities of traditional cultural values for students from
several universities in Hanoi, the dissertation proposes some resolutions to enhance the effect of
educational activities of traditional cultural values for current students in order to build a student
force developed comprehensively on politics, thoughts, ethics, and lifestyle and so on. Hence, it
contributes to the implementation of human strategy, development of education - training,
construction and development of Vietnam culture and characters to be more advanced and
charming.
Missions:

educating traditional cultural values for students has not become an important cultural -
social institution for students yet.
6. Research Methodology and methods:
6.1. Methodology
The topic was carried out based on the methodology of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh
ideology; guidelines and policies of Vietnamese Party and State on culture, preservation and
promotion of national characters and education for the youth and students.
6.2. Research Methods:
6.2.1. Document analysis: Study and analysis of work from previous scientists on: values,
cultural values, traditional cultural values of Vietnam; educational activities on traditional cultural
values for the youth and students; building ethics and healthy cultural lifestyles in universities
nowadays. They clarify overview of the research and identify issues that need further researches.
6.2.2 Sociological investigation method: Questionnaire is essential for collecting
information in the study in quantity. Source of information obtained from this method was used as
the main material for this analysis. With structured questionnaire, the interviewer answered
questions in a prepared list. Collected information was the answers, which had been coded from the
questions in this list. 1,000 interviewees were students from the 1
st
year to 5
th
year at various
universities in Hanoi.
6.2.3. Observation method: Observing students' life at universities in Hanoi during their
process of studying, training and communication was for more information about their reality life
and especially their attitudes towards the value of the national cultural heritage.
6.2.4. Cultural studies method: Collecting modes and manipulation of cultural studies to
analyze the issues of cultural reasoning (in terms of values, the value of traditional culture, and so
on) and practical educational activities on traditional cultural values for students.
6.2.5. Comparison - history methods: The research was based on the comparison of
traditional cultural values and modern cultural values, hence defined needed cultural values to

pages).
Chapter 3: Directions and solutions to enhance the efficiency of educational activities on traditional
cultural values for current students (46 pages).
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Chapter 1
REASONING ISSUES ON VALUES AND TRADITIONAL CULTURAL VALUES
1.1. Definition of Value and Cultural Value
1.1.1. Definition of Value
Value belongs to things, phenomenon and attributes; it has positive meaning towards society,
communities and individuals, as a mean to satisfy the needs and interests, and expressed people's
belief in ideal purposes and behaviors.
1.1.2. Definition of Cultural value
Cultural value is a core element of culture, created and crystallized during the history of the nation
and humanity. Cultural value is a system of unbiased meaningful values defined by historical
reality, thanks to the wide range of information. Cultural values express the interests of advanced
social forces. They contain good things (truthfulness, honesty and beauty) and always create the
orientation to uphold the right, good and beauty of human.
1.2. National traditions and cultural values of Vietnam
1.2.1. Tradition and national tradition
In the most general sense, tradition is a factor of cultural and social heritages, expressed in
behavioral standards, thinking, customs, practices, habits, lifestyle of a community, which was
formed in history, has become stable and transmitted from generations to generations, and
preserved in the long-term.
National tradition is a system of personalities and behaviors of an entire nation, which is formed
under certain natural, social and historical conditions of certain. It is crystallized, accumulated and
handed down through generations in the national history and makes the national character.
1.2.2. Traditional cultural values of Vietnam

industrialization - modernization of the country.
1.3.2.2. Humanity and tolerance
Humanity is expressed in human love and the will to help others, not-for-profit. Tolerance is
manifested in altruism. Educating humanity and tolerance for students will make them pay more
respect to their teachers; help each other in learning and living; treasure public property; care about
others' misfortune. Such education would help students constantly raise their awareness and self-
betterment; they would know how to take collective and national interests to guide their lives,
which contribute, to the formation and development of students' personalities.
1.3.2.3. Solidarity and sense of community
Solidarity and sense of community are expressed through relationships in big and small
communities such as family, clan, village or larger community like Vietnamese community. Hence,
to educate solidarity for students means to build gradually their collective consciousness,
harmonization with collective movement from class to school and to the society. Thereby, we can
equip students with effective methods to resolve their problem between individual and society.

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Moreover, students will know how put the collective and social interests above personal interests;
sacrifice for the community.
1.3.2.4. Laboriousness and economization
Thanks to laboriousness and economization, our nation has been able to overcome many difficulties
and challenges from the nature to build and develop this country. Hence, education of laboriousness
and economization would help students realize the significance role of labor in social development,
help them know how to love and have the right attitude towards labor: Labor is the joy and
happiness of youth; working with creativity and ethics to obtain the productivity, quality and
efficiency.
1.3.2.5. Studiousness and respect payment for teachers
Inheriting and promoting the tradition of studiousness and respecting teacher are not only students’
responsibilities and obligations, but also the great honor of students to contribute to enrich the
intellectual potential for the country. It will become one of the factors that ensure the high-speed
development rate of the country and the success of the innovation of the country.

THE STATUS OF EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON TRADITIONAL CULTURAL
VALUES TO CURRENT STUDENTS
2.1. Factors affecting the education of traditional cultural values for current students
2.1.1. Socio-economic factors
On a positive impact: market economy creates social dynamics and significantly improved physical
life and spirit of the people. Many students themselves overcome learning difficulties, be willing to
participate in voluntary youth movement, summer green, youth success in business because they
have a right ideals to live. These ideal was not natural form, it is the result of self-training and
education.
On a negative impact: Economic development brings about expanding in the gap between the poor
and the rich, the Individualism, pragmatic selfish lifestyle increase. Especially the corruption
becomes one of four risk of the country. All phenomena that have negatively impact on students make
them have distorted perception.
2.1.2. Educational factors
In recent years, thanks to the increasing investment by the State, universities and colleges have been
continuously strengthened. The school facilities are decent; many schools have been gradually
modernized. These make students have better learning conditions. The program content is
constantly modernized with innovation process of teaching methods, students receive a
comprehensive, modern knowledge and they can themselves strengthen the positive self-training.
Besides these positive achievements, there are still insufficient weaknesses such as the deviation in
the awareness of education. While most people , including those who did not work in the
management field, has been criticized students that students are moral degradation , but when the
cost of living for the political and ideological education are mentioned, they became hesitated , and
said that the cost for these activities and movements are unnecessary , unprofitable .
Conditions of the infrastructure in universities and colleges are still poor with gaps in perception
and activities of educational institutions, staff, teachers. These are the basic reasons of the weakness
on the part of current students’ lifestyle.
2.1.3. Globalization and international economic integration factors
In the context of globalization and international economic integration, the issue of
expanding cultural exchanges with other countries, absorbing elements of the progressive

investment in education from the state budget is more than 20 %)
For many years, the Ministry of Education and Training has boosted guiding the organization
"Citizens Week activities - students at the beginning and ending of course in the universities and
colleges. Co-operating with ministries , branches and localities such as : the Central Communist
Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh, the Ministry of Culture , Sports and Tourism, Taiwan Voice of
Vietnam , Vietnam television , the Ministry of Public Security , Ministry of Finance , Ministry of
Interior , Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affair , the Ministry of Education organize
educational activities about ethnic traditional to students . The measures and activities of the

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Ministry of Education and Training have directly effect on the orientation for the education in
general and the education of ethnic tradition for university students in particular.
2.2.2. Educational activities on traditional cultural values for students in universities
2.2.2.1. Teaching activities
Firstly, the teaching staff: has firm professional knowledge, have the ability to respond to the
educational mission for current students and to ensure continuity and stability. Besides experienced
who are leading scientists, the staff also include young teachers.
Secondly, the program’s curriculum: The educational mission of traditional cultural valuesto
students at universities and colleges in recent years has taken new developments and encouraging
efficiency. Values including patriotism, community solidarity, independence and strengthen
willpower, tolerance compassionate, hardworking creative, brave variants, which are all contained
in the subject. In addition to the science of Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh City, there are
subjects such as Vietnamese, History, Literature, Vietnam's cultural establishments, Geography
There are variety of courses, which are designed to foster the spirit of love for the country and
national pride for students.
Thirdly, the teaching methods and assessment of student learning and performance: Over time,
universities in Hanoi have actively innovated educational methods in an effective way, and have a
high quality. Many universities have gradually change the way of knowledge transfer from passive
method "teaching-writing" into a positive teaching method "guided instructor, proactive student".
Most teachers enhance the dialogue form, promote independent thinking of students.

education about traditional cultural values for young students through variety of activities including:
propaganda, education, creating suitable environment, supporting, accompanying young students to
learn, practice which achieve positive changes in all aspects: content, methods, forms, effects and so
on. These activities have an important contribution to educate and orient the majority of students and
youths, to make them have political qualities, good moral, healthy lifestyle, be conscious of studying
and having good knowledge.
However, the effect of education and value orientation of the Union is not high. The Union does not
take the full advantage of each opportunity and the power as well as the social forces, resources in
education, oriented value for students and youths. Methods of education, oriented value of the Union
still innovate slowly, cannot meet the demand of young psychology students. “Caring benefits to
young student” activities are not commensurate with the potential of the organization, The summary
of the work of education, oriented value, the oriented- valued-for-youth- team models, has not kept
pace with the constantly changing society in the globalization era of international economic
integration.
2.2.3. The role of family in educating traditional cultural values to students
Many families are interested in educating traditional cultural values to students through the cultural
traditions of family lineage because the formation of the cultural values of human dignity must
begin from childhood to adulthood. The beauty of the culture of the family environment has formed
the feelings of love in family relationships. Besides the traditional cultural education in family for

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the younger generation, the family was also interested in ethnic traditional education for their
children through visual media, such as audio tapes, video tapes, which considerably affect the
emotion, thought and develops a healthy lifestyle for the young generation. The family hopes their
children can develop overall in all aspects, now they are good behavior and in the future, they will
become useful citizens.
However, educating traditional cultural values in the family is still limited. Many families that
parents are too busy on making money so do not have enough time to look after their children.
Children freely play with music tapes, video tapes, films, and computer and become out of
control. As a result, when children grow up and enter the student’s environment where they can find

the development of culture and promoting traditional values. We have not evaluated properly the
importance of educating national traditions for younger generation in general and young students in
particular, so the education cannot meet the requirements of the innovation.
The educational subjects have not paid their full attention to the preservation and the promotion of
traditional values when they have to meet the national requirements of the innovation. In some
universities, officials have violated national discipline and traditional moral teaching which affect
negatively not only the political and ideological education but also the traditional education to students.
Some students have superficial knowledge, smug attitude, selfish, narrow-minded and dependent on
others. When troubles come, some are easily pessimistic, depressed and react by turning their back on
society with all the contempt for traditional national values. It is a fact that makes many difficulties and
obstacles that prevent the education of national tradition from developing in universities
In recent years, the subjects have taken their role , have focused on the most important task-
education, training students to develop in a comprehensive, ethical, intellectual, health, aesthetic
and professional manner, loyal to the ideal of national independence and socialism form and nurture
the personality, qualities and abilities of citizens to meet the requirements of building and defending
the country. In addition to these achievements, the advantages of education in the traditional
cultural values for students are still limited and inadequate.

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Chapter 3
DIRECTIONS AND SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF EDUCATIONAL
ACTIVITIES ON TRADITIONAL CULTURAL VALUES FOR CURRENT STUDENTS
3.1. Forecast the development of higher education and student status in the near future
3.1.1. Forecast the development of post graduate education
The education continues to grow, to expand the scale and to improve quality in order to move
forward a learning society. The Education Development Strategy until 2020 has identified the
common goal of the development of education in both scale and quality, as well as other goals
including: to complete the network of institutions of higher education on a national scale; to make a
hierarchy of functions, tasks and training to ensure properly the qualification framework, industry
structure, regional structure, suitable to the policy of educational socialization and provide general

The first is thoroughly insightful views, guidelines and policies of the Party and State for the
development of education and higher education
Educational innovation contains innovative content, programs and educational approaches.
Education Act 2012 requirement are: the methodology that make student be centered, be promote
positive and be creative. If activities about student want to achieve good results, they must also
observe the direction thoroughly as well as take care of the interests and legitimate demands of the
students. Understanding thoroughly the viewpoints of education and educational reform of the Party
and State is not only an urgent demand but also a medium and long-term task requiring creativity
and innovation of universities today.
The second is the combination of the education about cultural traditional value with the education
about modern cultural values to student
Tradition and modernity is a dialectical unity, unity of contradictions, inconsistencies included.
There are traditional values continue to preserve and promote under new circumstances , have great
impact in the spiritual development of society , whereas there are some traditions that are unsuitable
to modern society , there are qualities , ethical standards that are considered important in the past,
though, now it was no longer appropriate to the new conditions .
Therefore, the main role of the education about traditional cultural values for current students is to
combine the tradition and the modernity. In traditional education, this relationship is expressed in
both the content and form of education such as: avoiding extreme positions, nostalgic or receiving
unselectively, the lack of considering foreign cultural values , hybrid values.
The third is to form new cultural values associated with the students to promote the building
and developing of the Vietnamese advanced culture, imbued with national identity
Requesting culture in building the Vietnamese younger generation’s manner is an extremely
necessary job, not only very basic, strategies, but also very urgent, which emphasize four major
cultural values including ideal life, intellectual capacity, moral beauty, bravery culture. Four
values are very important meaning for the Vietnamese young generation in the industrialization,
modernization and integration stage.

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In order to create new cultural values, we need promote and improve the effectiveness of

Through social environment, teachers can test the knowledge, lifestyles that students have learnt at
school; assess the proper of knowledge so that teacher can strengthen and add new insights drawn

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from practice. Combining school and social education in the traditional cultural values to students
also requires schools to proactively contact the locality, where university located, set close
relationship with the authorities; keep a healthy relationship with the local people.
3.3.2. Keep continuing the innovation of higher education
3.3.2.1. In the management of higher education
Innovation in all aspects of education - training primarily strengthens the management of
education. If management is weak, the methods cannot go smoothly and the investment for
education – training also is exerted negative effect. Therefore, the need for greater democracy,
resolute implementation as well as the implementation of democracy in universities, colleges are
required and the educational inspection needs being taken into order.
3.3.2.2. Keep continuing the innovation in both content and methods of education and
training by increasing the content about ethnic traditional values
Currently, the contents of textbooks in schools are still spreading type, inclined to theory, make
student severely overload with consecutive exams. To strengthen the education about tradition
without extra time with the main point is to increase the diversity of the social sciences - humanities
-oriented education and ethnic traditions, against the monotonous, boring , dry, as well as to make
the content filter that cut off any suitable contents.
In order to innovate effectively the content of the education about the value of traditional culture,
we need to create new methods of teaching and learning in schools.
In the innovation of the content and training methods process, the need of developing the
reasonable values with significant practical and significant long-term orientation framework are
required as a basic for the educational activities about traditional cultural values to students .
3.3.3. Promote building cultural life for students
Developing a cultural living for students means to bring the contents and value of cultural norms
into the lives of student, which both fit the general characteristics and the individual characteristics
of students. Cultural life of students has been expressed in a number of areas:

its source", to promote the "blood donation" movement, donations to the flood victims. These
activities will help students reinforce and foster love for homeland and people. Since then, students
have the sense to keep the good national traditions, to maintain great achievements that the old had
built. Therefore, the Union need continue to promote social activities.
The sixth is to organize self-governing of students and to build cultural life in the dorm:
Establishing more pollsters institutions promptly to grasp the mood and wish of the student in order
to advise the school specific measures and help students overcome the difficulties in their lives;
promoting students’ self- governance; establishing security team; promoting some emulation
movements such as "Building dormitory autonomous ", "clean classrooms, room model", "saying or
doing good deeds" among students; promoting students’ autonomy in storing and commitment
involved drug trafficking, not drug users, not drug addiction and other social ills.
The seventh is to improve self-educated traditional cultural values of students: Educating students

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to be self-conscious of their own responsibility in promoting national traditions by founding
movement named “living and learning to imitate the heroes, scientists in Vietnamese history” for
students. In addition, attention should be paid to the real "good people, good job" in the daily
lives of students, specific examples in everyday life will inspire to self-study and follow.
In conclusion, to achieve the goals of the education about traditional cultural values to students, we
should both focus on the positive impact of personality and the emphasis on the relationship, mutual
interaction in holistic political ideology, moral lifestyle of students. The educational work about
traditional cultural values to students in universities now require that all educational subjects need
to be fully aware of their great responsibilities in the educational achievements in general and in the
education about tradition to students in particular. At the same time, students themselves must
always be conscious discipline, inherit and promote the traditional cultural values, contribute to
increase motivation spirit resulting in the victory of the industrialization and modernization of the
country.

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CONCLUSION

Arts, (4), p.3-7
2. Le Cao Thang (2010), "Educating traditional cultural values for the youth", Magazine of Culture
and Arts, (309), p.31-34
3. Le Cao Thang (2010), "An important part of higher education", Magazine of Culture and Arts,
(318), p.75-78
4. Le Cao Thang (2011), "Building educational environment of traditional culture for students",
Magazine of Culture and Arts, (322), p. 82-86