Attracting students to participate in scientific research

Towards creative thinking

Being present at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, we learned that scientific research is considered one of the annual activities of the school's students. Setting a strategic goal of building the school not only as a multidisciplinary, multi-field training center at a high level, but also as a center for scientific research and transfer of advanced and high-quality technology, the school has paid attention to promoting the scientific research movement, creating a widespread influence among students and being deployed in most training fields...

With regular incentive mechanisms and policies, right from the first year of studying at the school, students have been equipped and nurtured with scientific research capacity and methods through the guidance and teaching of lecturers and scientific research staff. From the second year, students can participate in scientific research, register topics, choose instructors and carry out. Talking to us, Nguyen Duc Khiem, a third-year student of the Faculty of Information Technology, said: "Right from the beginning of the school year, students are encouraged by the faculty and the Student Association to develop a scientific research plan and propose specific topics according to the Student Scientific Research Week Implementation Plan with the school. Teachers in the faculty will guide students' research. In the following time, the school will organize a conference of student scientific research at the faculty and institute levels and an exhibition of students' scientific research products. Near the end of the school year, the school-level Scientific Council will consider the student scientific research awards and conduct a summary and award ceremony".

Evaluating the results of scientific research of students in recent years, Chairman of the Student Association of Hanoi University of Science and Technology Nguyen Thanh Trung said: "Every year, the school implements a large volume of hundreds of scientific research topics at the school, ministry and state levels with the participation of students. Among them, there are dozens of topics and projects in collaboration between the school and foreign universities and research institutes. The research results are published in the form of articles in domestic and international professional journals. Many of them have been awarded the VIFOTEC award, the State Award...".

Identifying that promoting the scientific research movement among students is a key task, the Student Association of Hanoi University of Science and Technology has organized many activities and models to attract students to participate, such as: Learning method forum, the campaign "Say no to negativity and achievement disease ineducation ", scientific seminars, Student Scientific Research Week... "In addition to the scientific activities mentioned above, we also focus on a very dynamic and effective form of learning for students, which is learning clubs such as: Robocon Club, English Club, Japanese Club, IT Club... According to our summary, when participating in learning club activities, students often have better learning results", emphasized Mr. Nguyen Thanh Trung.

At the National Economics University in Hanoi, the Student Association has established a Scientific Research Club to create a playground and promote creative ideas for students. The club is also a bridge between the school's students and those doing scientific research nationwide. In addition, the school's students have also established a library, which is a learning forum for young people to exchange documents, textbooks, scientific research projects, etc. Every year, the Student Association also organizes a book exchange festival, helping students not only find the documents they need, but also save on the cost of buying documents, textbooks, etc. The Student Associations of many universities in Hanoi, in addition to mobilizing students to participate in research projects and topics, have organized competitions to promote students' creative ideas, at the same time, linking with the school's scientific research management office and coordinating with a number of departments, offices, and branches of the city to help students have funds to implement their research projects. Participating in a research project on gender equality with his classmates, student Phan Kien Trung, Faculty of Sociology (Academy of Journalism and Communication) said: "Through group work sessions, we not only understand more about the lectures in class but also contribute to creating products with practical application value. Every step of the group has the dedicated guidance of teachers and practical support from the Student Association. If every learning environment is fully cared for like that, I believe that students will study better."

To attract young people to participate in scientific research, President of the Hai Phong City Student Association Bui Thi Ngoc shared an initiative: "The association has proactively raised funds for scientific research. Every week, each student saves 1,000 VND to contribute to the fund. Through the fund, students whose ideas are evaluated as feasible and applicable will receive financial support to implement them. In fact, this activity not only helps students achieve their dream of scientific research, but also guides them towards creative thinking, gaining new knowledge, practicing more skills, and at the same time creating more valuable products."

Create conditions and support students to participate in scientific research

According to our research, many students do not have a full understanding of research activities, thinking that they can only be done by people with academic expertise. For many other students, because they are only equipped with general and basic knowledge, they do not have the confidence and perseverance to carry out a demanding academic activity such as research. President of the Student Association of the University of Natural Sciences (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) Nguyen Thi Kim Anh said: "I can confirm that the scientific research movement has not really spread to all students. But there are also many students who lack dynamism and independence in the learning process, are easily satisfied with the knowledge they are equipped with and have little need to create or explore knowledge in more depth or on a broader scale. In addition, students' understanding of the movement is not complete, many do not clearly understand what scientific research is, do not know where to start, what to prepare and how to promote it". According to Kim Anh, the organization of research activities in many universities is not given due importance. It is necessary to change the concept of scientific research among students when they think that this is simply a movement activity, because many research projects of students have really brought about meaning and high feasibility, won scientific research awards at the ministerial and state levels and were published in many prestigious scientific journals in the world.

Sharing the same view with Kim Anh, the President of the Student Association of many universities, academies and colleges also said that some places still consider student scientific research as a movement activity, and since it is a movement, it is easy for the phenomenon of chasing after achievements, doing it perfunctorily, being temporary and of low quality. Moreover, there are also opinions that this activity is just a practice for student research, and that real scientific research should be reserved for higher education. This way of thinking has invisibly lowered, even denied the results of student scientific research right from the moment the idea was formed.

In order for scientific research activities to increasingly attract students and achieve higher efficiency, many students believe that: In addition to support from many sides, full awareness and efforts of each student, the role of the Student Association in the school is very important, such as organizing seminars and discussions to introduce and equip students with modern learning methods, build goals, and correct attitudes towards learning and research; combined with exchanges between students and those who are successful in studying and scientific research, thereby lighting up dreams and ambitions in students.

Having participated in a number of scientific research topics at Hanoi University of Pharmacy, student Bao Oanh proposed: "All students want the Association to be close, accompany and understand their thoughts and aspirations. But to do so, the Association's staff must go deep, understand the learning situation of each individual in the association and regularly reflect the opinions of students to the competent authorities. Another wish is that the Association needs to diversify the content and form of knowledge playgrounds, effectively maintain academic and skills clubs for students associated with emulation and reward work, and replicate typical examples in studying and scientific research. In which, students are cared for and cultivate both knowledge and skills, learn while playing, play while learning at these clubs, because this is both a playground and an environment for students to exchange, study, accumulate knowledge, practice soft skills as well as other professional skills. The work of bridging students with schools, businesses, and research centers of the Association is also very important to contribute to improving "High quality and applicability of scientific research topics among students". Many young people said that information about scientific research reaches them very little, so the Association should also have activities to promote propaganda, bringing scientific research information closer to students through channels such as: bulletin boards, internal magazines, social networks... This will help students feel that scientific research is practical for themselves.

In reality, to attract students to scientific research, the Student Association needs to proactively coordinate, propose more support solutions, and create conditions for students to participate in creative activities. Organize propaganda to raise awareness for students, consider scientific research as an intellectual activity to apply methodology and scientific research methods in study and practice to train and form them with scientific thinking and working methods, skills to identify and solve problems, have practical knowledge, opportunities for career orientation and development in the future.

The scientific research topics of students are supported with insignificant funding. Students have to take care of themselves. And if they are lucky enough to receive funding, they do not know how many places and how many times they have to go to get paid. At that time, the amount of money spent on travel far exceeds the support that students receive.

Nguyen Thi Kim Anh

President of Student Association of University of Science (Vietnam National University, Hanoi)

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thu-hut-sinh-vien-tham-gia-nghien-cuu-khoa-hoc-post222496.html