Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Research Background A studying of factors effect on the problems for the relevancy of the training curriculum to deal with operational problems in business sectors and training organizations is one of the importance cores in Develop A Curriculum (DACUM) for vocational and technical schools as Saglam & Kus (2003) defined vocational and technical education as educating qualified labor force who can transfer knowledge into production, adapt to innovations, know contemporary and scientific methods, make comments, find solutions to involve market and production problems, also assume authority and responsibility in the production by improvement of goods and services. According to Norton (1997), vocational education and training (VET) curriculums requires the rigorous identification and verification of the technical skills (competencies-based education) to be achieved for a high quality, locally industry-relevant curriculum to your students until the essential competencies (knowledge, skills, and behaviors) includes a reference to the use of industry-based skills standards where the schools and industry exist.

1.2 The importance of the study Once known only for labor-force training for industrial productions and business sectors, vocational schools are now pursuing the objectives for their students of future employability and advanced schooling readiness; schools teachers also tend to focus more on technique training, knowledge of basic subject matter, and development of abilities for

further education. Therefore, the vocational and technical school boards should focus on teachers pedagogy and students learning in the construction of a new development curriculum effort and understand the demands from the external environment that can be useful for the planning of curriculum integration and provide an objective direction for the trainees. The task of vocational/technical school curriculum development is rather complex and requires well rounded consideration, which includes predictable and unpredictable problems. The major goal of curriculum development is to equip the students with the ability to enter the contemporary workforce or to continue on to higher education.

Educational reform in Viet Nam is intricately linked to this major national initiative whose goals require a supportive, reinforcing education program. The existing socio-economic, political and cultural climate of the country call for a redesign of educational objectives, contents and methods, in order to meet the human resource needs for the projected industrialization and modernization period. The aim is to complete the basic modernization and industrialization of the country by the year 2020. Viet Nam seeks to join with the international community, while still preserving and developing its national traditions.

The concept of skills development in Vietnam, from the perspective of both national and international experts, is commonly understood as developing some practical skills that enable people to deliver a specific performance. Skills are often analyzed and compared to other related or contradictory concepts such as knowledge and theory. In a number of cases, skills are also considered a component of competency, including: knowledge, skills, and

attitude. Skills development has been increasingly emphasized in the process of setting educational objectives, designing curriculum and learning materials, as well as teaching and evaluation in Vietnam.

Curriculum development in Viet Nam is based on three factors: (1) the vision of the countrys leaders concerning the economy and society within the next ten to twenty years; (2) educational achievements and curriculum development experiences, based on the countrys characteristics; (3) the curriculum development trends and experiences of other countries. Current reforms are based on the following orientations: - A focus on basic, practical content which can be applied in everyday life; - An update of content based on scientific, technological and other developments in modern society; - The renovation of teaching/learning methods in order to help students develop initiative and creativity in learning; - Development of each students ability, especially the ability and methods for selflearning; - Due consideration for humanistic and international education; - Preservation of the national identity of Viet Nam, while participating in the world community; - Focus on international curriculum goals of learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, learning to live together.

Quality training for the workforce is a critical component to support labor market needs. Providers for training and education fall into 4 different categories: providers of short courses and workshops; community colleges and vocational institutions; apprenticeship programs; and 2-years technical/vocational schools, 2-3 years vocational colleges, 4-year colleges and universities. So DACUM is an acronym for Develop A Curriculum is used extensively by educators and by trainers when they are establishing a new education or training program, or revising an existing one. Vocational and Technical Schools uses the DACUM process to establish a relevant, up-to-date and localized research base for curriculum and instructional development (Nolan T.D, 1990; Halasz I.M, 1993). Principles of DACUM are: - Experienced workers are the experts in their career field and are best able to identify the work performed and the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to be successful. - Business, labor, and education must work as partners to ensure the creation of a link between the work expectations and the curriculum. - The DACUM will describe the major functions and key activities, as well as the technical knowledge and skills, employability skills, and personal attributes needed to succeed in the workplace.

1.3 Research purposes The purpose of this study was to provide an understanding of the critical factors necessary to effect on users acceptance of DACUM method that would be facilitated the helpful

training curriculums into technical and vocational education for high quality workforce in Vietnam. Therefore, this research made the following question: What factors are necessary affect in applying DACUM to facilitate the helpful involving of technical training and labor market demands? A case study design was used to study the efforts of the Faculties in Technical Vocational School
of Post Telecommunication and Informatics N o One (TVSPTI1), Ha Nam, Vietnam

in

applying DACUM widely in all setting up for lesson planning and training curriculums. In this study, the research questions, the hypotheses of users acceptance of DACUM in technical/vocational training was designed, developed, implemented, and evaluated that depended on external factors that affecting to the users adoption. Through the collection of data and descriptive analysis, an understanding of the critical factors necessary to implement a professional training development was explored.

1.4 Research Questions In the information system (IS) researches, several theoretical models have been published through many years to now to analysis and oversee the acceptance of using a technology or new method in training and education. Examples are the Organizational Information Processing Theory, the Usage Control Model, the Technology Acceptance Model, the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Delone and McLean IS success model and the Theory of Planned Behavior. These models have roots in IS, psychology, information science, education science, management science and sociology. Thus, with the strong interest in users adoption of DACUM applying in technical/vocational schools, the author was definitely convinced of a need to use IS

Success Model to study users acceptance for DACUM in training at Technical Vocational School of Post Telecommunication and Informatics N
o

One, Ha Nam.

The researcher has

already focused on investigating the user acceptance and the critical factors affecting adoptions on this system. The main objective of the authors research as following: Study the factors affecting the benefits of using DACUM in Technical Vocational school of
Post Telecommunication and Informatics No1 in Vietnam

Research to focus on resolving the questions as follows: 1 1. To examine how users accept DACUM in technical/vocational training from now and then. 2 2. To explore which variables affect the users decisions to accept DACUM? 1.5 Research Structure In order to achieve the objectives to evaluate the research model for DACUM , the thesis consists of five chapters. The first chapter gives an overall context on which the research problem is identified and research purpose is developed. Chapter two also presents the layout of the literature review for written work. This chapter is one of the most important parts of the research. It provides the theoretical frame for research paper, based on which, the author can clearly identify the research objectives and research methodology to achieve these objectives. Chapter three presents the methods that researcher has used to do technical and analytical side for research. This indicates the research philosophy, research design, research approach and research methods used in this study, including the methods used to collect secondary data and primary data. By the way, this chapter presents the reasons why these methods were applied. The analysis of data obtained from surveys and results are

presented in the chapter four. Chapter five provides the way, based on which the answer for the research questions can be obtained. Research findings, discussion, managerial implication, and limitation are provided in the last chapter. It also indicates the opportunities for future study in order to extent the practical scope of the researcher.

REFERENCES Saglam, H., & Kus, R., (2003). Turkiye de Mesleki Teknik Egitim: Yeniden Yapilandirilma Ihtiyaci, Ankara niversitesi, IVETA Blgesel Konferansi, Ankara, 81-88. Norton, Robert E. DACUM Handbook, Second Edition. Columbus, OH: Center on Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University, 1987, revised 1997, 2008. Norton, Robert E. Systematic Curriculum and Instructional Development (SCID). A workshop handbook developed and assembled for the purpose of providing resources for five-day curriculum development workshops, 1991, revised 1996, 1998, 2003, and 2008. Nolan, T.D., 1990. The DACUM Process, Training Manual, Cincinnati Technical College, 1990. Open Entries, "The DACUM Connection", Center of Education and Training for Employment, The Ohio State University, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1993. The McNellis Company, An Experience in Creating Planning, New Brighton, Pennsylavania, 1991. Halasz, I.M., 1993. Task Analysis, National Institute of Corrections Academy, Longmont, Colorado, June 1993. X X. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .