RMIT Vietnam does away with prescribed textbooks

RMIT Vietnam does away with prescribed textbooks

At the start of the current school year RMIT Vietnam implemented a no prescribed textbook initiative as part of the University’s overall digital strategy and vision towards 2020, according to the school’s library head.

Clare O’Dwyer, Head of Library Services & Student Academic Success, explains that RMIT Vietnam strives to transform the student experience using digital content. One way to do this is by shifting from hardcopy textbooks to online resources.

“We had almost 20,000 textbooks and one of the major issues was that some were out-of-date and quite expensive to replace,” Ms O’Dwyer explains. “At the same time, we have a university library collection which students have low awareness of.”

This online repository includes over 300 databases, 300,000 e-books, and 120,000 journal titles available at any time from anywhere.

Ms O’Dwyer and the library team met with academics school-wide to both increase awareness of these online resources and lay the groundwork for the move away from traditional textbooks.

“We presented to academic meetings and met with nearly every academic in the University,” she says.

“We have learning and teaching librarians who led this project, and they knew that they had a target of zero for prescribed textbooks for each School.

“What we did was to have very customised digital subject guides on our library webpage and showed academics what digital content to use.”

Then, at the end of the last school year, RMIT gave away all of its textbooks to students and alumni. “There are no hardcopy textbooks in our stock, so nobody can turn back,” Ms O’Dwyer says.

Professor Gael McDonald, RMIT Vietnam’s President, shared recently that such initiatives are vital to the University’s mission. “Our priority is to promote and facilitate digitally enabled, industry relevant, and work integrated learning experiences,” she said.

Clare O’Dwyer, Head of Library Services & Student Academic Success, says the University strives to transform the student experience using digital content. Clare O’Dwyer, Head of Library Services & Student Academic Success, says the University strives to transform the student experience using digital content.

In addition to the replacement of hard copy textbooks with multimodal digital learning materials, Professor McDonald noted a number of other initiatives aimed at creating a digitally enabled learning experience.

“In 2016 we implemented blended, flipped, and fully online delivery modes in 17 core courses in our largest programs.

“We also launched the Centre of Digital Excellence to contribute to the development of the country’s educational capacity.

“And we’ve invested in a new learning space to build capacity in the use of augmented and virtual realities.”

Ms O’Dwyer believes that doing away with textbooks will prepare students for the future. “Our students are in a region of the world where they’re competing with students from Hong Kong and Singapore where they do have the leading digital resources,” she says.

“So to make sure the quality of our education and service is international, students should know how to use these digital literacy skills.”

Story: Michael Tatarski

23 June 2017

Share

  • Digital
  • CODE
  • Community
Engage

Related News

news-thumbnail-news-thumbnail-tackling-the-quality-crisis-with-synthetic-solutions-AdobeStock_cherdchai.jpg

The hidden costs of using ‘synthetic data’ to train AI models
Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 21 Jan 2025

Earlier this month the billionaire and owner of X, Elon Musk, claimed the pool of human-generated data that’s used to train artificial intelligence (AI) models such as ChatGPT has run out.

Teenages sitting at computers

Protecting Vietnamese children online amid growing digital risks
Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 10 Jan 2025

As social media use soars in Vietnam, online threats to children grow. Stronger laws, educational programs, and partnerships with tech platforms are essential to create safer digital spaces.

woman-standing-on-street-wearing-face-mask-800x533.jpg

Hanoi tops world pollution charts: How can psychology help us change?
Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 10 Jan 2025

As Hanoi claims the unwanted title of “world's most polluted city”, RMIT psychology experts explain how a combination of individual and collective behaviour changes can alleviate the situation.

Minh speaking at a podium

A visually impaired man’s dream of an inclusive society
Icon / Small / Calendar Created with Sketch. 03 Jan 2025

“People with disabilities can do much more than society thinks.” From RMIT’s Opportunity Scholarship to the Australia Awards, Hoang Nhat Minh proves the power of resilience, and dreams of a truly inclusive society.

Load more +