Circular No. 30/2023/TT-BGDĐT on the application of information technology in online training for higher education

CIRCULAR

Regulations on the application of information technology
in online training for higher education

 Pursuant to the Education Law dated June 14, 2019;

Pursuant to the Higher Education Law dated June 18, 2012; the Law Amending and Supplementing Certain Provisions of the Higher Education Law dated November 19, 2018;

Pursuant to the Law on Information Technology dated June 29, 2006;

Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2022/NĐ-CP dated October 24, 2022 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to Decree No.Decision No. 127/2018/NĐ-CP September 21, 2018 of the Government stipulating responsibilities for state management in education;

Pursuant to Decree No.72/2013/NĐ-CPdated July 15, 2013, of the Government on management, provision, and use of Internet services and information on networks;

Pursuant to Decree No.Decree No. 64/2007/NĐ-CPdated April 10, 2007, of the Government on the application of information technology in the activities of state agencies;

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Information Technology;

The Minister of Education and Training issues this Circular to regulate the application of information technology in online training for higher education.

 

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. This Circular stipulates the application of information technology in online training including: principles, contents, and minimum requirements for the application of information technology in online training for higher education.

Article 2. This Circular applies to higher education institutions; schools of state agencies, political organizations, political-social organizations, and people's armed forces permitted to train at various levels of higher education; academies and institutes established by the Prime Minister under the provisions of the Law on Science and Technology that are permitted to train doctoral level; foreign higher education institutions implementing joint training programs at various levels of higher education (hereinafter referred to collectively as training institutions); related organizations and individuals.

Article 2. Interpretation of Terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

Article 3. Online training is an educational activity (including teaching, guidance, learning, and assessment) organized on a digital environment through an online training system.

Point 1. Synchronous online training is an online training activity where both teachers and students participate in educational activities at the same time (real-time) within the same learning space.

Point 2. Asynchronous online training is an online training activity where students can independently participate in educational activities based on the teaching plan set by the teacher.

Point 3. An online training system is a system comprising software, learning materials, and information technology infrastructure enabling management and organization of training through the Internet environment.

Point 4. Online training learning materials are a collection of documents and resources designed to support the learning, teaching, and research processes in an online environment such as: Textbooks, online lectures, images and diagrams, electronic documents, reference materials, learning applications, guides; simulation software, virtual experiments, evaluation tests.

Article 3. Principles and general requirements for the application of information technology in online training

Clause 1. To promote the initiative, self-responsibility, and accountability of training institutions in online training.

Clause 2. Online training must ensure quality according to the requirements of the training program already issued; the process, content, and quality of online training must be continuously improved; always update the most advanced and appropriate technology for the implementation of online training.

Clause 3. Ensure fairness in access and participation in online training activities, with the interests of learners at the center.

Clause 4. Training institutions may invest their own funds or hire information technology services for technical infrastructure to ensure the organization of online training; comply with regulations ensuring information security, personal data protection, cybersecurity, and intellectual property rights as prescribed by law.

Clause 5. Ensure full compliance with the minimum requirements as stipulated in this Circular.

Article 4. Content of Online Training

The Director or Rector of the training institution decides on courses and modules within the training programs implemented through online training based on the regulations stipulated in the Training Regulations for various levels issued by the Minister of Education and Training. The content of online training must have equivalent volume, content, and knowledge structure compared to the modules within the training program.

Chapter II

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS IN ONLINE TRAINING

IN ONLINE TRAINING

Article 5. Online Training Software System

1. The training institution may use separately or combine the software specified in Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this Article.

2. Synchronous online training organization software shall have at least the following functions:

a) Assisting teachers in organizing synchronous online training activities; guiding and assigning learning tasks simultaneously to all learners participating in the same learning space via video, audio, text channels, and delivering training materials to learners.

b) Enabling learners to participate in online training activities; interacting and exchanging information in real-time with teachers and other learners in the same learning space.

3. Asynchronous online training organization software shall have at least the following functions:

a) Assisting teachers in planning asynchronous online training, delivering training materials to learners, assigning learning tasks and assessing learning outcomes; monitoring and supporting learners in utilizing learning content; advising, supporting, answering questions, and resolving doubts of learners.

b) Allowing learners to access and utilize learning content; performing learning activities and assessments according to the teacher's requirements; posing and answering questions from teachers and other learners in the same learning space.

c) Enabling the training institution to manage learner profiles, learning progress, learning outcomes, and teaching activities; accurately recording each learner's learning process; supporting management of other required information by the training institution and educational management authorities.

4. Learning content management software includes functions similar to those of asynchronous online training organization software (as stipulated in Clause 3 of this Article) and allows teachers to design learning content and online training materials.

5. Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) software includes functions similar to those of asynchronous online training organization software (as stipulated in Clause 3 of this Article) and provides diverse content and organizational forms for online courses; it is applied for large-scale online training involving numerous learners, teachers, and training institutions.

Article 6. Training Materials for Online Training

1. The content of online training materials must meet the requirements of the training program, be pedagogically sound, user-friendly, and satisfy learners' self-study needs.

2. Measures for evaluation and control should be established to regularly update and improve the quality of training materials.

3. Online training materials must undergo a review before being put into use. The training institution can develop them independently or collaborate with other training institutions in developing, sharing, and using training materials and online courses.

Article 7. Human Resources for Implementing Online Training

1. Human resources for implementing online training include: instructors, system management and operation teams, course material design and production teams, advisory and administrative support teams.

2. Instructors must possess online training skills such as managing, guiding, and answering students through online training methods; proficiently using online learning management systems and information technology tools for online training.

3. The system management and operation team for online training must be knowledgeable about information technology systems related to online training at the training institution; they must be trained and transferred technology to manage and operate information technology systems ensuring stable and secure operations.

4. The course material design and production team must understand the design and production processes of learning materials; proficiently using tools to organize the design and construction of learning materials for online training.

5. The advisory and administrative support team for learning must understand the activities of online training, providing guidance to students on how to participate and use information technology applications before organizing online training courses, monitoring and managing the learning process of students.

Article 8. Infrastructure and Information Security for Online Training Systems

1. The infrastructure of the online training system must meet the needs for management and utilization for online training activities; ensuring sufficient bandwidth and server capacity; meeting information security conditions as prescribed.

2. The training institution must implement solutions to ensure regulations on network information security, data ownership; utilizing, using data and protecting personal information in online training.

Article 9. Ensuring User Access

Students and instructors must be provided with online learning devices and internet connectivity to participate in online training activities.

Article 10. Ensuring Quality of Online Training

The training institution is responsible for the quality and implements measures to ensure the quality of online training:

1. Establishing regulations to ensure the quality of online training according to the requirements of the training program and the current quality assessment regulations of the Minister of Education and Training.

2. Course content is designed and updated regularly to ensure it meets the needs of learners.

3. Providing support and responding to learner and instructor requests; having mechanisms to receive and answer feedback from learners, instructors, and relevant organizations and individuals to measure user satisfaction.

Article 11. Regulations on Organizing Online Training

The Director or Principal of the training institution organizes the development and issuance of regulations on organizing online training to effectively manage and organize high-quality online training, including provisions on:

1. Content of online training; methods of organizing teaching, learning, testing, and evaluating training outcomes.

2. Management, operation, and utilization of information technology systems in online training.

3. Professional competence, teaching skills, and information technology skills for the human resource team implementing online training.

4. Intellectual property rights of learning materials, data ownership, data protection, identity verification, data encryption, and access management.

5. Recognition of credits on the online training system of the training institution and other online training systems.

6. Receiving and responding to feedback from learners and instructors and assessing user satisfaction during the online training process.

7. Procedures for storing records, monitoring, inspecting, and ensuring the quality of online training; procedures for improving and enhancing the quality of online training.

8. Other related provisions.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION AND EFFECTIVE PROVISIONS

Article 12. Responsibilities of Directors and Principals of Training Institutions

1. Shall be responsible for organizing and implementing activities related to the application of information technology in online training in accordance with this Circular and relevant laws.

2. Shall decide on the implementation of online training methods, determine the goals and requirements to be achieved for the content of online training to ensure the quality of training; shall be responsible for the program, content, and quality of online training.

3. Shall create conditions for teachers, system management teams, technical support teams, academic advisors, and instructional design and production teams to participate in specialized vocational training courses that meet the requirements of their assigned tasks.

4. Shall organize the evaluation of the effectiveness of applying information technology in online training through feedback channels from learners, teachers, and support staff, and take appropriate adjustment measures; implement reporting systems as required by the Ministry of Education and Training.

5. Shall promulgate regulations on organizing online training.

Article 13. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from the date 13 the 02 2024.

2. This Circular replaces Circular No. 12/2016/TT-BGDĐT dated April 22, 2016, which stipulates the application of information technology in management and organization of network-based training.

1. The Minister, Heads of Ministries equivalent to ministries, Heads of government agencies, Chairmen of provincial People's Committees under the central government, and related agencies, units, and individuals are responsible for implementing this Circular.

The Director of the Office, the Director of the Information Technology Department, heads of units under the Ministry of Education and Training related to this matter, and Directors and Principals of training institutions implementing online training activities shall be responsible for enforcing this Circular./.