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What is your name?
Anh-Duc (Albus) Hoang
Where do you call home?
Vietnam
How does education fit into your life?
I’m a father, a husband, an educator, a researcher, and a social activist. I’m passionate about developing learning and development opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and school leaders through action research, academic research, and social innovations. Currently, I'm the Director-General of Sky-Line School (Danang, Vietnam). I've also published various literacy books about essential topics such as “How to Read?" and "How to Learn?" and science comic books for children.
What brought you to educational innovation?
As an educator, I truly understand the obstacles of educators, especially our peers who work in public schools and less developed areas. Thus, I believe that by empowering educators’ competencies, we will be able to elevate their current living conditions as well as provide more chances for them and their students toward a more equitable future.
What are your biggest inspirations in educational innovation?
I was inspired by Prof. Barbara Oakley, who used to be considered a “bad student” but found out her own way to study the toughest subjects, as well as to help millions of learners across the world understand the mechanisms behind how we learn, which led to their better learning habits. Such habits can boost the learning spirits of individuals, schools, organisations, or even nations. It’s some kind of real-life magic!
What challenges do you see facing the educational system today?
In my perspective, besides the known equity and equality gaps such as financial resources, development opportunities, etc., there are two most essential challenges that people (including teachers, parents, students, employers, etc.) often deal with. First is the mindset or the habit of “always looking for more.” I invite you to consider what the difference is between “happy” and “happier”? Is “happier” the true “happy”? Second, it is the feeling of FOMO on almost every new education or technology innovation wave. Somehow, this second issue is just one example of the first challenge I’ve just mentioned. I have no doubt that you can find countless interpretations of those challenges, regardless of your context. However, I want to spark several other questions: What are the most basic things in your field? Should we adjust these basics, and how? Otherwise, how can we find out the way to come back to such basics?
Why did you choose to become a Community Lead?
My commitments include:
(i) Equity development opportunities in education;
(ii) Effective school management practices; and
(iii) Sustainable education policy development.
Thus, I would like to connect educators, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers around the world to explore and tackle unseen opportunities toward better opportunities, organisational and institutional structures, regulations, and practices that support all learners, regardless of their demographics and yearning to learn.
What are your goals as a Community Lead
I’m yearning to establish and sustain platforms/channels for education innovators across the globe to share, listen, and discuss our lessons. By doing so, I believe that we can generalise the best practices from one place to another, as well as trigger new learning opportunities for generations of learners and educators. Such platforms/channels will include regular discussions (webinars, podcasts) and special collections (edited books, or a practical journal).
How can our members get involved?
Please, be ready to share your own story; be ready to listen to other people’s stories; be willing to join as a coordinator to support and elevate coming activities; and finally, please, be generous to spread over the lessons you have learned.
Want to continue the discussion? Connect with Albus!
