In-action reflective teaching in Vietnam: A qualitative exploration of practices, influences and implications

Reflective teaching plays a crucial role in the field of education though its intricacies in particular cultural contexts like Vietnam are still little understood. This study aims to investigate reflective teaching practices in more detail within the context of Vietnamese education. This study used a qualitative methodology and semi-structured interviews with twelve Vietnamese teachers, each representing a different stage of their careers to shed light on the many forms of in-action reflective practices and their implementation, benefits, drawbacks and even cultural influences. The results of this in-depth investigation provided an overview of the wide range of in-action reflective practices that are actively used in the classroom. The enhancement of adaptive teaching methodologies and the bolstering of student engagement are prominent among the many advantages that were noted. Teaching in the Vietnamese context also presents unique challenges. Teachers often struggle with the demands of multitasking, the complexities of navigating uncertainties in real-time classroom scenarios and the predominant challenge of managing large class sizes. Moreover, it was surprising to learn how many Vietnamese cultural, social and educational factors influenced teacher understanding and use of in-action reflection. The understanding of reflective teaching practices is enhanced by the research findings which also have broad implications for areas such as instructional strategies, teacher preparation programmes, academic research perspectives and even the development of educational policies. The study strongly emphasizes the pressing need for more context-specific investigations into reflective teaching and underscores the indispensable role of reflection in fostering an environment conducive to effective teaching and learning.