Ngan Thi Lan Nguyen- Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan
Understanding competencies and the process of acquiring them contributes to a shared set of essential abilities for teacher educators’ professional development. Practical experiences of practitioners expose which competencies the work context requires them to possess and situations in which their learning is conducted. The necessity for essential contextual competency is pressing, particularly for teacher educators working in developing countries where teacher education has undergone reforms to respond to national and international demands.
This study explores competencies for teacher educators in Vietnam through in-depth interviews with experienced practitioners and their visual metaphors. Eight participants with working experience ranging from 6 to 26 years were interviewed for 60–180 min during January–April 2021.
The results reveal four competency areas of (1) knowledge and skills consisting of (a) teaching skill, (b) subject content, (c) scientific and subject-related information, (d) the reality of education and multidisciplinary knowledge, (e) research procedural knowledge, (f) collaboration with others, and (g) English language; (2) ethical manner; (3) motivation; and (4) self-reflection about personal values. Professional development includes learning from and working with others, learning in organized courses, conducting independent and collaborative research, and other field-related academic activities. An interesting highlight is that even motivational competency is gradually formed by professionals’ effort put into work.
The findings suggest these four competency components should be attended to when providing professional development activities for teacher educators. Motivational competency should be prioritized since it fosters job productivity and commitment. The findings also serve as practical guidance for self-preparation and development for those working as teacher educators in demanding contexts.
1. Introduction
As a backdrop of the internationalization of higher education, teacher educators’ academic productivity has concerned their academic outputs, such as scientific publications, won research grants, and academic conferences to benefit national and international tertiary rankings (Lao, 2015; Shagrir, 2021). This reality exists not only for Western scholars but also for those in Asia, where developing research capability of teaching staff has been heavily invested in making their higher education competitive on the international ranking billboard (Lao, 2015; Chun, 2016; Ota, 2018). Teacher education has been significantly reformed in Thailand (Rupavijetra and Rupavijetra 2022) and Vietnam (Nguyen and Hall, 2017). Moreover, teacher education in Japan faces a dilemma of producing a future competitive global human resource and national teachers matching with the local demand (Kusahara and Iwata, 2021). Working in this environment with increasingly performance-based standards in the Asian context possibly increases work pressure. However, teacher educators show some resistances to these assessment standards rather than merely welcoming them (Bourke et al., 2018). The resistance might lie in an underestimation of how complex teacher educators’ work is (Vander Klink et al., 2017; Berry, 2021); how flexible they are in balancing responsibility for learners and the organization; how professional concerns change in each career phase (Ben-Peretz et al., 2010); and how their work is affected by personal, institutional, and national factors (Brody and Hadar, 2011).
Prior literature reported that teacher educators experience uncertainties and frustrations about teaching duties; assessment of learners; research; lack of time; heavy workload; and consolidation of multiple identities after job entry, which has been showcased in Czechia, Japan, Australia, and the Netherlands (Vander Klink et al., 2017). Moreover, available professional resources lack a professional knowledge base, a designed induction program, organizational support, and incentives (Swennen et al., 2009; Lunenberg et al., 2017; Wilwohl, 2017; Lunenberg and Dengerink, 2021; Mork et al., 2021). Being positioned as both workers and scholars at their workplace (Murray et al., 2021), their job duty covers diverse aspects of teacher education from teaching, research-related activity, developing teaching materials, and expanding collaboration with domestic and international partners. The professionals need complex competencies to be beneficial to both the learners’ learning and the institutions’ mission (Tack et al., 2021). Professional competencies are attributable for local contexts which govern specific and focused competencies (Ahmed and Bodner, 2017).
Despite this need, contextual competency in the field of teacher education, especially in Asia, is a deficiency that challenges their preparation for the profession and is the reason for this study. Besides, teacher educators’ prior self-preparation correlates positively with job engagement and satisfaction (Richter et al., 2021). Feeling overwhelmed by unfamiliar tasks in a new environment leads to motivational exhaustion and reduces job satisfaction (Richter et al., 2021). Additionally, teacher educators’ learning is work-based, active, and life-long so that they gradually sharpen their skills in their professional life (Cochran-Smith, 2003; Berry, 2021). Their competencies are formed through experiences at work and their reflection to figure out what works for them. To understand this practical knowledge, reflection on experiences should be captured through narratives about their professional life. Hence, in-depth interviews with these experts are applied to excavate their personal knowledge and situations when they form that competency (Crick, 2008). Goodwin and Kosnik (2013) also recommended research to explore whether their motives and personal features contribute to a competency profile of these professionals or not.
Therefore, this study explores competencies of teacher educators in Vietnam through their reflection on work experience. This study also articulates the developmental circumstances for each competency which is currently insufficient in the literature of teacher educators. The findings bring experiential lessons that promote professional growth for others (DeCuir, 2017).
This study aims to answer the following research questions:
1. Which competencies do Vietnamese teacher educators draw from their work experience?
2. How do Vietnamese teacher educators construct those competencies in their work?
2. Literature review
2.1. Teacher educators’ competencies
Research on developing competency-based education from elementary to higher education has been upheld after professor McClelland claimed that it was a competency that determines the future success of high-school students (McClelland, 1973; McLagan, 1980; Vazirani, 2010; Bergsmann et al., 2015; Ahmed and Bodner, 2017). In this study, competency is defined as follows:
…“a combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, motivation and personal characteristics” allowing teacher educators to effectively work (Spencer and Spencer, 1993; Koster et al., 2005, p. 159).
According to the iceberg-shaped competency model from Spencer and Spencer (1993), skills and knowledge are on the visible surface, while self-concept, trait, and motif make up the invisible core of one’s competency. Superior teachers are reported to possess 14 competencies in descending order, beginning with the competencies of impact and influence on others through presentations, use of teaching methods that meet the needs of learners, interpersonal understanding of human diversity, confidence in one’s own abilities, control of one’s own emotions and behavior, other self-reflection and personal development, subject matter knowledge, service orientation to clients [learners], teamwork and cooperation, analytical thinking, conceptual thinking, initiative, flexibility, and directness or assertiveness (saying no) (Spencer and Spencer, 1993).
Spencer and Spencer (1993) addressed that this generic model is inclusive of all superior teachers, including those from the primary and tertiary levels. Yet, it is widely stated that being a teacher educator is a particular profession that is distinguished from other teachers at lower schooling level. For instance, the profession contains mid-career transistors from school to higher education institutes (Murray, 2016); adult-teaching duties; multiple roles as a teacher of teachers; researcher; coach; gatekeeper; broker; curriculum developer (Lunenberg et al., 2014); and sub-professional identities, such as being a school teacher, a generic tertiary teacher, teacher of teachers, and researcher (Swennen et al., 2010). Additionally, this profession is heterogeneous since it involves those working in different contexts. Teacher educators are classified into school-based, university-based (Murray et al., 2021), community-based teacher educators (White, 2019), and hybrid teacher educators (Hall-Kenyon et al., 2022). These groups have different occupational tasks, work expectations, and qualifications. Owing to this heterogeneity, this study focuses only on university-based teacher educators. This study also refers to the generic competency framework proposed by Spencer and Spencer (1993) to examine a specific set of competencies that apply to teacher educators at universities (hereinafter, teacher educators).
Blašková et al. (2014) developed a competence model for tertiary teachers in the Slovak Republic. The model includes professional, educational, motivational, communication, personal, scientific, research, and publishing competencies. Motivational competence, which has a positive or negative impact on the learning of students and their colleagues, determines all educational and professional activities and job satisfaction. Personal competency is also the most important feature of being a university professor in general (Bakhru, 2017; Dervenis et al., 2022; Nushi et al., 2022). Meanwhile, having high morality is a must for ideal teacher educators, according to a study in Malaysia (Singh et al., 2021). Thus, a teacher educator can be either an inspiring model or a demotivating role model for learners, and this is rooted in their inner motive (Blašková et al., 2014).
Celik (2011) classified four qualities of a good Turkish teacher educator: being a good teacher, creating new practical and theoretical knowledge, supporting teachers in training and development, and developing oneself professionally. Celik (2011) acknowledged that a good teacher has some qualities ranging from teaching and assessing to being the best example of human behavior.
Moreover, a study in Spain and Romania by Duţă et al. (2014) concluded eight competencies for good university teachers: scientific, teaching, transversal (teamwork, information-communication technology [ICT], linguistic, etc.), relational (consultation with learners etc.), vocational and dedicated, experience in educational institutions (the reality of teaching), self-assessment and professional development, and research.
Koster et al. (2005) synthesized four categories of teacher educators’ competencies in the Netherlands, which are content knowledge, communication, and reflection, and organizational and pedagogical understanding. In this professional profile, they excluded research as a competency—rather, they note it as a task.
Smith (2005) collected Israeli teacher educators’ views on the qualities of good teacher educators, which include the following competencies: encouraging learner reflection; self-awareness and ongoing professional development; patience, empathy, assertiveness, and confidence; research and publication; working in teams and supporting colleagues; and adherence to professional ethics.
From the literature of teacher educators’ competency, four areas of competencies are categorized as follows.
- Knowledge and skills about (1) subject content (Koster et al., 2005; Celik, 2011; Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014; Long et al., 2014; Tripathi, 2015; Mork et al., 2021; Singh et al., 2021; Dervenis et al., 2022); (2) pedagogical content or teaching skill (Koster et al., 2005; Celik, 2011; Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014; Long et al., 2014; Tripathi, 2015; Dervenis et al., 2022); (3) interpersonal understanding (Smith, 2005; Celik, 2011; Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014; Bakhru, 2017; Dervenis et al., 2022; Nushi et al., 2022); (4) research and publication (Smith, 2005; Celik, 2011; Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014; Tripathi, 2015); and (5) collaboration or communication with others (Koster et al., 2005; Smith, 2005; Celik, 2011; Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014; Long et al., 2014; Tripathi, 2015; Dervenis et al., 2022).
– Ethical manner (Smith, 2005; Celik, 2011; Singh et al., 2021; Dervenis et al., 2022).
– Self-motivation and dedication to the job (Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014; Tripathi, 2015; Dervenis et al., 2022).
– Self-reflection about professional development (Koster et al., 2005; Smith, 2005; Celik, 2011; Duţă et al., 2014).
2.2. Professional development of teacher educators
To gain knowledge and skills including teaching and researching, teacher educators’ learning is workplace-based (Ben-Peretz et al., 2010; Shagrir, 2010; Murray, 2016; Lunenberg et al., 2017; Vander Klink et al., 2017; Ping et al., 2018; Loo, 2020; Tack et al., 2021). The most common type of learning is self-study because there is no serious induction for novices (Shagrir, 2010). Teacher educators learn to adapt to the new environment and find ways to navigate and survive there. They learn through trial and error by supervising student teachers and reflecting on their teaching practice (Swennen et al., 2009). Gaining basic disciplines of teaching adults, building a relationship with colleagues, and familiarizing oneself with the tertiary working environment hold their attention (Murray and Male, 2005; Dengerink et al., 2015). Learning from others, such as senior colleagues, supervisors, and other novices adds to their competency building (Shagrir, 2021). Individual learning, such as joining specialized seminars and organized courses, is also utilized to equip their capabilities (Dengerink et al., 2015).
Learning through engagement in research is mainly used by professionals with more work experience. After they get used to the new workplace, they actively engage in research-related activities. Both individual and collaborative research projects help to increase their confidence and standing in the academic world (Ben-Peretz et al., 2010; Ping et al., 2018). Experienced professors are considerably active in working closely with their network of professors in their professional community, not just in their institute.
From the competency and professional development literature, it has not clarified how the above-mentioned eight competencies are formed during teacher educators’ work in a study, particularly the development of interpersonal, motivational, and ethical competency. Meanwhile, there is an agreement that competency changes overtime and is embedded in contexts and influenced by person’s values (Crick, 2008). This study contributes to this knowledge gap by discovering the developing process of each competency among Vietnamese practitioners from their experience. This study is consonant with the ongoing attempt by field researchers to define teacher educators’ professionalism from a practice-based research approach (Vanassche, 2022).
3. Materials and methods
This study applies a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews of 60–180 min with eight teacher educators from January to May 2021. A qualitative design is suited to gather the voices and experiences of professionals through their narratives (Clandinin, 2007; Merriam and Tisdell 2015). Experiences are conveyed through told stories with reflection, which reveal a person’s struggles and attempts to address their problems (Craig, 2011). Narrative inquiries make it possible to conceptualize experiences with the growth of an individual (Clandinin, 2007). The process of transformation combines professional learning, adapting, and improvising to change, which is the foundation for insightful lessons from experience (Craig et al., 2018). Hence, by listening to narratives and reflect on what a person has been through, the situations that are important for developing competencies can reveal lessons for growth.
Participants’ work experience ranged from 6 to 26 years. Prior to the interviews, participants’ profiles including work experience, educational background, and credentials were collected from the workplace’s public website. In addition, participants were asked to select a character that symbolized themselves and helped the researcher relate their personalities and shared stories. Five of eight participants engaged in this activity. Five participants—Quang, Nam, Hung, Tai, and Linh—were randomly sampled through the list of university staff, while Thu, Hong, and Tra were purposively sampled. After interviewing randomly sampled participants, the author realized that they have been active in their careers with a good research profile. Hence, the author asked her friends to introduce teacher educators working at that university to triangulate data gained from random samples. Those purposive samples showed fewer achievements in scientific research than those volunteering to join the study.
A protocol for semi-structured interviews including interview questions was designed by the author. The focus themes during the interview were: 1) teacher educators’ perceptions about their career phases; 2) teacher educators’ perceptions about essential competencies and 3) professional activities to achieve those competencies. Data for the two later themes are reported in this manuscript. Interview questions were discussed with senior researchers in the field of teacher education in a 180-min seminar. Later, the interview was piloted with two teacher educators for their feedback in January 2020. The interviews were conducted virtually via Zoom application. They were recorded for later transcription with the permission of the interviewees.
Thematic data analysis was applied to capture explicit and implicit meanings from the in-depth data (Guest et al., 2012). The themes that emerged from the codes with the text sections were then related to eight common competencies that emerged from the literature review. For example, the codes as being “cheerful,” “enthusiastic,” “caring,” and “empathetic” were grouped in a “good manner” sub-category. Being “a role model” formed another subcategory. These two subcategories later formed a theme of “ethical manner” competency, which was used as a heading to present the data.
3.1. Ethical approval and informed consent
This research was applied to and approved by the Graduate School Ethics Committee (no. 3721; January 4, 2021). Research content, data collection methodology, participant’s sampling, and data protection were presented and approved before the data collection was conducted.
Informed consent indicated the study purposes, the sampling process, and permission to record and use participants’ data. Participants approved the content of the informed consent emailed to them before the interviews. The author asked for their permission before recording the interviews. If the participants did not want to answer any questions during the interviews, the author did not persist with that issue. After transcribing each interview, the content was sent back to the interviewees for their confirmation and validation before the data analysis. Recordings, transcription, and personal documents were stored using a password-protected hardware, which could be accessed only by the author.
3.2. Context of the study
In Vietnam, a four-year degree is required to become a teacher in colleges, secondary schools, and elementary schools. A three-year program at colleges is required to become a kindergarten teacher (MOET, 2006). Teacher educators are recruited by universities based on their workforce needs (The National Assembly, 2019). The basic qualification is Vietnamese nationality, a master’s degree, English level, ICT, pedagogical certificate, certificate for university lectures, good morality, and no physical disabilities. Some require their teacher educators to have a good academic research profile whereas others do not. Novice teacher educators experience 12-month probation and are evaluated regarding their specialty, pedagogical skill, scientific research capability, morality, and manner by colleagues, managers, and learners (The National Assembly, 2019). Occupational ranks at universities and colleges are teaching assistant, lecturer, and main and advanced lecturers (The National Assembly, 2019). To get promoted from each level, one has to meet the requirements in six areas: diploma, teaching hours, research publications, specialized books, supervised learners, and duration of working. Teacher educators are evaluated annually by self-reports as well as learners’ and faculty manager’s opinions regarding their teaching and research quantity and quality. Professional ethics includes political loyalty, lifestyle, and preservation of teachers’ morality. A proposal of standards for teacher educators covering their professional virtue, specialization, research capacity, capability to establish a democratic education environment, and capability to develop social relationships has been issued. This shows that the teacher educator profession has been attempted to be standardized by researchers and managers.
The research site is the Hanoi National University of Education (HNUE). Teacher educators are responsible for training future teachers at all levels of education and evaluated and doing in-service training for schoolteachers owing to the reform of school teacher’s diplomas. Teacher educators’ work is evaluated annually; however, the shared criteria of staff-assessment has not been available for the public.
4. Results
4.1. Participants’ demographic information
Eight teacher educators, four females and four males, were selected for this study (Table 1). Pseudonyms are used for participants’ to anonymize their identities.
Table 1. Participants’ demographic information.
4.2. Competencies of teacher educators and their professional development
Four competency areas of teacher educators are summarized in Table 2. Details about each competency and its professional developmental approach are presented below.
Table 2. Themes and subthemes for competencies of teacher educators.
4.2.1. Knowledge and skills
Teaching skills include an attractive teaching style, clear and concise instructions, the use of various teaching techniques, and linking teaching to life conflicts.
Hong: for difficult units, I use the traditional presentation methods. But there are lectures that require practical engagement from students. I apply project-based and/or game-based teaching methods.
Linh: As for the skill, I think teacher educator must have two important skills. The first is teaching skill. I can convey what I want to explain to students. Consequently, they can understand the conveyed scientific knowledge.
Tai: I remember there is a teacher who is going to retire this year. That teacher later said to me: I am about to retire, and my wife is already retired. My wife is always watching me at home; so, how to resolve that conflict? In the process of teaching, I gave a few examples on conflict resolution. The narrower the scope is, the more intense the conflict is […] The lesson must be related to life.
One commented that the teaching skill is both trained and innate as “born to be teachers” as in case of Tai.
Tai: the teaching ability must be good, to express clearly, easy to understand. Teaching skill, on the one hand, can be trained; on the other hand, it is an innate talent. I think I have an innate capacity to teach. I feel that I am in love with this profession.
A participant with teaching experience noted a difference between teaching students and student teachers. Teacher educators should be aware that adults are “self-learners” and adjust the level of content difficulty from the standpoint of learners.
Hung: high-school students need to receive more attention, and university cohort doesn’t need too much attention, but rather self-study […] Pure researchers who do not have teaching experience do not care much about learners […] there are things that professors think are easy to understand but actually difficult for learners.
The distribution of content within the allotted time contributes to learner satisfaction and the scope of the secondary curriculum. Overtime should be avoided, or the delivery of advanced knowledge requires consideration of learner needs.
Hong: You must be sure about the lesson—be accurate. The amount of knowledge must be just enough for the allocated time. What learners hate the most is our overtime teaching [laughs].
Quang: While teaching specialized content, I try to integrate new information from research and new publications. I update teaching content, but not as much as in foreign countries.
[Interviewer: Why not?]
Quang: In teaching pedagogy, I have to teach the basics first and then advance. The advanced ones are also limited because of the pre-set program.
To develop teaching skills, teacher educators, who graduated from HNUE, claimed to be prepared with their formal education during their bachelor’s and master’s courses. Some participants specialize in general pedagogy and subject-specific teaching methods. During the course, the college dedicates the entire month of November to student teachers to participate in a teaching competition that includes presentation/teaching, blackboard writing, lesson planning, and teamwork, ranging from class to faculty to college.
Linh: During my bachelor, I learned how to teach. Later, during my master’s, there was a course on teaching adults. I learned basically from them.
Thu: Each year, the university will have one month for intense teaching-concentration, and students will have a whole week off to organize pedagogical competitions, such as giving presentations, writing blackboards, making learning tools, lesson planning, working in teams. That competition ranges at all levels: class, faculty, and university.
Even so, developing a teaching style matching their preference is a continuous process. The most common form of learning is to learn from others. The others can be their supervisor, senior colleagues, and in-service school teachers. Teacher educators observe their supervisors while serving as first-year teaching assistants. This experience was made in five cases with Quang, Nam, Thu, Hong, and Linh. They learn how their supervisors teach and how student teachers interact in their classes by working as teaching assistants for their supervisors or mentors. Quang, Nam, Thu, and Linh came into this profession at the recommendation of their supervisor during their bachelor’s or master’s degrees. Nam did not study education during his bachelor’s degree because he switched from physics to teaching during his master’s degree.
Thu: We were not allowed to teach right away. We had to observe our supervisors as teaching assistants and engaged in several classes each year. Then, we started teaching only half the program. The following year, we continued to teach the rest of that program.
Nam: During first years, I worked as a teaching assistant. I helped my supervisor correct student teachers’ exercises. I attended his entire course and observed how the student teachers learned or discussed among themselves. I spent one year doing this activity.
Linh: I also learned from colleagues. During my first work year, I worked as a teaching assistant. I learned methods from that lecturer. Then, I also went to this and that course; so, I learned a little bit from each another […] Yet, I think I accumulate more and gradually in the working process.
Those who do not have a supervisor also learn by observing senior or well-known colleagues. Hong came to the profession in search of her first career as a journalist. She did not only observe, she also recorded her well-known colleagues’ classes, re-watched them, and noted down good explanations to use in her class.
Hong: Any teachers are appraised by the students for attractive class, I came to monitor their class, to see how they lecture, what their manner is. I observed from A to Z. I brought my camera and filmed it from the beginning to the end. At night, I watched the recording again, and jotted down what they said, sometimes, I checked whether what they said is true. Good parts with nice lecturing were kept and used in my lecture.
Hung, a former teacher, observed teaching in France, where he was pursuing a doctorate. In the process, he learned a new form of assessment that he later applied with some groups of his students, considering learners’ abilities.
Hung: I observed lectures in France to see how they teach. […] It is difficult to import directly because the way students think is different; but I could learn many things. For example, they assessed learners based on topic and want them to delve into that […] I applied this assessment for learners at third or fourth year, learners at advanced class or classes taught in English.
Searching for teaching materials on the Internet (Nam and Quang) or in the national library (Hong) or asking colleagues to provide teaching materials (Quang) or to confirm information (Hong) are used in planning lessons.
Nam: While preparing the lesson, I searched the Internet. I use not only the Vietnamese books, but other classic [foreign] ones […] I referred to foreign materials and adjust and prepare exercises to suit my students’ abilities.
Hong: I had to go to the History Academy to collect teaching materials because I didn’t use materials from open online sources. The data accuracy may not be ensured. If there is information that needs to be verified, I consult a senior for information verification.
In addition, surveying learners’ opinions is performed whether it is compulsory or not. Quang created a Google form and asked his students to evaluate his classes during the semester. He did this for years, and whenever he received constructive feedback, he made changes to improve his teaching.
Quang: My voice is low and steady, and I use slides in both English and Vietnamese or English alone. Some may find it difficult, although I always speak Vietnamese.
Interviewer: Did you change anything when you heard the students’ feedback?
Quang: Yes, of course. For example, it was only English earlier, now I teach in both English and Vietnamese in parallel. I am very comfortable [with making this change].
This evaluation of learners affects the evaluation of staff; thus, a good reputation with students carries with its certain incentives through credit-based learning.
Hong: The same class but the higher the number of students give the higher salary. There are teachers who teach poorly, students learn once and then it is spread that news, the salary is low.
Nam: After my probation, I needed to take examination as well as be evaluated by supervisors and leaners so that my work contract would be decided. I am happy that I got positive comments from them.
The next area of competency contains subject content knowledge, which is considered a prerequisite of being a teacher educator. “In-depth knowledge” is a must and needs constant “updating,” which was mentioned in all cases.
Thu: A method is actually just a tool, and the prerequisite is still content knowledge […] We still have to deepen our knowledge through research.
Linh: One must be very in-depth about the scientific knowledge of the field they teach. You know, I studied ten, I can only teach one.
Tra: Teacher educators need access and update new information, to balance relationships between family, colleagues, students … The skills are formed naturally in the process of working and drawn from our own mistakes.
New scientific and subject-related information in the field supplements what is being taught as well as hooks learners’ interest in deeper knowledge. To deepen and expand knowledge, individual and collaborative research is the main channel of learning. Working with student teachers brings knowledge and makes professionals feel fulfilled because a good connection with learners is one of the valued aspects in the work of teacher educators, as the cases of Quang, Linh, Thu, Tai, and Nam show.
Linh: Without doing research, it is impossible to teach well. I must back what I say with evidence. With research findings, my lectures will be more interesting for the students.
Thu: In fact, knowledge is infinite. My job is not only teaching but also research, those are the two missions of the university. Research will expand and deepen my knowledge […]
Interviewer: How did you expand the field knowledge?
Thu: Doing the PhD—fulfilling the pressure of research outputs or encouragement of seniors. Sometimes, I was so tired because, as a woman, I just need job security; yet, my seniors are sources of my motivation. Moreover, the motivation came from a student’s request. Sometimes, they said, “I want to research this topic.” Then, I brainstormed that research with them — that was my driving force.
Another way to deepen their knowledge is to teach gifted student teachers for regional and international competitions, design test items for national tests, and write secondary school textbooks, as Tai and Nam do.
Research-procedural knowledge includes finding an interesting topic, balancing quantitative and qualitative data (especially in the social sciences), writing papers, and obtaining research funding, which become important once one is confident in one’s educational work. In addition, research brings material benefits and affects job evaluation and promotion. Thus, teacher educators are aware of the increasing number of research products as evidenced by research grants received, articles published, or collaborative projects. Experienced teacher educators are working on multiple research projects from the faculty level to the international level, as in the case of Thu, Nam, Linh, Tai, and Quang.
Thu: I am currently participating in a project with The National Fund. Previously, I was also in ministerial-level research groups and had strong collaborations with a research group at the Vietnam National University.
To become familiar with research, teacher educators acknowledge the importance of accomplishing the doctoral course. Then, they conducted individual and collaborative research to develop the research capability gradually.
Linh: For me to be independent, I must complete a PhD. When people want me to do duties, they seem to trust me more. Second, after the PhD, I became more active and independent in my own research. I also joined different research groups.
Quang: Working in international research projects, firstly, I appreciate the cooperation between different countries and fields. [International] teammates work professionally and are willing to help and share experience. Second, the way they work is very scientific and timesaving. They push me to work [laughs]. It is also an environment to use English; so, I don’t forget it.
One factor that motivates professionals to embark on a research journey is that there are exemplary seniors who have been successful in their academic careers.
Tai: When I just entered the university, very few people did research. College without research is almost a complete failure. But there are also people who persevered, researched, and achieved great success. Hence, that is an example that affects me. I believe that there is a career pathway with successful people in academia.
To work well with others, the ability to collaborate with diverse people, from learners to international teammates, is essential and is developed through reflection on their direct work with these groups. These skills include project management, planning, listening to others, and encouraging teammates.
Linh: I participate in many different studies […] I learned skills to work with different people; so, that was the biggest change in me […] For example, skills in organizing research, working in groups such as making plans, listening when people share ideas and then promoting everyone’s ideas, or even complimenting people […] Even small things like praising others are learned through working with previous groups.
Since applying for research funds seemed to be a challenge for young professionals, they collaborated with their colleagues or asked them for tips on how to secure national research funds, as in the cases of Hong and Quang.
Hong: I often asked about how one can get research grants successfully. Almost every professor’s answer is the same: “I read the documents, and naturally noticed when a new problem arose, that’s all!”
Quang: Currently, I am applying for an interdisciplinary state-level project in collaboration with a group of colleagues. That is a challenge.
The next area of knowledge relates to the reality of education and multidisciplinary knowledge of different cultures and fields. They gained an understanding of the reality of education through teacher training in schools, as in the cases of Linh, Tai, and Quang.
Tai: One must have wide knowledge of different fields. Like it or not, students also take their teacher educators as a mirror. Then, I think that teacher educators must be knowledgeable about different cultures and disciplines.
Linh: In-service teachers’ training is the duty that I must maintain to carry out, despite being busy. I have the opportunity to update local issues […] so my support is more realistic.
English is a tool for accessing documents for research and teaching. The teacher educators who study abroad have used foreign teaching materials such as Nam and Quang during their teaching. All of those who are fluent in English participate in teaching in English-language specialized courses, as in the cases of Hung, Nam, and Quang. The use of English as a medium of instruction is not found among those who graduated domestically. Otherwise, they have problems with English when it comes to writing papers or learning English in an organized course. Linh has completed a second bachelor’s degree in English and Hong has also registered for a second bachelor’s degree in English.
Thu: My huge limitation is in foreign languages; so, it is difficult for me to read foreign documents.
4.2.2. Ethical manner
Good manners such as cheerfulness, enthusiasm, caring, empathy, and helpfulness convey positive messages to students.
Hong: If the lecturer is gloomy or irritable, students will not want to learn. Teacher educators must be knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and cheerful.
Nam: If teaching style and knowledge do not match with leaners’ preference, they certainly do not want to learn. When teaching, I try to create the pleasant atmosphere for student leaners. Of course, strict but not over-strict.
Teacher educators see themselves as role models for their learners. They expect them to leave positive, exemplary marks on them and to treat their future students well.
Therefore, building and maintaining good behavior are emphasized and practiced in learning and working.
Thu: I also want my student teachers to treat their future students as properly as how they are treated during their university. So, I’m very enthusiastic while teaching, and I keep maintaining that manner.
4.2.3. Motivation
Another disposition is to possess the love of knowledge, learning, and research. The passion for their thirst for knowledge and the love of books make academics work continuously despite hard living and working conditions.
Linh: A teacher educator must be passionate for learning and research. Without that, I will probably give up very easily. This job required much higher than my own capacity at the beginning. There are other pressures of everyday life.
Tai: I often tell my students that if one chooses a teaching career, he must love books and knowledge. If he goes for another major, it is also normal that we don’t love books.
Although they do not specify their love of knowledge, Nam told his story of working in his teaching profession and spending his money on a famous classical book that made him fall in love with his course of study to this day.
Nam: Once I read that section of physics book, it hooked my entire attention. I wanted to find the answer for that raised unsolved question. Then, I applied for the university examination to become a scientist despite being disapproved by my parents.
The feeling of being obsessed with becoming a teacher is an epiphany of love for teaching. During Thu’s studies in accounting, this obsession surfaced when she watched her lectures, which led her to abandon those studies and retake the exam at the University of Education.
Thu: I have been obsessed since high school, maybe it’s owing to limited information for job hunting. I think I’m only suitable for pedagogy major. I used to study another major—accounting; but, when I saw the lecturer, I really liked them; so, I quit that university and studied to become a teacher.
The love of teaching is found in Hung, although he struggled with his doctor and experienced confusion at the beginning of his career. He is mindful of teaching as a profession with hard living conditions.
Hung: To be a teacher, one should like their job. There is no need to love it too much, but at least a little. A teacher’s life is quite hard. If you don’t like it, you cannot do it.
These motivations can be both innate and developed during their actual work. Linh described the changing process, in which she developed her love for the teaching profession. She started teaching without loving it; however, after years of being serious about it and putting all her efforts into it, she discovered “quite alluring qualities” about the subject and began to love her subject.
Linh: I did not intend to choose my major at first […] That’s why I didn’t like it at first; but I thought I had to do my best too. Doing so, I saw some alluring features about my field […] Many of my learners did not like their major at first, and I told them my own story for their reflection […] I think that if we do not understand something, we may not like it.
Tai also thought about his path to becoming a college professor. It is his love and innate talent for teaching. What drives him to develop is the imitation of his idol professor, who is knowledgeable and wealthy.
Tai: That was when I began studying at HNUE, I read about that ideal professor [….] For me, he is a gorgeous person, with a tough character and a great personality. He gave me the extravagant feeling that a university professor is very honorable, classy, scholarly, gifted, and wealthy.
4.2.4. Self-reflection
Self-reflection of professional development and personal values contributes to a better self-image of teacher educators. When being asked about the message teacher educators want to convey to their students while teaching, the following were mentioned: staying active and creative, working with the best, being aware of the sacred profession, and remaining resilient. In addition to these characteristics, the metaphors they used to describe themselves as a starfish, ant, turtle, rice panicle, and sunflower reflected the values they wanted to convey to their students.
Staying active and creative is most mentioned among teacher educators including Thu, Nam, and Quang. Thu symbolized herself as an ant that keeps collecting food pieces.
Thu: It is too hard to choose the bee [laughs]. I will choose the ant; it is not as fast as a bee. It keeps collecting pieces after pieces […] I always want students to have initiative, creativity, and flexibility in study and life.
Nam has agreed to metaphorize himself as a starfish. He wants his students to investigate and discuss during the lesson.
Nam: When I teach, I want students to really participate in the lesson. I told students that they should not be afraid to ask, because every question is silly [laughs]; so, don’t be afraid to ask if it’s “dumb.” I try to create an atmosphere like that.
Quang describes himself as a turtle with a clear direction and steady progress. He wants his students to be creative and independent.
Quang: I often think of the turtle. with a clear direction, it will reach the destination. It’s better to make the turtle run faster [laughs]. […] I value creativity and independence […] In teaching or research, I encourage students to be curious and ask questions.
Work with your best—this is the second most important message. Linh symbolizes herself as a rice panicle, which shows humility.
Linh: I usually tell my students that whatever you do, try to do your best. I thought I am not as good as my friends. Thanks to my working spirit, I can also have some successes.
Nam: Actually, I always try to work to the best of my ability. I also don’t like to stand out; I just want to be in my shell and work according to my interests and abilities. Whether someone knows or appreciates me or not, I don’t care about that.
An awareness of the profession’s sacredness influences teacher educators to make the learners aware of their impact on the future students.
Tai: When I teach, I often tell my student teachers that they have more power than I do. They will teach future students, who are like an empty paper. Hence, the influence on the thinking and personality of the students is huge.
Thu: I want to keep things very sacred between teacher educators and learners. I do not demand anything (material) from my student teachers. I build a relationship with learners based on respect and non-material benefits.
Remaining resilient and positive is mentioned by Hong, who chose the sunflower as her symbol. She encouraged her learners to remain positive and resilient despite challenges.
Hong: I often tell my students that there are challenges that make us feel discouraged, even hopeless. We should not be too pessimistic because they give us strength to help us grow up.
5. Discussion
Participants’ perceived competencies show similarities to the literature in knowledge and skill areas including (1) subject content knowledge, (2) teaching skill, (3) research knowledge and (4) collaboration (Koster et al., 2005; Smith, 2005; Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014). Interpersonal understanding in the conceptual framework is an element embedded in collaboration competency.
The reality of education and multidisciplinary knowledge of cultures found in this study is a new competency in the existing literature. In addition, English-language proficiency is important for teaching and research activities. As a result of internationalization of higher education, the number of published academic papers in international journals has a place in promotion criteria of teacher educators; hence, improving English linguistic ability is important (MacPhail et al., 2019). ICT is less mentioned than other competencies but is often used for finding teaching and research materials (Nam, Hong) or for assessing learners (Quang). Technological competency is blurred comparing to others in this study; however, Dervenis et al. (2022) confirmed that technological competency is an emerged skill of university professionals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Self-reflection is not only about professional needs but also about the personal values that teacher educators bring to work and convey to learners. Reflection about their own practices bring lessons to benefit themselves, learners, and their institutions (Smith, 2005; DeCuir, 2017). Reflection about teacher educators’ values informs how they work, overcome life difficulties, convey messages to and support learners.
The ethical manner of teacher educators reflects both their professional and ethical demeanor, which is supported by Celik (2011) in the example of appropriate behavior. Being friendly, caring, enthusiastic, and supportive signifies a conducive learning environment for student teachers. Student teachers in previous studies also agreed that these positive attitudes make good teacher educators (Smith, 2005; Doan, 2011). Additionally, awareness of the profession’s sacredness is prominent in the cases of teacher educators. This mindset motivates them to self-reflect on their teaching skills and proper manner so that they can be a good role model for their learners. The role model trait is significantly shown in teacher educators’ personal competency including their positive mental, spiritual, and behavioral aspect (Dervenis et al., 2022).
Motivational competency of teacher educators includes the love for knowledge and learning is considered a professional calling or career aspiration (Richter et al., 2021). This motive is fundamental to professionals’ motivation to work and ensures that people are committed to their profession. This finding confirms the findings in Sipeki et al. (2022), in which the internal motivation of teacher educators promotes them to be life-long learners. This inner motive acts as a personal impulse that spurs professionals to go above and beyond what is required to teach. Comparing to recruitment and promotion criteria of teacher educators regarding diploma, research publications, specialized books, and duration of working in policy documents (The National Assembly, 2019), it is not necessary that teacher educators possess the love for learning. Yet, this study found that this vocational calling is essential for one to enjoy doing and commit to this job. It keeps them actively engaged in research with various groups such as student teachers, teachers, and other researchers within and outside of their workplace. As mentioned in Blašková et al. (2014), it is useful to look at the work and success of teacher educators from the perspective of their motivation as well as their cognitive abilities. The cases studied support the argument that “the combination of motivation and cognitive skills does more than individual effects” (Blašková et al., 2014, p. 458).
Professionals serve as role models, encouraging and nurturing colleagues and student teachers. Four teacher educators—Nam, Tai, Hung, and Quang—selected inquiry-oriented student teachers during their interactions and nurtured these students for their future academic work. This selection benefits teacher education by receiving and training potential teacher educators before they enter the profession. Professors’ concern about selecting their replacements is also found in Vander Klink et al. (2017). Thus, motivated teacher educators bring benefits and value to others who work with them and their institute.
The connections between the four competency areas are illustrated in Figure 1. No categorized competencies are irrelevant. Positive motivation and personal values influence how teacher educators interact with and convey messages to others and how they develop themselves. Self-reflection about their values alerts professors to construct a proper manner and update their knowledge and skills. Hence, motivation and self-reflection are placed at the core of good characteristics of teacher educators.
Figure 1. Four areas of teacher educators’ competencies.
Competencies are changeable overtime, and the development pathway is learned through studied teacher educators’ narratives. Vietnamese teacher educators’ professional development includes learning from elders, self-study, participation in organized graduate education courses, and conducting research, which share similarities in the current literature (Ben-Peretz et al., 2010; Dengerink et al., 2015; Ping et al., 2018). Learning from others in a professional community is powerful for new teacher educators. Getting access to this community through the support of supervisors is conducive for their professional development.
This finding is in line with Kirkwood (2009), who stated that being introduced by others positively encourages a person’s career development. Two experts—Hong and Tra—were admitted without recommendation from the seniors and later participated less actively in the research. The reason could be that they did not have the support of supervisors or the professional learning community. This professional community is important for newcomers to settle into the work environment, establish a network of professionals, and understand the basic principles of their profession and work environment (Murray and Male, 2005; MacPhail et al., 2019). Senior referral is also an encouragement and responsibility for novices to learn and develop so that they feel they are meeting the expectations of the seniors. In addition, most of the recommended teacher educators have their undergraduate studies in teacher education, a prerequisite that prepares them for their new job (Richter et al., 2021).
Those who entered the profession with a love of teaching, knowledge and learning, and striving for the ideal role model show greater professional commitment than those who entered the profession without these characteristics. This finding is consistent with Richter et al. (2021) and Blašková et al. (2014). In addition, having a positive role model is part of the expectations of novice teachers (Swennen et al., 2009), as they can reflect on the gap between their current level of competence and future expectation (Knowles, 1980).
Another novelty of this study lies in its exploration of the forming of internal motivation in teacher educators over time. Previous studies indicated that motivational competency is a determinant of university professors’ work (Blašková et al., 2014; Duţă et al., 2014); yet, they did not reveal how this ability changes over time for teacher educators. The motivation with the love for knowledge and their field may emerge over time from self-reflection, as noted by Linh. Interpersonal skills also change over time through working with others, which Thu noted. Older professors become more tolerant, humane, and supportive of younger generations, as in the cases of Linh, Thu, and Tai, compared with themselves at younger ages. This finding suggests that professionals, as self-regulated learners, should be given adequate time and space to learn or reflect about the profession deeply, to develop interpersonal skills, and form the vocational inspiration with teaching.
Metaphors with personal values show us that teacher educators bring their values to their work. This finding supports the idea that teacher educators, as adult learners, bring with them their own experiences, sense of self-identity, and associated habits, which are both a rich resource for their own learning and for others, and a challenge for adult educators to adapt support for individuals (Knowles, 1980; Salleh et al., 2015).
This study has some limitations. First, the number of participants was limited, which prevents generalization of the results. Further, the varied work experience among participants raises the notion of how teacher educators at different career stages consider their prioritized competencies and how long it takes for professionals to be effective in those competencies. As the present study did not study this aspect, future researchers should examine it. In addition, this study was conducted without examining the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the work of teacher educators; therefore, the results cannot specifically identify any competencies that have emerged because of the pandemic. Further research on teacher educator competencies is important to determine whether new competencies are urgent for professionals in this context. Additionally, given that motivational competency can influence one’s professional impulse, a mix-method or longitudinal research design would be meaningful for highlighting how this competency affects learning experience of student teachers. The finding can help inform policies on performance-based evaluation of teacher educators, whose current emphasis is on technical skills rather than vocational willingness as the nature of the teaching profession.
6. Conclusion
This study concludes that teacher educators need complex competencies to meet the demands of learners, institutions, social expectations, and the changing society. Competencies regarding knowledge and skills, manner, motivation, and self-reflection are concluded from narratives of teacher educators. With motivation as a core point, the findings well reflect categories in the iceberg model of Spencer and Spencer (1993). Teacher educators learn from their work and constantly develop themselves to respond to the needs of learners and institutions, despite the lack of a professional development framework. This study gathered the voices of practitioners who were both novices and experts in the field. An implication of this study firstly is that the space for self-reflection and forming of a vocational calling needs to be emphasized in the professional development pathway. Vietnamese researchers are proposing a point-based protocol to assess university professors’ and teacher educators’ work based on a number of criteria. Considering the complex and moral nature of the teacher educator profession, such evaluations are rather rigid and given no adequate attention to autonomy for developing educators’ positive values and professional vocation. Vietnamese teacher educators are required to train future teachers with a competency-based approach while they are under the pressure of performance-based evaluations. A program for competency development of teacher educators should be a developmental lever rather than a point-based scale (McLagan, 1980), particularly in an uncertain and vulnerable context that requires a professional to be flexible (Lunenberg and Dengerink, 2021; Vanassche, 2022). A longtime development strategy grounded with practical experiences of practitioners would precisely reflect what teacher educators’ work context requires them to possess and how they developed these skills during ongoing reflection. The present study offered insights into these contextual competencies based on narratives of Vietnamese practitioners.
Data availability statement
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Ethics statement
The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (approval no. 3721; January 4, 2021). The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.
Author contributions
The author confirms sole responsibility for the following: study conception and design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results, and manuscript preparation.
Funding
This study was generously supported by the Japanese Government Scholarship (MEXT).
Acknowledgments
I sincerely thank Associate Professor Maki Takayoshi for his valuable comments on this paper. Sincere appreciation also goes to the teacher educators at HNUE who allowed this study to happen.
Conflict of interest
The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Publisher’s note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Keywords: teacher educator, competency model, teacher education, professional development, Vietnam
Citation: Nguyen NTL (2023) How to develop four competencies for teacher educators. Front. Educ. 8:1147143. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2023.1147143
Edited by:
Stefinee Pinnegar, Brigham Young University, United StatesReviewed by:
Mary Frances Rice, University of New Mexico, United StatesMohammadsadegh Taghizadeh, Golestan University, Iran
Poonam Verma, IFTM University, India
Copyright © 2023 Nguyen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Ngan Thi Lan Nguyen, bmd1eWVudGhpbGFubmdhbjI2OUBnbWFpbC5jb20=