Investigating Vietnamese EFL Teachers' Learning Outcomes from a Professional Development Course
Main Article Content
Keywords
professional development, EFL teacher training, teacher learning
Abstract
This study investigated how Vietnamese EFL teachers learned from a professional development training course and what knowledge they gained. Using a mixed-methods design, data were collected from 37 teachers through a questionnaire and from four teachers via semi-structured interviews. Based on Garet et al.'s (2001) four dimensions of active learning: (1) observing and being observed, (2) planning classroom implementation, (3) reviewing students' work, and (4) presenting, leading, and writing, the findings indicated moderate learning across all domains. Teachers reported improved ability to apply Communicative, Task-Based, and Project-Based approaches, supported by peer collaboration, expert feedback, and reflective activities. The results highlight that professional development is most effective when it promotes active, context-sensitive, and collaborative learning. The study provides insights for designing sustainable EFL teacher training programs aligned with Vietnam's current educational reforms.
References
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Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551-575. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2018.1441807
Borg, S. (2018). Evaluating the impact of professional development. RELC Journal, 49(2), 195-216. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218784371
Bui, T. T. N., & Nguyen, H. T. M. (2016). Standardizing English for educational and socio-economic betterment: A critical analysis of English language policy reforms in Vietnam. In R. Kirkpatrick (Ed.), English language education policy in Asia (pp. 363-388). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/9783-319-22464-0_17
Christensen, A. A., & Jerrim, J. (2025). Professional learning communities and teacher outcomes. A cross-national analysis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 156, 104920. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104920
Cirocki, A., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2019). Professional development of secondary school EFL teachers: Voices from Indonesia. System, 85, 102111. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.102111
Dang, T. K. A., Bonar, G., & Yao, J. (2023). Professional learning for educators teaching in English-medium-instruction in higher education: A systematic review. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(4), 840-858. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1863350
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/122.311 Desimone, L. M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers' professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational Researcher, 38(3), 181-199. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X08331140
Desimone, L. M., & Garet, M. S. (2015). Best practices in teachers' professional development in the United States. Psychology, Society & Education, 7(3), 252-263. https://doi.org/10.25115/psye.v7i3.515
Farrell, T. S. C., & Farrell, A. H. (2025). Reflective practice in language teacher education: A systematic review. In Z. Tajeddin & T. S. C. Farrell (Eds.), Handbook of language teacher education: Critical review and research synthesis (pp. 3-34). Springer. https://doi. org/10.1007/978-3-031-47310-4_2
Fernandes, S., Araújo, A. M., Miguel, I., & Abelha, M. (2023). Teacher professional development in higher education: The impact of pedagogical training perceived by teachers. Education Sciences, 13(3), 309. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030309
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312038004915
Guo, C., Chen, X., & Chen, J. (2025). Enhancing prospective teachers' professional development through shared collaborative lesson planning. Behavioral Sciences, 15(6), 753. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15060753
Hai, P. T. T., & Linh, D. N. (2022). Teacher professional development in the context of education reform in Vietnam: Policy and practice. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 22(17), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v22i17.5654
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2013). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P. R. (2016). Mindful L2 teacher education: A sociocultural perspective on cultivating teachers' professional development. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315641447
Koni, I., & Lepp, L. (2024). Lesson recordings and analysis as part of teacher professional development programmes: What are the student teachers’ opinions? Educational Studies, 50(3), 399-411. https://doi. org/10.1080/03055698.2021.1951673
Le, V. C. (2019). English language teaching in Vietnam: Aspirations, realities, and challenges. In V. C. Le, T. M. H. Nguyen, T. T. M. Nguyen, & R. Barnard (Eds.), Building teacher capacity in English language teaching in Vietnam: Research, policy and practice (pp. 7-22). Routledge.
Mardi, Lestari, S. W., Lestari, W., & Irfani, K. S. (2026). Continuous professional development based on participatory action research: A model for improving the quality of active, reflective and collaborative teachers. Veredas do Direito, 23(4), e234745. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.n4.4745
Miller, R. T., & Hamada, M. (2025). Integration of language and content-area teaching in TESOL programs. TESOL Journal, 16(4), e70087. https://doi.org/10.1002/ tesj.70087
Ministry of Education and Training. (2018). General education curriculum: English subject curriculum (Issued with Circular No. 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT dated December 26, 2018). Hanoi, Vietnam: Ministry of Education and Training.
Ngo, M. T., & Tran, L. T. (2024). Current English education in Vietnam: Policy, practices, and challenges. In T. L. H. Nghia, L. T. Tran, & M. T. Ngo (Eds.), English language education for graduate employability in Vietnam (pp. 49-70). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-994338-8_3
Nguyen, T. V. (2023). Developing a context-based framework for training ICT skills for in-service EFL teachers in Vietnam [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Newcastle, Australia].
Nguyen, X. N. C. M., & Nguyen, V. H. (2019). Language education policy in Vietnam. In A. Kirkpatrick & A. J. Liddicoat (Eds.), The Routledge international handbook of language education policy in Asia (pp. 185-201). Routledge. https://doi. org/10.4324/9781315666235-13
Novozhenina, A., & López Pinzón, M. M. (2018). Impact of a professional development program on EFL teachers' performance. HOW, 25(2), 113-128. https:// doi.org/10.19183/how.25.2.406
Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric McGraw-Hill. theory (3rd ed.).
Olin, A., Francisco, S., Salo, P., Pörn, M., & Karlberg-Granlund, G. (2020). Collaborative professional learning for changing educational practices. In K. Mahon, C. Edwards-Groves, S. Francisco, M. Kaukko, S. Kemmis, & K. Petrie (Eds.), Pedagogy, education, and praxis in critical times (pp. 141-162). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978981-15-6926-5_7
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781474219426
Richards, J. C., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2005). Professional development for language teachers: Strategies for teacher learning. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667237
Roberts, J. (1998). Language teacher education (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315824932
Theint, P. Z. Z., Oo, T. N., & Yin, P. P. (2021). Developing performance management framework for factors of mentoring strategies for beginning teachers. AsTEN Journal of Teacher Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.56278/asten.v5i1.1767 T
Thida, S. M., & Yang, P. (2026). Classroom observation as reflective practice: A pre-service TESOL teacher's professional development. Frontiers in Education, 11, 1606820. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1606820
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wang, L., & Li, D. (2025). An ecological perspective on language teacher agency in educational reform. Journal of Educational Change, 26, 579-598. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-02509538-z
Yalçın Arslan, F. (2019). The role of lesson study in teacher learning and professional development of EFL teachers in Turkey: A case study. TESOL Journal, 10(2), e00409. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.409
Yumru, H. (2015). EFL teachers' preferences for teacher learning activities in a professional development course. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 178-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.503
Żammit, J. (2025). Secondary school teachers' experiences with generative AI in Maltese language teaching. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30(4), 21032121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758025-09861-7
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 25(6), 551-575. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2018.1441807
Borg, S. (2018). Evaluating the impact of professional development. RELC Journal, 49(2), 195-216. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688218784371
Bui, T. T. N., & Nguyen, H. T. M. (2016). Standardizing English for educational and socio-economic betterment: A critical analysis of English language policy reforms in Vietnam. In R. Kirkpatrick (Ed.), English language education policy in Asia (pp. 363-388). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/9783-319-22464-0_17
Christensen, A. A., & Jerrim, J. (2025). Professional learning communities and teacher outcomes. A cross-national analysis. Teaching and Teacher Education, 156, 104920. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104920
Cirocki, A., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2019). Professional development of secondary school EFL teachers: Voices from Indonesia. System, 85, 102111. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.102111
Dang, T. K. A., Bonar, G., & Yao, J. (2023). Professional learning for educators teaching in English-medium-instruction in higher education: A systematic review. Teaching in Higher Education, 28(4), 840-858. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2020.1863350
Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M. E., & Gardner, M. (2017). Effective teacher professional development. Learning Policy Institute. https://doi.org/10.54300/122.311 Desimone, L. M. (2009). Improving impact studies of teachers' professional development: Toward better conceptualizations and measures. Educational Researcher, 38(3), 181-199. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X08331140
Desimone, L. M., & Garet, M. S. (2015). Best practices in teachers' professional development in the United States. Psychology, Society & Education, 7(3), 252-263. https://doi.org/10.25115/psye.v7i3.515
Farrell, T. S. C., & Farrell, A. H. (2025). Reflective practice in language teacher education: A systematic review. In Z. Tajeddin & T. S. C. Farrell (Eds.), Handbook of language teacher education: Critical review and research synthesis (pp. 3-34). Springer. https://doi. org/10.1007/978-3-031-47310-4_2
Fernandes, S., Araújo, A. M., Miguel, I., & Abelha, M. (2023). Teacher professional development in higher education: The impact of pedagogical training perceived by teachers. Education Sciences, 13(3), 309. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13030309
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915-945. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312038004915
Guo, C., Chen, X., & Chen, J. (2025). Enhancing prospective teachers' professional development through shared collaborative lesson planning. Behavioral Sciences, 15(6), 753. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15060753
Hai, P. T. T., & Linh, D. N. (2022). Teacher professional development in the context of education reform in Vietnam: Policy and practice. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 22(17), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.33423/jhetp.v22i17.5654
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2013). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Johnson, K. E., & Golombek, P. R. (2016). Mindful L2 teacher education: A sociocultural perspective on cultivating teachers' professional development. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315641447
Koni, I., & Lepp, L. (2024). Lesson recordings and analysis as part of teacher professional development programmes: What are the student teachers’ opinions? Educational Studies, 50(3), 399-411. https://doi. org/10.1080/03055698.2021.1951673
Le, V. C. (2019). English language teaching in Vietnam: Aspirations, realities, and challenges. In V. C. Le, T. M. H. Nguyen, T. T. M. Nguyen, & R. Barnard (Eds.), Building teacher capacity in English language teaching in Vietnam: Research, policy and practice (pp. 7-22). Routledge.
Mardi, Lestari, S. W., Lestari, W., & Irfani, K. S. (2026). Continuous professional development based on participatory action research: A model for improving the quality of active, reflective and collaborative teachers. Veredas do Direito, 23(4), e234745. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.n4.4745
Miller, R. T., & Hamada, M. (2025). Integration of language and content-area teaching in TESOL programs. TESOL Journal, 16(4), e70087. https://doi.org/10.1002/ tesj.70087
Ministry of Education and Training. (2018). General education curriculum: English subject curriculum (Issued with Circular No. 32/2018/TT-BGDĐT dated December 26, 2018). Hanoi, Vietnam: Ministry of Education and Training.
Ngo, M. T., & Tran, L. T. (2024). Current English education in Vietnam: Policy, practices, and challenges. In T. L. H. Nghia, L. T. Tran, & M. T. Ngo (Eds.), English language education for graduate employability in Vietnam (pp. 49-70). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-994338-8_3
Nguyen, T. V. (2023). Developing a context-based framework for training ICT skills for in-service EFL teachers in Vietnam [Doctoral dissertation, The University of Newcastle, Australia].
Nguyen, X. N. C. M., & Nguyen, V. H. (2019). Language education policy in Vietnam. In A. Kirkpatrick & A. J. Liddicoat (Eds.), The Routledge international handbook of language education policy in Asia (pp. 185-201). Routledge. https://doi. org/10.4324/9781315666235-13
Novozhenina, A., & López Pinzón, M. M. (2018). Impact of a professional development program on EFL teachers' performance. HOW, 25(2), 113-128. https:// doi.org/10.19183/how.25.2.406
Nunnally, J. C., & Bernstein, I. H. (1994). Psychometric McGraw-Hill. theory (3rd ed.).
Olin, A., Francisco, S., Salo, P., Pörn, M., & Karlberg-Granlund, G. (2020). Collaborative professional learning for changing educational practices. In K. Mahon, C. Edwards-Groves, S. Francisco, M. Kaukko, S. Kemmis, & K. Petrie (Eds.), Pedagogy, education, and praxis in critical times (pp. 141-162). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978981-15-6926-5_7
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781474219426
Richards, J. C., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2005). Professional development for language teachers: Strategies for teacher learning. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667237
Roberts, J. (1998). Language teacher education (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315824932
Theint, P. Z. Z., Oo, T. N., & Yin, P. P. (2021). Developing performance management framework for factors of mentoring strategies for beginning teachers. AsTEN Journal of Teacher Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.56278/asten.v5i1.1767 T
Thida, S. M., & Yang, P. (2026). Classroom observation as reflective practice: A pre-service TESOL teacher's professional development. Frontiers in Education, 11, 1606820. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1606820
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wang, L., & Li, D. (2025). An ecological perspective on language teacher agency in educational reform. Journal of Educational Change, 26, 579-598. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-02509538-z
Yalçın Arslan, F. (2019). The role of lesson study in teacher learning and professional development of EFL teachers in Turkey: A case study. TESOL Journal, 10(2), e00409. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.409
Yumru, H. (2015). EFL teachers' preferences for teacher learning activities in a professional development course. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 199, 178-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.503
Żammit, J. (2025). Secondary school teachers' experiences with generative AI in Maltese language teaching. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 30(4), 21032121. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758025-09861-7
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Jul 24, 2026
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How to Cite
Le, L. K., & Trinh, H. K. (2026). Investigating Vietnamese EFL Teachers’ Learning Outcomes from a Professional Development Course. AsTEN Journal of Teacher Education, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.56278/asten.v10i1.4090
Section
Section 1: Research Articles and Research Briefs
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