Teachers’ Perceptions of Culturally Responsive Teaching in International Programs in Vietnamese Higher Education

Authors

  • Phuong Minh Luong Vietnam Japan University - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam; Hanoi University, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Ly Thi Tran Deakin University, Australia
  • Giang Hoang Dang Hanoi University, Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Toan Van Vu Hanoi University of Mining and Geology, Hanoi, Vietnam

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2025.529

How to Cite

Luong, P. M., Tran, L. T., Dang, G. H., & Vu, T. V. (2025). Teachers’ Perceptions of Culturally Responsive Teaching in International Programs in Vietnamese Higher Education. Vietnam Journal of Education, 9(1), 76–84. https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2025.529

Abstract

This article explores teachers’ perceptions of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) within international programs in Vietnam’s universities. In-depth interviews were conducted with 26 teachers from 13 international programs across 8 universities. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed three key themes: promoting cultural diversity and ecosystem-based teaching approaches; contextualising curricula, teaching approaches, assessments and learning environments to ensure the relevance of international programs for students; and fostering equal positions between Vietnamese and foreign teachers, as well as between students in international and mainstream programs. These findings offer valuable insights for stakeholders in Vietnam’s higher education system, highlighting the need to support educators’ professional development in applying CRT effectively within a highly internationalised education.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Castillo-Montoya, M. (2019). Professors’ pedagogical strategies for teaching through diversity. The Review of Higher Education, 42(Special Issue), 199-226.

Childs, R. G., & Lett, E. L. (2024). Exploring culturally responsive teaching in higher education. In R. J. Lynch & C. B. Rush (Eds.), Developing culturally responsive learning environments in postsecondary education (pp. 85-100). Information Age Publishing.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Gay, G. (2018). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Teachers College Press.

Hutchison, L., & McAlister-Shields, L. (2020). Culturally responsive teaching: its application in higher education environments. Education Science, 20(214), 1-12.

Liao, W., Wang, X., & Qin, K. (2021). Learning to become culturally responsive teacher educators in an internationalized doctoral course: A video-cued interpretive study. Teaching and Teacher Education, 102, 103339.

Luong, M. P. (2024). Conceptualizing teacher agency for culturally responsive teaching in international programs at the higher education levels. Vietnam Journal of Educational Sciences, 20(1), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.15625/2615-8965/22410105

Luong, M. P., Tran, L. T., Nguyen, H. T. T., Ngo, N. T. H., Nguyen, T. T. M., Dang, G. H., & Nguyen, H. T. (2023). Student agency for intercultural adaptability in international programs: Insights into internationalization at home in Vietnam. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 96, 101855. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2023.101855

Luong, M. P., Tran, L. T., Nguyen, H. T., Tran, Y. T. H., Dang, G. H., & Van Vu, T. (2024). Intercultural adaptability development for students in internationalisation at home programmes in higher education in China and Korea. Higher Education Skills and Work-based Learning. https://doi.org/10.1108/heswbl-10-2023-0284

Lynch, R. J., & Rush, C. B. (2024). Developing inclusive learning environments through culturally responsive teaching. Information Age Publishing.

Mizzi, R. C. (2017). Bridging Borders: Toward a Pedagogy of Preparedness for Visiting Faculty. Journal of Studies in International Education, 21(3), 246-260. https://doi.org/10.1177/1028315316687011

Muñiz, J. (2020). Culturally responsive teaching: a reflection guide. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED609136.pdf

Nguyen, D. C., & Huynh, T.N.L (2021). Teacher agency in culturally responsive teaching: learning to teach ethnic minority students in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Educational Review, 75(4), 1-25.

Pham, T. L., Nguyen, T. H., Ho, T. N, Cao, D. C., Nguyen, V. T., Dam, T. V. A., Tran. T. C. T., & Le, T. T. H. (2019). Multicultural education in higher education in Vietnam. American Journal of Educational Research, 7(3), 189-193. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-7-3-1

Taylor, S. V., & Sobel, D. M. (2011). Culturally responsive pedagogy: Teaching like our students’ lives matter. Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Tran, L. T., & Le, T. T. T. (2018). Teacher professional learning in international education. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Tran, L. T., & Nguyen, N. (2015). Re-imagining teachers’ professional roles and identity under the condition of internationalisation. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 21(8), 958-973. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1005866

Tran, L. T. (2011). Committed, face-value, hybrid or mutual adaptation? The experiences of international students in higher education. Educational Review, 63(1), 79-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2010.510905

Tran, L. T. (2013). Teaching international students in vocational education and training: New pedagogical approaches. Camberwell: ACER Press.

Tran, T. L, Phan, L. T. H., &Marginson, S. (2018). The “advanced programmes” in Vietnam: Internationalizing the curriculum or importing the “best curriculum” of the West? In L.T. Tran & S. Marginson (Eds.), Internationalisation in Vietnamese Higher Education (pp.55-75). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78492-2_4

Yembergenova, D., Mamadiyar, A., Zhaiyrbayev, S., & Kumar, A. (2024). Teachers’ perceptions of the recent curriculum reforms: a case study on Kazakhstani teachers’ utilization processes for the new course plan for English. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2375083. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2375083

Downloads

Published

2025-03-31

How to Cite

Luong, P. M., Tran, L. T., Dang, G. H., & Vu, T. V. (2025). Teachers’ Perceptions of Culturally Responsive Teaching in International Programs in Vietnamese Higher Education. Vietnam Journal of Education, 9(1), 76–84. https://doi.org/10.52296/vje.2025.529

Issue

Section

Original Articles