VietTESOL International Convention 2026

Drawing on Kirkpatrick Model and Guskey’s Model of Teacher Change, this embedded case study evaluates the effectiveness of a pioneering MA TESOL program in Vietnam from the perspectives of its alumni across four dimensions: (1) overall impressions of the program; (2) knowledge, skills, and attitudes obtained; (3) changes in pedagogical practices, attitudes, and philosophy; and (4) changes in professional outcomes. The study employs in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 10 alumni who are practicing English teachers. Participation was voluntary, and interviews were conducted via Google Meet. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Each interview lasted 45–60 minutes, and each participant was interviewed twice. The interview protocol was developed based on conceptual framework combining the Kirkpatrick (2022) and Guskey (2002) models and endorsed by three experts in qualitative research. The data were triangulated by the end-of-program survey results collected by the Graduate School. Findings reveal that the participants: (1) care much about instructors’ pedagogical approaches; (2) prefer courses more closely aligned with their real-world professional demands; (3) expect courses to be more directly relevant to the program’s core objectives; (4) expect stronger institutional support, especially in progression control and supervisor assignment. This study extends Kirkpatrick’s (2022) model and produces original findings, such as the importance of instructors’ pedagogy, adult learners’ conceptualization of autonomy, etc. On a practical level, it forms the basis for improving the MA TESOL program in question as well as other programs in Vietnam.