Speaker
Description
This study explores how Vietnamese preservice teachers develop their professional identity during the teaching practicum. Professional identity is how teachers see themselves and their roles in education. It is shaped by personal beliefs, teaching activities, and the environment around them. In Vietnam, teaching practicum is an important part of teacher education, but many preservice teachers face difficulties such as unclear roles, limited support from mentors, and differences between university training and school practice.
To better understand this process, the study uses a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. First, surveys will be given to around 200 final-year preservice teachers before and after their practicum to find patterns in their identity development. Then, a smaller group will take part in interviews and write personal stories about their experiences. The study is guided by Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (Engeström, 2001), which help explain how identity is influenced by both the teaching context and the actions of student teachers.
The findings are expected to provide insights into how identity is built during practicum and suggest ways to improve mentor support, university-school collaboration, and practicum design in Vietnam’s teacher education programs.
Biography
Vo Thuy Thanh Thao is a PhD candidate in Principles and Methods of Teaching English Language, academic year 2025–2028, in the School of Foreign Languages at Can Tho University. The author has 15 years of experience in teaching English Language and English Teacher Education at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Saigon University. Her research interests include research methodology, teacher identity and professional development.
