EXPLORING THE ROLE OF REFLECTIVE PRACTICE IN TEACHING: PERCEIVED BENEFITS, CHALLENGES, AND INTEGRATION STRATEGIES AMONG VIETNAMESE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS

Abstract

Reflective practice has increasingly been recognized as a vital component of effective teaching, particularly in contexts undergoing educational reform. This study aims to explore the role of reflective practice in teaching by examining Vietnamese high school teachers’ perceived benefits, challenges, and strategies for integrating reflection into teaching. Eight teachers from high schools in Vietnam voluntarily participated in this qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were employed to gain insights into their experiences with reflective practice. The findings revealed that teachers perceived several benefits, including improving lesson planning and classroom interaction, adapting to student needs, promoting the use of pedagogical strategies, and integrating technology into lesson planning. However, the implementation of reflective practice was hindered by significant challenges such as time constraints, limited resources and support, and heavy workloads and cognitive demands. Despite these difficulties, teachers reported using a combination of pre-lesson planning, in-class adjustments, and post-lesson reflection, supported by tools like teaching journals, peer feedback, and classroom observations to integrate reflective practice into their teaching. The study highlights practical implications and offers recommendations to support teachers in embedding reflection more effectively into their instructional practice, thereby contributing to the ongoing enhancement of teaching quality in Vietnam.