EFL teachers’ experiences of peer observation in Vietnamese academic institutions

Abstract

Peer observation (PO) is considered as a useful tool to enhance teachers’ professional development. Limited research on how PO is carried out in Vietnamese higher institutions and how teachers experience PO in their educational contexts. This study investigates the experiences of PO among Vietnamese EFL teachers and their perceptions of benefits and challenges of PO. The study employed qualitative research method to collect data. Survey questionnaires were completed online by 22 EFL teachers working in different universities and colleges in Ho Chi Minh. The findings show that teachers’ perceptions and experiences of PO varied among academic institutions. The purposes of PO were different among different educational settings. PO sessions tend to focus more on evaluation purposes than on professional development purposes which aim to improve teaching performance of EFL teachers. Also, the procedures of implementing PO were not unanimous among institutions. The findings have several implications for stakeholders to reflect on the current practices of PO in their respective academic institutions with a view to improve the quality of this professional development tool.