English lecturers' perceptions of improving English teaching quality through action research: What do lecturers of Can Tho University say?

Abstract

Action research (AR) in English Language Teaching (ELT) has played a significant role in improving teachers’ roles as well as their professional development. However, in the context of Can Tho University (CTU), there are few studies of action research on foreign language teaching especially English language. Therefore, this mixed method study is aimed to give deep insights into English language lecturers’ perceptions of improving teaching quality using action research. The findings revealed the positive perceptions of CTU English language lecturers about the importance of action research. However, there were certain challenges faced by these lecturers with their AR practices in terms of internal and external factors. As a result, appropriate measures to tackle such challenges in the current teaching context regarding the roles of lecturers and administrators are proposed.