Navigating the Turbulent Time: A Qualitative Inquiry into Resilience among Vietnamese ESL Teachers during COVID-19
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte2202013Keywords:
resilience, Covid-19 pandemic, ESL teachers, teacher retention, teacher burnoutAbstract
The aim of this study is to explore the dynamics of the resilience process among Vietnamese ESL (English as the Second Language) university teachers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, this study investigated the interactions between risk factors and protective factors at both personal and contextual levels that shape teachers' resilience patterns. Fifteen teachers from different stages of teaching career participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews in qualitative research design, and the collected data were analyzed by means of a two-cycle analysis procedure. Findings of the study revealed two major risk factors, including turbulence and ambiguity and decreasing autonomous motivation. Despite this, teachers drew on three primary resources to adapt to the abrupt changes: positive imaginaries about the future, sense of professionalism, and relational resources. Analysis showed that these protective factors were located across personal level and microsystems; however, there were missing links for protective resources at institutional level, mesosystems, and macrosystems. Taking cognizance of this, the study emphasizes the role of transparent policies and school leadership in bolstering teachers’ resilience in adversities.
References
Cheng, W., & Warren, M. (1997). Having second thoughts: Student perceptions before and after a peer assessment exercise. Studies in Higher Education, 22(2), 233239. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079712331381064
David, J., & Liss, R. (2006). Effective academic writing 3 (1st ed.). USA: Oxford University Press.
Pham, V. P. H., Luong, T. K. P., Tran, T. T. O., & Nguyen, Q. G. (2020). Should Peer E-Comments Replace Traditional Peer Comments? International Journal of Instruction, 13(1), 295314. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2020.13120a
Ainsworth, S., & Oldfield, J. (2019). Quantifying teacher resilience: Context matters. Teaching and Teacher Education, 82, 117–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2019.03.012
Aujila-Bhullar, S. (2018). A complicated passport: Racialized realities and lessons from visible minority women teachers. Race, Ethnicity and Education, 21(1), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2016.1195355
Avalos, B., & Valenzuela, J. P. (2016). Education for all and attrition/retention of new teachers: A trajectory study in Chile. International Journal of Educational Development, 49, 279-290.
Belknap, B., & Taymans, J. (2015). Risk and resilience in beginning special education teachers. Journal of Special Education Apprenticeship, 4(1), 1–19. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1127766.pdf.
Beltman, S., Mansfield, C., & Price, A. (2011). Thriving not just surviving: A review of research on teacher resilience. Educational research review, 6(3), 185-207.
Benard, B. (2004). Resiliency: What we have learned. San Francisco, CA: WestEd.
Bento, F., Giglio, B. A., Cerchiareto P.F., Forastieri, A. J., & Gomes, R. F. (2021) Resilience in Higher Education: A Complex Perspective to Lecturers’ Adaptive Processes in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Educ. Sci, 11, 492-507. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090492
Bowles, T., & Arnup, J. L. (2016). Early career teachers’ resilience and positive adaptive change capabilities. The Australian Educational Researcher, 43(2), 147–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-015-0192-1
Bullough, R. V., & Hall-Keynon, K. M. (2011). The call to teach and teacher hopefulness. Teacher Development, 15, 127–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2011.571488
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. New York: Sage.
Datnow, A., & Park, V. (2018). Opening or closing doors for students? Equity and data use in schools. Journal of Educational Change, 19(2), 131–152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-018-9323-6
Day, C., & Gu, Q. (2009). Veteran teachers: Commitment, resilience and quality retention. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 15(4), 441–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540600903057211
Deci, E. L., & R. M. Ryan. (2000). The ‘What’ and ‘Why’ of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the SelfDetermination of Behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11 (4), 227–268.
Ellison, D. W., & Mays-Woods, A. (2019). In the face of adversity: Four physical educator’s experiences of resilience in high-poverty schools. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 24(1), 59–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2018.1536201
Flores, M. A. (2018). Teacher resilience in adverse contexts: Issues of professionalism and professional identity. In M. Wosnitza, F. Peixoto, S. Beltman, & C. Mansfield (Eds.), Resilience in education: Concepts, Contexts and connections (pp. 167-184). New York, NY: Springer.
Galea K. (2018) Teachers’ Narratives of Resilience: Responding Effectively to Challenging Behaviour. In Wosnitza M., Peixoto F., Beltman S., Mansfield C.F. (Eds) Resilience in Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76690-4_9
Goodson, I. F. (2010). Times of Educational Change: Towards an Understanding of Patterns of Historical and Cultural Refraction. Journal of Education Policy, 25 (6), 767–775.
Gray, J., O’Regan, J.P., & Wallace, C. (2018). Education and the discourse of global neoliberalism. Language and Intercultural Communication, 18 (5), 471-477. https://doi.org/10.1080/14708477.2018.1501842
Greenberg, M. T., Brown, J. L., & Abenavoli, R. M. (2016). Teacher stress and health effects on teachers, students, and schools. Edna Bennett Pierce Prevention Research Center, Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved from http://prevention.psu.edu/uploads/files/rwjf430428.pdf
Gu, Q., & Day, C. (2007). Teachers resilience: A necessary condition for effectiveness. Teaching and Teacher Education, 23(8), 1302-1316.
Gu, Q., & Li, Q. (2013). Sustaining resilience in times of change: Stories from Chinese teachers. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 41, 288–303. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359866X.2013.809056
Kangas-Dick, K. & O’Shaughnessy, E. (2020). Interventions that promote resilience among teachers: A systematic review of the literature. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 8(2), 131-146. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683603.2020.1734125
Kim, T.Y. & Kim, Y.K (2017). The impact of resilience on L2 learners’ motivated behavior and proficiency in L2 learning. Educational Studies, 43(1), 1-15.
Kraft, M. A., Marinell, W. H., & Shen-Wei Yee, D. (2016). School organizational contexts, teacher turnover, and student achievement. American Educational Research Journal, 53(5), 1411–1449. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831216667478
Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543–562. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00164
Ly, T. N. L., Nguyen, T. L., & Nguyen, H. N. (2021). Using E-Learning Platforms in Online Classes: A Survey on Tertiary English Teachers’ Perceptions. AsiaCALL Online Journal, 12(5), 34-53. Retrieved from https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/75
Mansfield, C. F., Beltman, S., Broadley, T., & Weatherby-Fell, N. (2016). Building resilience in teacher education: An evidenced informed framework. Teaching and Teacher Education, 54, 77-87
Masten, A. S., Best, K. M., & Garmezy, N. (1990). Resilience and development: Contributions from the study of children who overcome adversity. Development and Psychopathology, 2, 425444.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Nguyen, T. K., & Nguyen, T. H. T. (2021). Acceptance and Use of Video Conferencing for Teaching in Covid - 19 Pandemic: An Empirical Study in Vietnam. AsiaCALL Online Journal,12(5),1-16. Retrieved from https://asiacall.info/acoj/index.php/journal/article/view/77
Nguyen, U. N., & Nguyen, L. V. (2021). Resilience to withstand COVID-19 crisis: Lessons from a Foreign Language Institution in Vietnam. CALL-EJ, 22(2), 40-55.
Papatraianou, L. H., & Le Cornu, R. (2014). Problematising the role of personal and professional relationships in early career teacher resilience. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(1), 100–116. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2014v39n1.7
Pelletier, L. G., & M. Rocchi. 2016. Teachers’ Motivation in the Classroom. In Building Autonomous Learners, Chia, L.W, Keng, J., & Ryan, R. (Eds.), pp.107–127. Singapore: Springer.)
Peters, M. A. (2010). Neoliberalism, the Market and Performativity. In International Encyclopedia of Education, Peterson, P., Baker, E., & McGaw, B. (Eds.), pp. 11-16. Oxford: Elsevier.
Peters, J., & Pearce, J. (2012). Relationships and early career teacher resilience: A role for school principals. Teachers and Teaching, 18, 249–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2012.632266
Richards, K. A., Levesque-Bristol, C., Templin, T. J., & Graber, K. C. (2016). The impact of resilience on role stressors and burnout in elementary and secondary teachers. Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, 19(3), 511–536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-016-9346-x
Richards, K. A. R., Hemphill, M. A., & Templin, T. J. (2018). Olsen, B., & Anderson, L. (2007). Courses of action: A qualitative investigation into urban teacher retention and career development. Urban Education, 42(1), 5-29.
Saldaña, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (Second edition). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.
Sokal, L., Trudel, L. E., & Babb, J. (2020). Canadian teachers’ attitudes toward change, efficacy, and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 1, 100016.
Wellington, J. (2000). Educational research: contemporary issues and practical approaches. London, England: Continuum.
Zolkoski, S. M., & Bullock, L. M. (2012). Resilience in children and youth: A review. Children and youth services review, 34(12), 2295-2303.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Pham Thi Thuy Trang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The copyright of all articles published in the International Journal of TESOL & Education (ijte) remains with the Authors, i.e. Authors retain full ownership of their article. Permitted third-party reuse of the open access articles is defined by the applicable Creative Commons (CC) end-user license which is accepted by the Authors upon submission of their paper. All articles in the ijte are published under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license, meaning that end users can freely share an article (i.e. copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt it (i.e. remix, transform and build upon the material) on the condition that proper attribution is given (i.e. appropriate credit, a link to the applicable license and an indication if any changes were made; all in such a way that does not suggest that the licensor endorses the user or the use) and the material is only used for non-commercial purposes.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository, in a journal or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
