Professional Life Phases of Teacher Educators: The Case of a Vietnam Institution

Abstract

Teacher educators influence the quality of future teachers and teacher education programs. However, their professional life during their mid and late career has not been scrutinized considering their work experience, particularly in Vietnam. Hence, this qualitative study explores the professional life phases of eight Vietnamese teacher educators, whose experience ranged from 6 to 26 years. In-depth interviews were conducted and a lifeline chart was applied when possible. The constant comparative method was applied for cross-comparison between cases. The study results revealed four career phases, including Phase I—Adaptation and competency building (1–5 years of work experience), Phase II—Stabilization (6–10 years of work experience), Phase III—Prosperous engagement (11–20 years of work experience), and Phase IV—Calming down or winding up (21 or more years of work experience). The findings may help administrators tailor teacher educators’ professional development based on their experience and expertise.