Factors Affecting the Theoretical Thinking of Female Lecturers at People's Police Schools in Vietnam: A Descriptive Study

This descriptive study examines the various elements affecting the growth of theoretical thinking in female instructors at Vietnamese People's Police schools. Police educators' professional identities and instructional competence are greatly influenced by their theoretical thinking, which is characterized as the ability to reason abstractly, critically, and synthesize concepts. The study highlights important internal and external factors that influence the theoretical growth and intellectual engagement of female lecturers in the police school system using a combination of surveys, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis. The results show that academic background, self-perception, and personal drive all have a substantial impact on theoretical thinking abilities. Although they reported having limited access to professional development programs, mentorship, and scholarly resources, many female lecturers exhibited a strong innate motivation to enhance their academic performance. Both enabling and restricting influences were found in institutional characteristics, such as company culture, curricular restrictions, and leadership styles. Additionally, it has been noted that gender-specific issues like societal expectations, work-life balance, and underrepresentation in higher academic posts impede prolonged intellectual focus and theoretical engagement. The study emphasizes how academic culture, institutional dynamics, and gender intersect to affect the professional development of female educators in security-focused schools. Policy changes that support fair learning settings, funding for programs that increase the capacity of female instructors, and the development of intellectual communities in police schools are among the recommendations. The People's Police education system can improve general teaching quality and better promote the theoretical growth of its female professors by tackling these issues.