Vietnamese higher education instructors’ positioning toward student-oriented teaching

The conceptions of teaching held by higher education instructors have been a long-standing focus of research. However, the existing discourse has primarily centred around findings that align strictly with either completely teacher–centred or entirely learner–centred categories. This study aims to address this gap by drawing on Kember’s conceptualisation of intermediate teaching conceptions to examine how a cohort of Vietnamese instructors situate themselves within this transitional space, with particular attention to how such conceptions are translated into classroom practice. Utilising a mixed–methods research approach comprising surveys (n = 310), interviews (n = 27), and classroom observations (n = 7), this current research shows that the study participants have already left the purely teaching-centric, manifesting their discernment of learner-centred principles. Nevertheless, their classroom practices remain predominantly situated within a transitionary mode rather than a genuinely learner-centred enactment. A closer analysis suggests that this is not simply a matter of delayed conceptual development, but is shaped by recurrent pedagogical decision-making processes in response to structural and instructional considerations. The study offers a more refined explanation of the persistence of intermediate teaching patterns. The findings contribute to ongoing debates on learner-centred reform by illuminating the importance of instructors’ decision-making during implementation. The implications for both theories and practice of pedagogical change aimed at supporting sustainable learner-centred practice are critically discussed.