Proposed integrated theoretical framework for family and community engagement: Insights from Vietnamese general education

This paper proposes a theoretical framework for family and community engagement in general education that is suitable for the Vietnamese context and offers implications for developing education systems. Using a literature synthesis and analysis methodology, the study reviewed over 200 related scholarly works and identified four prominent theoretical frameworks: (i) Epstein's six types of involvement, (ii) Mapp & Kuttner's dual capacity-building framework, (iii) Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory, and (iv) Social Capital Theory. Although these frameworks provide valuable insights, few studies have attempted to integrate them into a single, context-responsive model for developing or transitional education systems. A comparative analysis reveals that each framework has limitations when applied to the Vietnamese context. The novelty of this paper lies in integrating Epstein's and Mapp & Kuttner's frameworks, supported by ecological and social capital perspectives, to construct an adaptable and coherent model of family–school–community partnership, presented explicitly as an aspirational model whose realisation depends on resourcing, teacher capacity and institutional reform rather than as a description of current practice. The proposed framework contributes theoretically by systematizing and connecting existing approaches, and practically by offering guidance for educational activities and policy implementation in Vietnam and other countries with similar socio-economic conditions.