What Sustains Academic Buoyancy of Vietnamese English-as-a-Foreign-Language Teachers Navigating Graduate Education?

Abstract

Academic buoyancy enables teachers to manage academic challenges associated with professional life. Despite increasing interest, little is known about what sustains academic buoyancy among English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) teachers pursuing further education. Drawing upon Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources Theory, this qualitative multiple-case study traces how Vietnamese teachers manage their unique resources to remain academically buoyant in graduate education. Five teachers enrolled in Master’s programs in Teaching English as a Foreign Language participated in two rounds of in-depth semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. The findings indicated that academic buoyancy is sustained by four resource domains. Personal resources (future-oriented aspirations, self-regulation, and personal teaching experiences) provide a foundation for enduring academic pressures. Psychological resources (optimism, perseverance, and self-efficacy) enable participants to embrace their day-to-day challenges as opportunities for personal growth. Institutional resources (administrative flexibility and alignment between graduate coursework and teaching responsibilities) reduce workload-based strain. Socio-cultural resources (Confucian values, professional prestige, and familial support) further reinforce participants’ persistence and intrinsic motivation. The study extends the theory by shedding light on how various resource domains sustain academic buoyancy among language teachers partaking in their continuing professional learning. Pedagogical implications are offered for various stakeholders seeking to aid teachers’ development as lifelong learners.