The Evolving Role of Cambodian Teachers: A Qualitative Study on the Shift from Instructor to Learning Facilitator

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the evolving role of Cambodian teachers within ongoing reforms that promote learner-centred pedagogy and active facilitation. Drawing on an interpretivist approach, it explores how eighteen primary and secondary teachers from urban (Phnom Penh) and rural (Kampong Thom and Ratanakiri) contexts understand and enact the shift from instructor to facilitator. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, and were analysed thematically using both deductive and inductive coding. Findings show that while policy increasingly emphasises facilitation, implementation remains uneven and shaped by cultural and contextual factors. Teachers expressed diverse interpretations, from guidance metaphors to surface-level adjustments, with clear urban–rural contrasts. Major barriers included rigid curricula, limited training, and hierarchical norms, though supportive leadership, peer collaboration, and intrinsic motivation enabled change. The study underscores the need for localised professional development and culturally responsive reform, offering insight into teacher identity and reform processes in post-conflict, resource-constrained contexts, with implications for policy, training, and comparative research.