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AI-BASED SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE LECTURERS' TEACHING
COMPETENCE
Lê Xuân Hậu
Lecturer at the Regional Academy of Politics II
Email: haudsvh@gmail.com. Phone: 0909504471
Phan Lê An
Student at Ho Chi Minh City Cadre Academy
ABSTRACT: The context of digital transformation in education is rapidly progressing in
Vietnam, especially following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The application of
technology - particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) - has become an inevitable trend to
enhance teaching quality and improve the competencies of educators. In practice, AI not
only supports technical aspects but also contributes to transforming pedagogical thinking
and teaching methods, enabling teachers to adapt to modern training requirements, with a
focus on personalized education and lifelong learning. Applying AI to strengthen teacher
competencies is a strategic and long-term solution in modern education. It allows educators
to access, master, and effectively apply AI, thereby improving teaching quality and meeting
the demands of human resource development in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
This article will focus on two main aspects: (1) Elucidate the theoretical and practical bases
of the research issue, (2) The current status of teacher competencies and the application of
AI in teaching; (3) Proposed AI-based solutions to enhance teacher capacity.
Keywords: AI, digital transformation, teaching competency, lecturers
1. Introduction
In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the ongoing global wave of digital
transformation in education, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly
significant. AI is projected to be a top-priority technology group
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, with profound impacts
across all sectors, including education and training. AI is reshaping how people learn, teach,
and manage educational systems, while also opening up unprecedented opportunities for
pedagogical innovation, personalized learning, and enhanced training quality.
Countries around the world are accelerating digital transformation to boost labor
productivity, optimize management processes, and create new economic value. In Vietnam,
the Government issued the National Digital Transformation Program to 2025, with
orientation toward 2030, under Decision No. 749/QĐ-TTg dated June 3, 2020, by the Prime
Minister. The program sets a target for the digital economy to contribute 20% to GDP by
2025 and 30% by 2030. It outlines dual goals: to develop a digital government, digital
economy, and digital society, while also fostering Vietnamese digital technology enterprises
capable of competing globally.
Decision No. 127/QĐ-TTg dated January 26, 2021, issued by the Prime Minister, approved
the national strategy for AI research, development, and application through 2030. Decision
13
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Information and Communications Publishing House, 2021, Vietnam's Economy on
the Path of Digital Transformation, p. 1315
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No. 4725/QĐ-BGDĐT dated December 30, 2022, issued by the Ministry of Education and
Training, introduced a set of indicators for assessing the digital transformation level of
general and continuing education institutions. Decision No. 131/QĐ-TTg dated January 25,
2022, approved the "Digital Transformation Program in Education and Training to 2025,
with orientation toward 2030," emphasizing the development of a digital education
ecosystem and the application of AI in teaching and learning. On December 22, 2024, the
Politburo issued Resolution 57-NQ/TW on breakthroughs in the development of science,
technology, innovation, and national digital transformation
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, providing positive directions
for localities in their digital transformation efforts.
In this context, lecturers are no longer merely knowledge transmitters but also mentors,
advisors, and designers of flexible and modern learning environments. This requires them to
continuously enhance their teaching competencies, especially in terms of technological
capability, innovative thinking, and the ability to use AI-powered tools. However, in
practice, many lecturers—particularly in vocational education—still face challenges in
accessing and applying AI in teaching due to limitations in infrastructure, digital skills,
learning resources, and specific support policies
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.
AI can support lecturers in various aspects such as lesson planning, learning assessment,
personalized learning materials, real-world simulations through VR/AR technologies, and
even virtual teaching assistants, helping to save time, increase efficiency, and enhance
learners’ experiences. When applied appropriately, AI is not only a support tool but also a
lever to help lecturers develop comprehensive professional and pedagogical competencies,
thereby contributing to improved training quality and meeting human resource development
needs in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
2. Theoretical and Practical Foundations of the Study
a) Theoretical Foundation
- Concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a field within computer science that studies how to create
systems - either machines or software - that can simulate human intelligence. This includes
capabilities such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, language understanding, image
recognition, and decision-making. According to John McCarthy - the person who coined the
term in 1956 - AI is ―the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially
intelligent computer programs that can perform tasks that would normally require human
intelligence.‖ AI can perform functions such as natural language processing, machine
learning, speech recognition, computer vision, decision-making, and many other automation
applications. In education, AI is being used to support teaching, assess learners, personalize
learning content, and analyze educational data.
AI is categorized into various levels:
(1) Weak AI (Narrow AI): Specializes in performing specific tasks such as facial
recognition, language translation, or social media content recommendations.
(2) Strong AI (General AI): Has the ability to understand and perform any intellectual
task that a human can do (currently still under research).
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(3) Superintelligence (Super AI): A hypothetical future level of intelligence far
surpassing human intelligence.
- Concept of Teaching Competency for Lecturers
Teaching competency refers to the combination of knowledge, skills, professional
qualities, and attitudes that a lecturer must possess to effectively conduct the teaching-
learning process. According to a modern approach, teaching competency includes: (1) the
ability to design curriculum and lesson plans;
(2) the ability to apply effective teaching methods and technologies;
(3) the ability to assess learners;
(4) the ability to innovate and be creative in teaching; and
(5) the ability to pursue professional development.
In the context of digital transformation and the development of higher education
toward openness and flexibility, integrating technology—particularly AI—into teaching
activities is an inevitable trend to improve quality and effectiveness in education.
- Theories on the Application of Technology in Education
Some prominent theoretical models related to the application of technology
(including AI) in teaching include:
+ SAMR Model (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition): Refers to four
levels of technology integration in teaching, from simple substitution to a complete
redefinition of the learning experience.
+ TPACK Model (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge): Emphasizes the
integration of content knowledge, pedagogical methods, and technology—in which AI plays
a powerful supporting role for educators.
+ Personalized Learning Theory: AI can support the development of learning programs
tailored to each learner’s abilities, interests, and pace, thereby enhancing teaching quality.
In practice, many universities and educational organizations worldwide have applied AI
tools to support teaching, such as content recommendation systems, student-support
chatbots, automatic grading software, and learning analytics platforms. In Vietnam, AI
application in education is still in its early stages, but significant progress has been made,
especially in the post-COVID-19 context and the digital transformation of higher education.
b) Practical Foundation
In recent years, aligned with the trend of digital transformation in education, many
universities in Vietnam have begun implementing AI applications in teaching, educational
management, and student support. Although still in experimental or partial deployment
phases, initial results indicate that AI has positively contributed to enhancing teaching
quality and educational management effectiveness.
First, AI supports the design and delivery of digital teaching content. Many universities—
such as Hanoi University of Science and Technology, FPT University, and RMIT University
Vietnam—have used AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, or automated learning assistants to
help lecturers create lessons, suggest learning materials, develop test banks, and personalize
learning content. Hanoi Industrial Textile and Garment University organized a training
course titled "Application of AI in Teaching," supported by RMIT University Vietnam and
the Australian Government through the Australia Alumni Grant Fund. The six-week course
focused on applying AI in lesson design, personalizing learning experiences, and integrating
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AI into student performance assessment. Participants practiced using AI tools such as
ChatGPT, Canva AI, and MagicSchool to save preparation time and improve teaching
efficiency. The University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University,
Hanoi, launched a training course titled ―Breakthrough with GenAI in Teaching and
Research‖ in collaboration with Meta Group. The course aimed to equip lecturers with skills
to use modern AI tools like ChatGPT and GPT-4 for lesson development, learning material
creation, and designing smart assessments
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. The Vietnam–Korea University of Information
and Communication Technology (VKU), University of Danang, held a special seminar on
applying AI in blended learning, with participation from domestic and international
universities
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.
Second, AI is being used to assess learners more objectively and efficiently. Some
institutions have adopted automated grading systems for multiple-choice exams or used
speech recognition and AI-based essay grading software to increase productivity and ensure
fairness in assessment. Some online courses also integrate AI to provide instant feedback,
helping learners adjust their learning pace and methods accordingly.
Third, AI is used to analyze learning data and predict students’ learning behavior. Some AI-
integrated LMS platforms enable universities to collect data on learning progress, task
completion, and interaction time to assess academic performance and predict dropout or
course failure risks. This allows timely intervention and support for struggling or
unmotivated students.
Fourth, some universities have deployed virtual assistants and AI-powered chatbots to help
students with academic queries, schedules, and academic regulations - such as Ho Chi Minh
City Open University and National Economics University. These 24/7 AI chatbots help
reduce administrative workload and enhance the student experience.
3. Current Situation of Lecturers’ Competence and the Application of AI in Teaching
First, the current situation of lecturers' competence in the context of digital transformation
University lecturers are the core force in fulfilling the missions of education, scientific
research, and knowledge transfer. However, in the context of educational innovation and the
Fourth Industrial Revolution, Vietnamese lecturers are facing significant challenges
regarding their professional competence, pedagogical capacity, and particularly their
information and communication technology (ICT) skills. This requires lecturers to
continuously improve their capabilities to fulfill their assigned tasks effectively.
According to the Ministry of Education and Training, as of 2022, there were approximately
78,190 university lecturers nationwide, of whom around 30% held doctoral degrees.
However, only a small proportion of lecturers were assessed to possess strong technological
skills, especially in the use of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) in
teaching
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.
Although awareness of the importance of digital transformation is increasing, the digital
competence of university lecturers in Vietnam still faces many limitations. Many lecturers
have not received formal training in information technology, making it difficult for them to
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https://ussh.vnu.edu.vn/vi/news/dao-tao/khai-giang-khoa-tap-huan-dot-pha-cung-gen-ai-trong-giang-day-va-nghien-cuu-
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integrate technology into teaching. Traditional teaching methods still dominate, failing to
fully leverage the potential of digital technologies to create interactive and effective learning
environments. Training programs aimed at enhancing digital competencies for lecturers
remain limited and do not meet actual needs
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. Differences in infrastructure and economic
conditions have led to disparities in lecturers’ digital competence across regions. These
limitations stem from several key causes: the absence of specific policies and strategies to
develop digital competencies for lecturers
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. Additionally, technological infrastructure
remains a challenge: many universities are not fully equipped with adequate IT
infrastructure, which affects the implementation of technology-based teaching and research
activities. Some lecturers also lack full awareness of the significance of digital
transformation, resulting in limited motivation to improve their digital competencies
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.
Second, the Application of AI in Teaching
In reality, AI enhances access to education, promotes personalized learning, encourages self-
directed learning, drives innovation, improves teaching effectiveness, and fosters lifelong
learning habits. AI has a comprehensive impact on the three pillars of education:
curriculum, teaching and learning processes, and assessment and evaluation
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.
The application of AI in teaching in Vietnam is still in its early stages, mostly limited to
pilot projects or individual initiatives. Some major universities have started to integrate AI
tools into their training processes; however, the level of implementation remains uneven and
largely experimental.
Currently, some common forms of AI applications in education include: Automatic test and
quiz generation (using tools like Google Forms or Quizizz, which integrate AI to suggest
content); Learning analytics, which analyze student performance and trends to offer
personalized learning recommendations; AI-powered virtual teaching assistants (e.g., AI
chatbots used for classroom management and answering frequently asked questions—some
universities use ChatGPT or GPT-3 via API); AI-assisted lesson planning and digital content
creation using tools such as AI Writer, GitHub Copilot, or ChatGPT. Examples of
institutions applying AI in education include: National Economics University (NEU): In
2024, NEU introduced a full AI training program offering both bachelor's and engineering
degrees, taught entirely in English. University of Economics and Law, Ho Chi Minh City
(UEL): Since 2020, UEL has implemented the program "Digital Business and Artificial
Intelligence." Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City (HUB): In 2025, HUB announced
its AI training program. Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU): Has established an AI
Research Center and implemented AI-integrated training courses for lecturers.
Third, Current Challenges and Limitations
(1) Limitations in lecturers' competencies and skills: Many lecturers lack
foundational knowledge about AI; they do not fully understand the nature, capabilities, and
limitations of AI tools, which leads to inefficient use or over-reliance on technology. They
also lack practical technological skills, having not been properly trained in data mining,
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