African Educational Research Journal - Full Length Research Paper - Priority Needs Assessment of Foreign Language Teachers’ Teaching Competency in a Chinese Private University

Oct 15, 2026

Diagnoses priority development needs of foreign language teachers in a Chinese private university using a dual-evidence framework that integrates Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI) analysis with teacher–student perceptual comparison. 179 teachers and 404 students assess educational beliefs, instructional skills, and digital pedagogical competencies, revealing significant gaps between current and desired levels. Digital pedagogical competence is the highest priority (PNI=0.360), especially smart interactive assessment and digital learner profiling. Student ratings exceed teacher self-assessments for educational beliefs and digital pedagogical competence, indicating internally oriented development motivation. The study identifies four critical competency units for priority intervention and supports data-informed faculty development planning in resource-constrained settings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

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Abstract

Introduction

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 14(1), pp. 291-304, March 2026 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper A priority needs assessment of foreign language teachers’ teaching competency in a Chinese private university Nabing Mao1*, Chuming Ren1,2 and Supalucsana Lomlai1 1 Payap University, Thailand. 2 Nanning Normal University, China. Accepted 10 March, 2026 | ABSTRACT
This study diagnoses the priority development needs of foreign language teachers in a Chinese private university using a dual-evidence framework integrating Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI) analysis and teacher–student perceptual comparison. A total of 179 teachers and 404 students participated in a survey assessing three competency dimensions: educational beliefs (EB), instructional skills (IS), and digital pedagogical competencies (DPC) . Results indicate significant gaps between current and desired competency levels across all dimensions, with DPC demonstrating the highest priority need (PNI=0 .360) . Specifically, smart interactive assessment (PNI=0 .413) and digital learner profiling (PNI=0 .407) emerged asthe most urgent areas for development. Independent-samples t-tests reveal that student evaluations are generally higher than teacher self-assessments in EB and DPC, suggesting a pattern of teacher-driven developmental motivation rather than external performance pressure. The integrated analysis identifies four critical competency units that warrant priority intervention, particularly in digitally mediated instruction. By combining needs intensity ranking with perceptual triangulation, this study advances a data-informed approach to faculty development planning in resource-constrained institutional contexts. The findings suggest a tendency toward internally oriented professional development standards.
Keywords: Priority needs assessment, teaching competency, foreign language teachers, teacher–student perceptual gap, private higher education. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. Email: [6509040045@payap.ac.th](6509040045@payap.ac.th). | INTRODUCTION Chinese higher education has entered a stage of massification, with private universities playing an increasingly important role in expanding access and diversifying institutional forms. According to the Chinese Ministry of Education (2023), more than one-third of the nation’s undergraduate students are enrolled in private institutions. While this expansion has widened participation, it has also intensified inter-institutional competition and raised expectations for teaching quality. Compared with their public counterparts, Chinese private universities typically operate under tighter financial constraints and rely heavily on tuition revenue (Mok and Chan, 2008; Yang, 2014) . Prior research shows that limited research resources and heavy teaching loads often create difficulties in teacher recruitment, retention, and professional development (Xu and Montgomery, 2019) . Asa result, teaching quality is not merely an academic issue but a strategic concern for the survival and development of private universities in a competitive higher education market. Foreign language education holds strategic importance in China’s globalization process and the Belt and Road Initiative. The Teaching Guide for Foreign Language and Literature Majors in Regular Higher Education Institutions Afr Educ Res J 292 (Ministry of Education, 2018) emphasizes not only linguistic proficiency but also intercultural communication, critical thinking, and digital literacy. At the same time, the integration of ideological-political education into the curriculum and the rapid digital transformation of higher education have placed new demands on foreign language teachers’ competencies (Bond et al. , 2018; Koehler and Mishra, 2009) . Digital tools are now deeply embedded in classroom interaction, formative assessment, and teaching resource integration, making digital pedagogical competence a core professional att

FAQs

What framework does the study use to diagnose teachers’ development needs?

It applies a dual-evidence framework combining Modified Priority Needs Index (PNI) analysis with teacher–student perceptual comparison.

Which competency dimension shows the highest priority need and what sub-areas are most urgent?

Digital pedagogical competencies have the highest priority need (PNI=0.360). Smart interactive assessment (PNI=0.413) and digital learner profiling (PNI=0.407) are identified as the most urgent areas.

How do student evaluations compare with teachers’ self-assessments?

Student evaluations are generally higher than teacher self-assessments in educational beliefs and digital pedagogical competencies, suggesting teacher-driven developmental motivation rather than external performance pressure.

Oct 15, 2026

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