Teacher-Oriented Pedagogy in Cambodian Public High Schools: Instructional Efficiency and Student Perceptions in Resource-Constrained Contexts

This qualitative case study examines how teacher-oriented pedagogy shapes student learning and perceptions in Cambodian public high schools operating under socio-cultural hierarchy and resource constraints. The study provides a critique of examination-driven and resource-constrained contexts utilizing Cognitive Load Theory, Vygotskian socio-cultural theory, and other theoretical applications, while emphasizing the need to consider teacher-oriented pedagogy as more than simply restrictive and deficient. The study’s findings emphasize and encourage the legitimacy of teacher-oriented pedagogy, especially in examination-driven systems and other resource-constrained contexts. Using observations of classrooms, document analysis and interviews with teachers and students, the study found that in examination-based classrooms, structured teacher guidance helps in students’ cognitive engagement as well as provides students with a sense of emotional safety, thus stimulating more inclusive participation across genders. However, the lack of individualized attention for lower-performing students emerged as a key constraint. Resource-constrained contexts are framed in this study as teacher-oriented pedagogy and are considered an example of constructive pedagogical leadership rather than adopting a deficit perspective. Implications focus on enhancing educators’ constructive pedagogical leadership and the provision of differentiated instructional materials within severely under-resourced educational environments.