Integrating sociocultural perspectives into a university classroom: A case study of students' experience

Sociocultural theory (SCT) is one of the most important theories to explain children's cognitive development; however, till now few discussions have been made on the feasibility of applying the concepts of SCT to course design and delivery in higher education. To fill this gap, this study used a food science-related broadening course, whose course design and delivery were guided by the concepts of SCT, provided by a university in China as a case study. Data were collected through 10 in-depth semi-structured interviews performed at the end of the course. The purpose of this study was to examine the perception and feelings of students who participated in the course so as to understand the learning experience of students who had been exposed to teaching practices, as well as the course design, informed by the SCT at the tertiary education level. Results of this study demonstrated the potential use of the SCT in facilitating teaching and learning in higher education through enhancing students' learning experience. Concepts of the SCT, therefore, warrant further studies as frameworks for future course development in higher education.

Automated summary

Sociocultural theory (SCT) is an important theory for explaining children's cognitive development, but its application to course design and delivery in higher education has received little attention. This study used a food science-related broadening course in a Chinese university as a case study, applying the concepts of SCT to guide its design and delivery. Interviews with students at the end of the course revealed that SCT had the potential to enhance teaching and learning experiences in higher education. Further studies are needed to explore the use of SCT as a framework for course development in higher education.