Cognitive Responses to Sociocultural Elements in Professional Graduate Programs: Two Case Studies

Abstract

This article examines the sociocognitive context of two international students in academic programs in the United States. Bandura (2001) defines sociocognition as the interaction between an individual and the sociocultural elements that comprise his or her learning environment. Research in English for academic purposes has included more focus on these elements, resulting in emergent themes in the categories of workload management, success orientation, and social relationships. This study uses these categories in analysis of study logs, interviews, and documents to explore the sociocognitive responses of a student in a master of business administration (MBA) program and a student in a master of laws program during their first two semesters. The results indicate that their responses were mediated by their academic disciplines, including the teamwork requirements in the MBA program and the competitive atmosphere of the law school, as well as individual factors, including one participant's tendency to seek out classmates as study partners and the other's tendency to focus on his inner resources.

The English Communication and Learning Needs of Master of Business Administration Students and Curriculum Development at a Chinese University

“…MBA students should also be supported by cooperative learning. Uhrig's (2012) comparative case study of MBA and Master of Law students demonstrates that their academic performance is influenced by specific disciplines, such as the teamwork requirements and the highly competitive academic environment of law school. Individual differences will also influence their learning methods.…”