Hybridization of Sociocultural Factors’ Theory: Conditions for Learning in an Academic Community of Practice

Abstract

This paper set out to explore the conditions required for learning in an Academic Community of Practice (ACOP) with French-speaking students as stakeholders. English language acquisition was pivotal, among the other sociocultural factors they had to negotiate for academic learning to evolve. Utilising a single case study approach, semistructured interviews, focus group interviews, observation and narrative inquiry, it was found that three major sociocultural factors were determinants of academic learning in an academic community of practice comprising French-speaking students and other stakeholders. The language of learning and teaching (LoLT), academic acculturation and academic identity were instrumental to academic learning with constant redress among the sociocultural factors as French-speaking students progressed to full participation. The private tertiary education institution falls directly under the categorization of an academic community of practice, drawing on Otten (2009). Depending on redress among the three sociocultural factors, hybrids emerged as indices of learning trajectories of French-speaking students. When these three factors are in a state of redress, there is an emergent learning, depending on the extent of hybridization between the sociocultural factors.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n1p205