Sociotechnical Theory: Managing Boundaries to Enhance Student Learning

Abstract

This article examines some of the implications of sociotechnical theory for instructors and administrators in higher education. Concepts that have been used in the past primarily to describe and explain behavior in business, hospitals, and similar organizations, are applied to educational settings and problems. Among the concepts developed and applied in this analysis are those of boundary maintenance and control, defense against anxiety, the effects of uncertainty on instructional design, and "quality of life" issues in the classroom. The function of instructors is described as defining boundaries and regulating transactions across them. The major responsibility of students is posited to be learning, a responsibility which they must accept if the system is to accomplish its primary task.

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