Application of bioecological systems theory to higher education: Best evidence review
Feyisa Mulisa · Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology · 2019
Urie Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory is an important model to illustrate the complexity of reciprocal interactions between growing persons and their multilevel socioecological milieus. In higher education, students’ achievement may be similarly affected by manifold bioecological systems. The applications of this holistic theory have been widely considered in higher education across the world, but it seems that a simplistic reductionist approach is popular in higher education of Ethiopian to determine educational outputs. The objective of this article is, therefore, pertaining partial application of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model to higher education with an intention to surpass students’ learning. This theory may offer useful theoretical frameworks and practical implications for practitioners. Thereby, they could demonstrate comprehensive maneuvers to successfully handle multilevel socioecological factors that counteract students’ learning. Although it is very challenging to apply bioecological theory in a complete manner, implications of key concepts such as a person, microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem variables have been discussed.