Interdisciplinary Situational Teaching for Postgraduate Connotative Development: An Integrated Perspective of Scaffolding Theory and Symbolic Interactionism

Abstract

As China’s higher education shifts toward connotative development, graduate education must prioritize quality enhancement and structural optimization. This study examines how interdisciplinary courses promote connotative development by integrating scaffolding theory and symbolic interaction theory, investigating their impact on cognitive growth and social interaction. Through semi-structured interviews with seven graduate students from Chinese-foreign cooperative programs, the research identifies key factors, such as teacher guidance, course design, and group collaboration, that shape learning methods, knowledge transfer, and critical thinking. Findings reveal that guided teaching, social issue discussions, and experiential learning in interdisciplinary settings promote independent exploration and multidisciplinary perspectives, offering an innovative model for reforming graduate education. The study provides theoretical insights and practical strategies to advance connotative development in China’s higher education system.