Socio-emotional Orientation as a Mediating Variable in the Teaching‐Learning Interaction: Implications for instructional design

In this paper it is argued that many instructional designs of modern pedagogical models are made unconsciously without a view of the issues being addressed by the social, emotional and motivational processes of learning. The theoretical framework for analysing them is presented. The use of the framework is demonstrated in two empirical experiments, where individual students' social, emotional and motivational interpretations were analysed in a cognitive apprenticeship - based technologically rich learning environment. The results of the studies indicate that students with different socio - emotional orientation tendencies will interpret the novel instructional designs in ways that will subsequently lead to different actual behaviours among them. It is concluded that students' interpretations are important variables that interact with variables in the instructional environment and that this aspect needs more attention in instructional design.