Abstract:

The objective of the research is to analyze how sociocultural mediation and pedagogical innovation based on information and communication technologies (ICT) improve the teaching of social sciences in higher education. This research is based on the conviction that contemporary educational processes require new forms of interaction between teachers, students, and content, and that this is especially necessary in specific sociocultural contexts where students' experiences, prior knowledge, and realities have a significant impact on how they learn and understand the social reality in which they live.

Following a qualitative methodology, a case study was conducted at a specific higher education institution. Information was collected through documentary analysis of teaching plans and digital materials, together with observation of ICT-mediated classroom practices and semi-structured interviews with participating teachers and students. Data processing was carried out through a thematic categorization process, which allowed for the identification of patterns such as pedagogical mediation, didactic and contextualized use of technologies, and levels of student participation and reflection.

The results show that the deliberate integration of ICT and innovative pedagogical mediation strategies contributes to the construction of meaningful learning in social sciences. Specifically, there is evidence of progress in critical thinking, greater competence in interpreting complex social phenomena, and increased student motivation and involvement. On the other hand, it is noted that teaching practices that connect the content of the subject area with the sociocultural and sociohistorical context of the student generate more participatory, dialogical, and reflective learning spaces.

The conclusions reveal that educational innovation in the field of social sciences is not only the instrumental use of technology, but also pedagogical integration, the use of technology as an intermediary tool between academic knowledge and the student's lived experience. In this way, the role of the teacher is in line with that of mediator, facilitator, and designer of learning situations aimed at helping students develop key competencies for critical and committed citizenship. Finally, the study emphasizes the need to delve deeper into pedagogical models that connect the sociocultural and digital dimensions in order to respond to the current challenges facing higher education.

In this sense, innovative teaching methods, carried out with the help of ICT in the educational field, promote active learning, critical thinking, and student participation, thereby improving educational quality. Their intentional and contextualized integration serves to mediate between academic content and the student's sociocultural experience, thus promoting the construction of meaningful learning in higher education.

In summary, the results of this research corroborate that the interrelation of sociocultural mediation, pedagogical innovation, and critical use of ICT is a key element for improving the teaching of social sciences in higher education. The convergence of all these elements is a way not only to enrich teaching and learning processes, but also to contribute to the development of individuals who can interpret their reality, actively intervene in it, and exercise informed, reflective citizenship with a committed will in complex and dynamic social contexts.

Keywords:

Digital skills, Sociocultural context, Critical teaching, Educational inclusion, Teaching practices.