Expansive Teaching Approach in Mental Health Education: A Theoretical Study in Chinese Vocational Colleges

Abstract

Mental health education plays a vital role in fostering the holistic development of students in higher vocational colleges, where learners often face academic pressure, career uncertainty, and social adaptation challenges. However, traditional lecture-based psychological courses tend to emphasize theoretical knowledge while neglecting students’ engagement and practical psychological skills. To address this gap, this paper explores the theoretical application of the Expansive Teaching Approach in mental health education for vocational students in China. Drawing on Vygotsky’s developmental theory, Activity Theory, and constructivist pedagogy, the Expansive Teaching Approach emphasizes learner-centered participation, open exploration, and the integration of real-life contexts into the curriculum. This paper develops a conceptual framework that situates expansive teaching within three interrelated dimensions—cognitive expansion, emotional expansion, and behavioral expansion—and analyzes how these dimensions can be embedded into course objectives, instructional design, and classroom strategies. The study argues that this approach can enhance students’ self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal competence, while also cultivating resilience and adaptability. At the same time, potential challenges are discussed, including limited teaching resources, teacher preparedness, and institutional constraints. By providing a theoretical model and pedagogical implications, this paper contributes to the innovation of mental health education in vocational colleges and offers directions for future empirical studies and curriculum reforms.