How students describe the sources of their emotional and motivational experiences during the learning process: A qualitative approach

The results show that students' descriptions of their emotions had several origins; five different categories were created to describe the various sources of emotional experiences.

Abstract

The aim of the study reported in this paper was to consider the sources of emotional and motivational experiences of secondary school students (N = 18), 12–15 years old, during computer-supported collaborative learning projects. We chose the concept of volition to frame the analysis of the various kinds of descriptions the students give of their emotional experiences in collaborative inquiry. Process-oriented interviews were conducted during and after lessons, and questions dealing with students' self-related beliefs and feelings, and the learning environment were asked. The analysis was complemented with a micro-level video analysis of two students' working processes. The results show that students' descriptions of their emotions had several origins; five different categories were created to describe the various sources of emotional experiences. The case descriptions demonstrate how students express and control their emotions, as well as their motivation.