Browsing by Subject "kontrolli-arvoteoria"

Objectives and method The aim of this qualitative study was to describe, analyze and interpret the experienced academic emotions of students during the university studies, as well as to describe how emotions are related to studying and study progress. The data was analysed through qualitative content analysis. The research was carried out as two separate interviews of five individual students from the Faculty of Humanities at the Helsinki University, the total number of interviews being ten. Two of the students had progressed faster than average in studies during their first year and the rest three were progressing slower than average during their first year. Based on previous studies (eg. Pekrun, 2006 Hailikari et al., 2015) it was to be expected that the academic achievement emotions play a central role in university studying. Results and conclusions The results showed that the emotional aspect of learning is important for successful learning. Students' descriptions revealed a wide range of emotional expressions in descriptions of emotions, moods and feelings. There was variation in how students described situation specific emotions (emotional states) and individual ways to approach emotions (emotional traits). In addition, elements which triggered emotions were identified, such as teaching or studying as an activity. From this data, it was not possible to distinguish a clear similarities or differences between the students who progressed fast in their studies and those who progressed slowly, although some differences between these different type of students could be detected. Students progressing slowly advanced students described that, for example, uncertainty and conflicting emotional experiences caused delay in their studies, though, the data is limited. Of the two fast progressing students only one clearly emphasized positive emotions. The result corresponded to the assumption that most of the negative and hinder study progression. In turn positive emotions are mainly connected to faster study pace and better study success (eg. Pekrun et al., 2002). Weak or neutral emotions also appeared in the data. Most clearly the emotions focused on studying, planning of studying and its contents, as well as to the results and achievement of studying and its guidance. The most positive emotions were expressed in relation to teaching, while uncertainty was mostly related to future career possibilities. Based on results, it is important to be aware of differences individual students' ways of experiencing and describing emotions.

Previous research shows that emotions experienced in learning affect the learning results. In addition, there is lots of evidence about the interconnections between approaches to learning and study success. However, no research has been conducted in Finland about how the emotions experienced in learning might relate to different approaches to learning students adopt and to their learning results. Academic emotions refer to the emotions experienced in context of learning, studying, performing and success. In this study, emotions were defined according to Pekrun’s et al. (2002) control-value theory of academic emotions. The objective of the thesis was to explore university students’ academic emotions and approaches to learning, their interrelations and effects on study success in a lecture course arranged by Aalto University School of Engineering. The factors affecting good and on the other hand poor performance in the course were explored. Examining the study success in this course was important, as some students had repeatedly found the course extremely challenging and the proportion of poorly performing students had often been significant. Some students participated in the course two or more times in order to pass it. It was investigated if the participants had different experiences and approaches to learning according to the number of times participated in the course. Based on the literature, the concepts of emotions and self-efficacy beliefs were separated and their relationship was explored. The academic emotions questionnaire was compiled and the items were translated using recent international questionnaires. The research data was gathered during February and March 2013 using an electronic questionnaire. The sample consisted of 239 students corresponding to 75 % of all the course participants. In addition, students’ points in homework papers, midpoint exam marks and final course results were included in the data. Factor analysis was used to form scales measuring academic emotions and approaches to learning. Differences in emotions, self-efficacy beliefs, approaches to learning and study success according to the number of times participated in the course were analyzed using Kruskall-Wallis test. Correlations, regression analysis, cluster analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and cross tabulation were used to examine the interconnections of emotions, self-efficacy beliefs and approaches to learning and their effects on the study success in the course. Positive emotions correlated positively with self-efficacy beliefs, deep approach to learning, organized studying and study success. As for negative emotions, they correlated positively with surface approach to learning and negatively with self-efficacy, organized studying and study success. Self-efficacy beliefs predicted positively and anxiety and hopelessness predicted negatively students’ midpoint exam marks. Similarly, self-efficacy beliefs predicted positively whereas experienced boredom predicted negatively the final course results. Three different groups of students were formed: 1) positive and dedicated, 2) ashamed of not working hard and not dedicated, and 3) anxious and surface oriented. The group of positive and dedicated students had succeeded better in the course and were 40 % more likely to pass the course than the other two groups. Students who participated the course two or more times in order to pass it, had felt more negative emotions and weaker self-efficacy and they had applied more surface and non-organized approaches to learning and studying during the course than those participating for the first time. The results indicate that students’ study success could be contributed by supporting positive self-efficacy beliefs and organized approach to studying and by avoiding study environments that might create anxiety or encourage surface approach to learning.