Browsing by Author "Patjas, Topi"

Objectives. This thesis examines how students participating in a new kind of university course construct their academic emotions in relation to a blended and student-activating learning environment. Closer examination is paid to the practices, tools, and interactions students felt mediating optimal or harmful learning experiences. Students' emotional experiences of the learning context could be further used in developing innovative learning environments. Methods. This thesis is a qualitative case study in which the phenomenon under study is the quality and nature of students' academic emotions in relation to a university course. The research materials were students' written learning journals (N=20) which were produced during the duration of the course. Students’ academic emotions and experiences of the learning context were analyzed qualitatively by a phenomenological research approach. Qualitative analysis was guided by applying Yiks ym., (1999) multidimensional core affect theory, and understanding of the quality of students' academic emotions was deepened by examining the students' reported experiences of challenge and competence (Csikszentmihalyi, 2013) and control and value (Pekrun, 2006). Results and conclusion. Students experienced the course as activating, and inspirational and reported it being meaningful in relation to their professional development. The course was also considered challenging and frustrating, the single most reported affect being confusion. Many of the activating emotional experiences were constructed in relation to the course’s phenomenon project which was considered engaging but confusing and challenging. Emotions most optimal for learning were reported in relation to the small group work and peer feedback. Some of the students reported feelings of confusion and frustration towards lack of sufficient guidance. Feelings of boredom and frustration were felt towards the usability of the course’s digital environment which was not considered optimal for learning. Feelings of confusion and frustration seem to be part courses which use student activating practices and therefore there needs to be enough support to process these emotions. The results of this study give some indication of the practices, interactions and tools enhancing and hindering students’ academic confusion, but topic needs to be further studied.