By Marina Ortega, INDEPCIE
After the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hours we spend in front of a screen has increased, and although online learning was already part of the daily routine, it is now becoming more and more common.
In the EDL project, emotions play a key role, especially when it comes to emotions related to online learning.
Why Use Emotions in e-Learning?
“Emotions are a fundamental component of the process of any kind of learning, whether it takes place in the classroom, with face-to-face lessons between students and teacher, or using a computer, tablet or smartphone as a vehicle for teaching. Despite the fact that the world of emotions seems distant from that of education, especially when it takes place online, emotionally involving the student, whether in school education or learning in the workplace, is crucial.” (Francesca Bernasconi, 2023)
But how can we know what factors tell us that we are emotionally tired when we are learning?
In order not to feel emotionally fatigued, it is very important that the students are part of the lessons and the teaching itself. It is not enough to turn on the camera and talk, you have to involve them. Some of the signs that we can perceive when a student can’t cope emotionally are:
Lack of Participation: This symptom may be identified relatively easily in a course: if the students attend the bare minimum of lectures, it indicates that their interest in the lectures is low and that they most likely did not feel emotionally engaged.
Inaccurate Answers: If a student provides incorrect, superficial, or inaccurate answers during exercises, assessment tests, or assigned activities, it is likely that they have just superficially digested the course material. This shortcoming may be brought on specifically by a lack of interest, which results from having little to no emotional investment in the topic.
Yawning, Lost looks, and Signs of Impatience: It is essential to watch the user’s facial expressions, which frequently indicate what isn’t being stated, in order to determine whether they are emotionally invested and consequently interested in the course. Apathy and lack of focus can be demonstrated by yawning, looking away (for example, at a phone or other open computer screens), or rolling the eyes.
Lack of Depth: Participants may have failed to emotionally engage with the e-learning if they access the training materials but don’t read them in depth or merely complete the bare minimum of what is necessary.
Including emotional material in an online course is a great way to hold students’ interest and evoke pleasant memories that, in addition to promoting learning, will motivate them to keep going through the lessons in quest of that sensation.
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