Changes in Emotion and Their Relationship with Learning Gains in the Context of MetaTutor

Positive academic emotions are generally associated with positive learning experiences, while the opposite is true for negative emotions. This study examined changes in learners’ emotional profiles as they participated in MetaTutor, a computer-based learning environment designed to foster self-regulated learning via study of the human circulatory system. Latent transition analysis was employed to determine distinct, parsimonious emotional profiles over time. Learners are shown to move systematically among three profiles (positive, bored/frustrated, and moderate) in fairly predictable patterns. Of these, boredom is the most pressing concern given the relatively small chance of moving from boredom to a different emotional profile. Students’ learning gains were also significant predictors of emotional transitions. The findings suggest the need for timely intervention for learners who are on the verge of negative emotional trajectories, and the complex relationship between learning gains and emotions. In addition, latent transition analysis is demonstrated as a potentially useful technique for analyzing and utilizing multivariate panel data.