Emotion plays a major role in memory, learning, and cognition.
In, “Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective” (Ertmer & Newby, 2013), Ertmer and Newby discuss the roles of each learning theory in a continuum of readiness of learning acquisition based on seven questions to unpack each perspective. As a psychology major, I have taken classes in learning and behaviour, and cognition. This article spelled out these two approaches well and how they can be seen as building blocks to more complex applications such as constructivism. Yet, reading this article’s answer to “[w]hich factors influence learning?” in constructivism was sadly limited. Even in the update, there was no mention of the role of the emotion, nor the role of the subconscious.
The subconscious is something not often discussed during theories of learning. In viewing the mind through a dualistic lens of the conscious and the subconscious, behaviourism and cognitivism find a comfy home in the conscious with a cabin in the subconscious, while constructivism and the subconscious are very married. The importance of meaning is paramount to constructivism, and emotions are the backbone to the meaning of constructs. The subconscious interprets the external stimuli filtered through the conscious mind through an emotional regulator of the limbic system. It has its own rules of operating that is different from the conscious. I can go into great depths of how this dualistic operating system impacts an individual with concerns/ trauma and how the mind generates a behavioural response pattern. But, this class is focused on digital learning, so I will focus on that and if you would like any further information about dualism and psychotherapy please do not hesitate to contact me.
McFadden (2007) noted a similar view regarding the role of emotion in digital learning. In his article, “The forgotten dimension in learning: Incorporating emotion into web-based education”, McFadden explores the role of emotion and ends with twenty-one hypotheses involving how this significant dimension of being human is associated with web-based learning.
1. The role of emotion is poorly understood in society and in learning.
2. Educators and learners may have ambivalent attitudes towards
emotion.
3. Science and professionalism may de-value emotion.
4. New research in brain functioning is supporting a major role for
emotion in memory, cognition and learning.
5. Emotion can enhance focus, motivation and reasoning. Under certain situations it can also impair memory, motivation and reasoning.
6. Positive emotions may stimulate more creative, integrative, flexible thinking and an openness to information.
7. Emotion has been associated with academic performance.
8. Emotions are too complex to be categorized as strictly positive and
negative. Lower levels of anxiety, for instance, may enhance focus,
motivation and performance.
9. Learning involves a wide range of emotions.
10. The emotional experience within a course may be an important factor in valuing the course.
11. The expression of emotion may be seen as a danger in creating a
“safe” classroom for discussion.
12. Facilitators may deliberately discourage the expression of emotion.
13. Learners may compartmentalize emotion, “saving” it for outside
the classroom.
14. Learners may have a “personal style” in communicating emotion
online.
15. Some of the features of online education and communication may
limit the expression of emotion.
16. Various tools can be used to enrich online communication with
emotion.
17. Online emotional expression may be related to gender, personal
style, comfort with others, size of the group, and skill and knowledge with computers and the internet.
18. Facilitators may be missing important emotional experiences of
learners such as feeling ignored or unappreciated in an asynchronous communication environment.
19. Course experiences can be described as having an “emotional topography” with common feelings and experiences among users at
different points.
20. Web-course developers should consider the emotional experiences
of learners in designing courses.
21. Web-course facilitators should be aware of the variety of emotions
experienced by learners throughout the course and be prepared to
respond to them.
(McFadden, 2007)
I think they are interesting points to consider as hypotheses. What are your thoughts? Do you think emotion is a factor in learning? What about digital learning, is your response the same? If the subconscious runs much of our behaviour, should there be more attention dedicated to this important variable?
Maybe you don’t think the subconscious plays a role. If so, I would love to engage with a dialogue with you as dialectical engagement is an essence of constructivism.
Let’s learn together.
References
Ertmer, P., & Newby, T. (2013 Online). . Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43-71.
MacFadden, R. (2007) The forgotten dimension in learning: Incorporating emotion into web-based education. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 25(1-2), 85-101. DOI: 10.1300/J017v25n01_05