The role of emotions in learning

The more emotionally stimulated a person is, the better his memory and retention because the experience directly relates to his life.

Let us take a look at how learners handle feelings that are evoked during the learning process. These include what kind of motivation the learner brings to the learning task, as well as personal values, beliefs and attitudes related to learning; whether they prefer to work alone or in groups, and the kind of relationship the learner prefers to have with the teacher and other learners.

These are all key factors in the learning process. The more emotionally stimulated a person is, the better his memory and retention because the experience directly relates to his life.

The learning methods and strategies to which students are exposed may be productive or counterproductive. Emotional stimuli provide different perspectives as to how and why they accomplish what they do, and the way they do what they do.

Students have specific preferences with regard to how they organize and pursue their goals and tasks. They are capable of being motivated sans external factors. Influential factors, like feedback, structures, and tasks, all interrelate with how students want their tasks done.

intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to learn?

Motivation basically stems from unsatisfied needs. Some students are self-motivated and perform because they like challenge and want to perform. When given control and choice, learners are allowed to express themselves creatively and to feel affirmed.

While teachers can’t make or teach students to be self-motivated, they can encourage and promote this highly desirable personal trait. Generally, students will show some self-motivation if they know what is expected of them, think the effort is worthwhile, and feel they will benefit through effective performance.

Frequent feedback is important, especially those that elicit feelings of motivation, encouragement and self-affirmation. This will always work a whole lot better than discouraging or embarrassing students. Teachers could employ the following strategies:

For those who are low in motivation:

* Design and provide short, uncomplicated assignments or easily understood options based on their interests.

* Encourage peer relationships with able, motivated individuals.

* Provide frequent positive, immediate and genuine feedback.

For the highly motivated:

* Encourage them to use self-designed objectives, procedures and evaluation mechanisms.

* Permit self-pacing and rapid achievement.

one-at-a-time or multiple starters?

Persistence is having that go-go-go feeling of finishing a task or a group of tasks. It is going on resolutely or stubbornly despite opposition or importunity.

Not all students (in fact, only a very few) persistently pursue their school work until its completion. Most would, more often than not, meet the requirements halfway and then go on to pursue other deadlines required by other subjects or other interests outside of the classroom.

The most difficult challenge for teachers is how to keep the students’ inclination either to complete school work already begun without stopping, or to take intermittent “breaks” while completing the task. Teachers could employ the following strategies:

For those who are high in persistence:
* Design long-term assignments.

* Provide supervision and assistance only when necessary.

* Suggest where help may be obtained if needed.

For those who are low in persistence:

* Provide short-term, limited assignments and options based on their interests.

* Encourage peer relationships with able, persistent individuals.

* Permit periodic “breaks’’.

With or without background music?

Studies have shown remarkable changes in the performance of teacher-facilitators who use classical music as part of their instructional technique. Impressive improvements were also noted in their students’ learning capacity.

Results of a study conducted at the Center for Neurobiology of Learning and Memory at California’s UC Irvine campus, which measured the impact of listening to Mozart before taking a standardized test, were amazing!

Participants who had listened to Mozart’s Sonata for Piano in D Major for 10 minutes obtained better test scores in spatial and abstract reasoning than those who had not.

Remember: you yourself may prefer another kind of music, or may prefer not to have any background music at all, if it proves distracting. This reflects your own learning style. The challenge is how to provide for the learning style needs of your students! Teachers could employ the following strategies:

For those who prefer sound:

* Provide soft music on earphones or earplugs (to avoid distracting those who need quiet).

* Create conversation areas or an activity oriented, learning or workingenvironment separate from individuals who need quiet.

For those who do not prefer sound:

* Establish silent areas.

* Provide private corners with carpeted sections.

* Provide sound-proof areas.

* Suggest the use of earphones or earplugs to insulate said students against activity and noise.

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