Emotions, engagement, and self‐perceived achievement in a small private online course

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted learning Vol. 36; no. 4; pp. 449 - 457
• Main Authors: Ding, Yan, Zhao, Ting
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Wiley-Blackwell 01.08.2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Assignments; Boredom; Distance learning; Educational Technology; Emotions; engagement with assignments; engagement with videos; Instructional Design; Learner Engagement; Learning; Literature reviews; Mediation; MOOC; MOOCs; Online Courses; Online instruction; Perceptions; Predictor Variables; Psychological Patterns; self‐perceived achievement; SPOC; Video Technology
• ISSN: 0266-4909; 1365-2729
• DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12410

Emotions are critical to learning. However, the function of emotions in the emerging context of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has been under‐researched. The present study complemented this line of research by modelling the relation between learner emotions, engagement with videos, engagement with assignments, and self‐perceived achievement in a small private online course—a localized instance of an extended MOOC. The results suggested that whereas enjoyment, excitement, boredom, and annoyance were all significant predictors of video engagement, only excitement and annoyance were significant predictors of assignment engagement. Excitement, in particular, was the strongest or stronger predictor of both types of engagement. In addition, both types of engagement predicted self‐perceived achievement, but video engagement predicted self‐perceived achievement via the mediation of assignment engagement. Implications for designing more effective MOOCs were proposed. Lay Description What is currently known about the subject Emotions predict engagement in learning settings other than MOOCs. Engagement predicts achievement in learning settings including MOOCs. Assignment engagement predicts achievement in MOOCs better than video engagement. What this paper adds The two types of engagement are predicted by different sets of emotions. Engagement predicts self‐perceived achievement in the SPOC. Video engagement predicts self‐perceived achievement via the mediation of assignment engagement. The majority of systematic reviews did not evaluate the quality of the primary papers which they examined. Implications for practitioners MOOC researchers should pay more attention to the design of assignments. MOOC developers should try to build more emotionally‐sound courses and platforms.