Emotional Arousal
Emotional Arousal - Overview
What is emotional arousal?
The emotional and physical reaction and the students' perception of them can have a large impact on self-efficacy. " People who have a high sense of efficacy are likely to view their state of affective arousal as an energizing facilitator of performance, whereas those who are beset by self- doubts regard their arousal as a debilitator" (Bandura 1977). Helping student manage their anxiety and enhancing their mood an improve their overall sense of self-efficacy.
Teaching Practices for emotional arousal
Managing emotional arousal often means managing student's anxiety while also creating an engaging and welcoming classroom. The following contains an outline of teaching practices you can use with links to more information on separate pages.
Apply methods to reduce test anxiety
Teach learning/coping strategies to students
Build rapport with students
Allow students to choose options
Integrate engaging experiences (Link has been removed because content is not present or cannot be resolved.)
Emotional Arousal - Test Anxiety
Test anxiety can be a major contributor to the poor performance of some students. Students often have poor study skills, are distracted by negative self-talk, or don't know what they need to study. While more severe cases may need a counselor's attention, there is a lot the instructor can do to help relieve some anxiety.
The following suggestions are ideas instructors can use to accommodate for test anxiety
Empower students with learning and meta-cognitive strategies
Talk about learning strategies in your class
Identify strategies that have worked well for previous students
Use an exam wrapper or other meta-cognitive strategy to help students understand how they learn (see Mastery - Meta-cognition)
Provide opportunities for social support
Students who feel isolated and alone can develop anxiety. Cooperative learning or studying in groups can help students feel less isolated and counteract possible negative self-images (see Vicarious - Group Work)
Feedback from other students can also provide social support to address anxiety (see Social Persuasion - Students (Peers))
Create a nonthreatening classroom and testing environment
Ask the students what they want/need for a testing environment
Quiet space, few distractions (teacher walking around)
Review of material before exam
Positive encouragement for test ("You got this")
Other suggestions for test anxiety
A good review really helps students know what they need to study. I find the doing a review before the test is very beneficial for the students. It helps then to know what they should be studying and eliminate the anxiety that they are going to miss something in studying. Students also tend to pay a lot more attention to the review than a standard lecture so it is a great opportunity to help address any learning lapses.
Align the exam to the learning objective. Good learning objectives and alignment helps the student to know what they need to know. You can even do a post-analysis after the exam and show how the questions fit with the learning objectives.
Practice problems/exams are also a great tool for students. They help the students to know the level of difficulty of the exam questions and assess of they know enough. It is important the the exam questions be just as difficult (or a little more so) than the actual test. Asking too simple of questions will not prepare the students. A good practice exam will help reduce anxiety and let students feel more confident about the real exam.
Provide smaller stakes exams (more exams, less material, and less % of grade). If it works well for the course, having a short exam every two weeks may be better than having 2 or 3 exams in a semester. Students are less stressed about the exam because it is worth less of their overall grade and the amount of material covered is less. The exams don't have to be for the whole class period, just a part of it.
Use humor and/or positive reflection. For example the first question on the exam can ask an open ended positive question like "Describe something you are really good at." The positive question helps the student refocus and break the cycle of worry when starting the exam. Humor in questions or a funny cartoon on an exam can also help.
Resources
Tips for students: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/tackling-test-anxiety/,
https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/student-life/reduce-test-anxiety-college-students/
Tips for faculty: https://www.education.udel.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/TestAnxiety.pdf
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/87567555.1992.10532238
Emotional Arousal - learning/coping strategies
Why Emotions Matter
A student's emotional state affects how they learn. If they are intimidated by a subject/instructor/peer then they will shy away from learning activities and not take risks that would lead to more engagement. If they are energized by a subject/instructor/peer then the opposite is true. Students are more likely to be activity engaged and their learning will improve.
Students can learn how and when to use rational processes to override their emotions, or to hold them in check. Students may need help/guidance in learning forms of self-control among students and staff that encourage nonjudgmental, nondisruptive (and perhaps even inefficient) venting of emotion that generally must occur before reason can take over.
Activities to recognize emotions
Although students generally know quite a bit about their emotions, what they may not understand how it affects their learning. Meta-cognitive activities (Mastery - Meta-cognition) can help student link their emotional state to their learning.
In addition, support from social interactions can help improve a student's emotional state. Group work, constructive feedback, active learning can all help bring in more social interaction.
The classroom environment is also important because a stressful environment can make it more difficulty to learn. The classroom layout should be comfortable if possible. Although faculty do not have much say in the classroom seating try to make it work the best it can for the class. The non-physical environment should be open and welcoming as well. Setting up class norms and behavior expectations (see Mastery - Motivate students) helps everyone realize what they need to do and feel more comfortable doing it.
Model your recognition of emotions. Talk about struggles you have had in the past or are currently experiencing (i.e. COVID fatigue). Validate that these emotions are real and ok to have and demonstrate or talk about how you are coping with them.
Sources to help students learn/cope
Instructors are not trained to be counselors, but the following resources can be useful for you to learn some suggestions or point students to:
Test Anxiety
https://www.verywellmind.com/test-anxiety-3024422
https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/test-anxiety
General Anxiety
https://buckeyerecoverynetwork.com/college-anxiety-guide
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anxiety-in-college-what-we-know-and-how-to-cope-2019052816729
Study Skills
https://www.lynchburg.edu/academics/tutoring-academic-support/top-10-study-skills/
https://dus.psu.edu/academicsuccess/studyskills.html
https://www.educationcorner.com/engineering-study-skills-guide.html
Other resources
Learn more about emotions and how they affect learning
Linking Students’ Emotions and Academic Achievement: When and Why Emotions Matter https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3482624/ (Links to an external site.)
A classic example of how the emotional state affects self-efficacy and, ultimately, health behavior is fear of the dentist. (P. 20) http://samples.jbpub.com/9781449689742/Chapter2.pdf (Links to an external site.)
Overview introduction http://changingminds.org/explanations/emotions/emotion_arousal.htm2Links to an external site.
How emotional arousal affect memory
https://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2012/02/emotional-arousal
Classroom applications
Emotional Arousal - Rapport
Rapport helps to set the stage for learning outcomes and encourages participation. In his book, The Skillful Teacher, Stephen Brookfield (1990) defines rapport as “the affective glue that binds education relation-ships together”(p. 163). Improving classroom rapport can help students feel safe and take more risks needed to engage in high level learning activities.
How to build rapport - from day one
While any one of these actions alone will not build rapport with your students, consistently applying a synergistic combination over time will help rapport to emerge.
Rock the first day: use the whole first day - let students know class time is valuable
Learn (and use) student names - not easy in large classes, but even making the gesture that you are trying helps
Introduce yourself - let students know about you and where you come from, what fascinates you about this class, why do you do what you do
Set the tone - establish ground rules at the beginning. Want an interactive class - do interactive activities on the first day!
Create a sense of community
Use social ice-breakers (introductions, speed-dating, scavenger hunt) to get students to know each other
In an online class encourage the use of discussion boards or breakout rooms to help the students to get to know each other
Use subject matter ice-breakers (knowledge probes, expectation quiz, sample exam) to learn what your students know, and address the results of the probes/quiz
How to maintain rapport
Rapport requires maintenance, so consider the following throughout the semester
Use office hours - make sure the time and location is accessible
Be approachable/accessible - arrive early and stay late so students can ask questions or chat, meet and greet the students as they come in
Be mindful of your student's lives - ask students how they are doing or for example, what they thought of the latest sports game. Be understanding when there are several exams in the same week.
Give timely, reasoned feedback - see Social Persuasion - Constructive feedback
Ask for feedback - poll the students to see what they think of the class (may be done at mid-point or every few weeks; suggested to ask before the end of the semester)
Use verbal cues - use open ending positive verbal questions ("That's an interesting idea. Tell me more." or "I don't know either, but that's a very interesting question.")
Use non-verbal cues - your non-verbal cues (eye contact, body posture, smiling) can help create a positive rapport. If teaching online, consider a platform that will allow students to see you as you teach (see - https://vimeo.com/431642638 for a way to put yourself in front of your presentation)
Questions to ask yourself
Consider the following questions to ask yourself:
If I want my students to pay full attention to me, do I give my full attention to student questions/answers?
Do I encourage my students to listen and respond to each other?
If we want our students to care, do they know that we care both about our subject and our students?
Resources:
https://www.unl.edu/gtahandbook/building-rapport
Emotional Arousal - Engaging Experiences
Engaging experiences are a great way to connect a student emotionally to a class. They get a student excited about a subject and fuel their desire to learn. Consider the following engaging experiences or come up with your own.
In the Classroom
A smile before exposure to content may elevate spirits and open minds to a relaxed state. Information that is learned in a peaceful mind is more accessible to a student for recall later on.
1) Using Humor or encouraging words
In PowerPoint slides (memes, joke slides)
Instructors for a zoom or in-person class may post a funny dance clip or funny animal cartoon as they assign breakout rooms and students experience that "awkward pause"
On a tough practice question or for iclicker quiz, incorporate a funny image on the slide as students think about the correct response
From the Instructor or TA
Begin each class with a "joke of the day" and encourage students to bring in their own course-related jokes.
Additional tips for humor in the classroom from Edutopia and the Director of the Institute for Emotionally Intelligent Learning
2) Proactive Environment (Set the Atmosphere)
Decorations/Physical arrangement
Creating a "world" in your classroom may be as simple as having a few sticky posterr papers or signs that you re-apply each class
Use of colors, shapes and 3D tools add dimension and create a familiar learning schema for students
Classroom demonstrations and physical props help students see theory in action and create excitement
There may be a statue or object that is significant to your course and can be passed around or placed on tables
Seating Arrangements
Allowing students to sit in groups may provide peer support and increase positive emotions in the learning space
Clustered seating and opportunities for brief daily partner work, also allows for assistance in areas of difficulty with less threatening stakes
3) Engaging Activities
Guest lectures - bring the real world to the classroom and provide excitement for future possibilities
Classroom plays or role-playing - help students see other points of view (this does not have to be human role playing...for example see hydration theater http://www.hydrationtheater.com/ )
In the Outside World
1) Field trips
Trips allow students to take a break from the monotony of classroom learning and engage with information in new ways (novelty increases positive excitement)
New settings spur creativity and curiosity
If field trips for the whole class are not possible, have students bring the field back to the classroom. For example have students go out and take pictures or make videos of things they find in the real world to share with the class or write about.
2) Tools for Home: Practicing Positivity
Sometimes regular practices from home are the best prevention or maintenance strategies for well-being. Resources may be shared with students to encourage daily or weekly healthy habits.
Applications
Sanvello - this application includes guided meditation audios, videos, and psycho-education information on feeling more connected.
Down Dog - this app is a low intensity yoga application with videos that may be customized by the minutes, style and intensity level.
Group Meeting Apps (virtual work) -there is strength in numbers. Group communication portals such as Microsoft teams, drive or box functions, and video portals allow students to check-in even from a distance when not in the classroom and provide engagement.
Resources
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/using-humor-in-the-classroom-maurice-elias
https://showme.missouri.edu/2020/sanvello-is-for-anytime-anywhere/
Emotional Arousal - options
Allowing students to choose options helps them to engage in the subject and choose topics that they feel comfortable with and interested in. Often this choices comes in the form of choices for a final project, but that is not the only way students can choose options in a class. Consider these other ways to give your students a voice in the classroom.
Allow students to set behavior rules / norms in the class (see Mastery - Motivate students)
Allow students to choose weights for assignments or exam frequency.
Allow students choices on exam questions
Allow students choices on classroom experience - more active group learning or more lecture
With all of these choices it is important that you help explain the options and what the benefits of each will be. If there is one option you prefer then you can highlight that yet still give the students a choice. If they agree with you, then they will feel they are more emotionally connected and engaged in the class. Of course you need to be willing to do the other option if they do not. Surprisingly, students will not always choose the easier option. They want to learn. If you can show them that doing it one way will improve their learning then they may go along with that and feel better about being given a choice in the first place.