Abstract:

In this paper, we examine how emotional support may evoke different emotions in learners and we investigate the effects of these emotions on math learning. Our integrated model showed that perceived emotional support induces positive emotions in learners that in turn facilitate high self-regulated strategies and good achievement. Results from a sample of 245 adolescent students were consistent with the hypotheses. Teacher emotional support was positive significantly related to positive activating emotions (enjoyment) and negatively to negative-deactivating emotions (e.g., boredom). Enjoyment, in turn, was positively and specifically associated with more flexible and creative learning strategies (e.g. elaboration). In contrast, boredom leads to surface processing strategies and self-handicapped strategies. Finally, the results were found that surface and deep learning strategies, and self-handicapped strategies intervene as a mediator in the relation between the emotional factors and mathematics achievement. Our findings are significant for teachers and educators to understand the processes by which emotional support can affect mathematics achievement and provide theoretical and practical support for optimized instruction.

Keywords:

Emotional support, achievement emotions, boredom, enjoyment, deep processing, surface processing.