University students' emotions, interest and activities in a web-based learning environment.

BACKGROUND Within academic settings, students experience varied emotions and interest towards learning. Although both emotions and interest can increase students' likelihood to engage in traditional learning, little is known about the influence of emotions and interest in learning activities in a web-based learning environment (WBLE). AIMS This study examined how emotions experienced while using a WBLE, students' interest towards the course topic and interest towards web-based learning are associated with collaborative visible and non-collaborative invisible activities and 'lurking' in the WBLE. SAMPLE Participants were 99 Finnish university students from five web-based courses. METHODS All the students enrolled in the courses filled out pre- and post-test questionnaires of interest, and repeatedly completed an on-line questionnaire on emotions experienced while using the WBLE during the courses. RESULTS The fluctuation of emotional reactions was positively associated with both visible collaborative and invisible non-collaborative activities in the WBLE. Further, interest towards the web-based learning was positively associated with invisible activity. The results also demonstrated that students not actively participating in the collaborative activities (i.e. lurkers) had more negative emotional experiences during the courses than other students. CONCLUSION The results highlight the distinct impacts that emotions and interest have on different web-based learning activities and that they should be considered when designing web-based courses.

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