Title: Disentangled emotions in blended learning

Authors: Oronzo Parlangeli; Enrica Marchigiani; Stefano Guidi; Linda Mesh

Addresses: Communication Sciences Department, University of Siena, P.zzo di S. Niccolò, via Roma, 56, Siena, 53100, Italy. ' Communication Sciences Department, University of Siena, P.zzo di S. Niccolò, via Roma, 56, Siena, 53100, Italy. ' Communication Sciences Department, University of Siena, P.zzo di S. Niccolò, via Roma, 56, Siena, 53100, Italy. ' University of Siena Language Centre, Piazza San Francesco, 7, 53100 Siena, Italy

Abstract: Given the increasing attention to the important relationship between learning and emotions, the present study was conducted to investigate the emotional experience of students attending a blended learning course. The course was a blended English course designed for adult learners. 148 participants, drawn from two different populations, participated in the study. The emotions experienced by the subjects, both during the early face-to-face lessons and their first interactions with the online learning environment, were investigated by means of a questionnaire. Results show that the two learning environments can give rise to similar, but not identical, emotional experiences. However, such differences are related to emotions that keep their sign, this being positive or negative, in spite of the changing environment. In addition, correlational and factorial analyses suggest that the different emotional experiences manifested by specific categories of students do not depend on the environment only, but also on individual characteristics and contextual motivational factors.

Keywords: emotions; blended learning; online learning; face-to-face learning; teaching course; human factors; cognitive ergonomics; learning experience; heuristic evaluation; business English; e-learning; electronic learning; emotional experience; adult learners.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFE.2012.045255

International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 2012 Vol.1 No.1, pp.41 - 57

Published online: 06 Aug 2014 *

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