High school students’ class-related achievement emotions in geography lessons

Achievement emotions in geography lessons

Abstract

This study aims to examine high school students’ class-related achievement emotions and to examine teachers’ role in students’ class-related achievement emotions in geography lessons. The participants of the study were 376 high school students (94 male and 282 female) and three Geography teachers (2 male and 1 female) from four different high schools. This study uses a survey design. Data from the students were collected by the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire developed by Pekrun et al. (2011) and translated to Turkish by Can, Emmioglu-Sarıkaya, and Bardakcı (2020). Data from the teachers were collected using a questionnaire consisting of three open-ended questions. Results showed that students’ enjoyment, anger, and hopelessness emotions have changed statistically significantly from the beginning to the end of the geography lessons. Having a different teacher had a statistically significant effect on students’ class-related achievement emotions of enjoyment, hope, hopelessness, anger, and pride. Findings showed that the three teachers participating in this study used lectures, discussion, and question-and-answer techniques, and they use presentations on the smartboard for the instruction. Teachers stated that they felt enjoyment, hope, hopelessness, anger, and anxiety when teaching geography lessons and that their emotions depend on the students’ achievement and interest in learning geography. This study suggests high school geography teachers be aware of their emotions and students' achievement-related emotions. We suggest further research to examine the student-teacher relationships in terms of the class-related achievement emotions in geography lessons.