Differences in mathematics-related achievement emotions between contact and distance learning arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Research during COVID-19 has shown that rapid transition to distance learning environment has influenced student’s emotions. Yet, there is a lack of studies about how this transition might have changed achievement emotions in mathematics. We investigated six mathematics-related achievement emotions (enjoyment, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, and boredom) among Finnish high school students (N = 1348) in contact learning and distance learning. We analysed the relationship between gender, achievement emotions, and the learning environment using latent growth curve structural models. Our results revealed that students reported higher levels of boredom and lower levels of pride, enjoyment, shame, and anxiety in distance learning than in contact learning. The distance learning effect was stronger for females than for males, particularly for students following the advanced syllabus. Female students reported a larger decrease in pride and enjoyment and a larger increase in boredom than male students when moving from contact learning to distance learning. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Keywords:

• Adolescents
• gender
• mathematics-related emotions
• distance learning
• COVID-19

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a research grant from the research foundation of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare for the co-author Anni Sydänmaanlakka.