The Bright Side of Emotion in the Classroom: Do Teachers' Behaviors Predict Students' Enjoyment, Hope, and Pride?

Abstract

Although scholars from various fields now argue that emotion is a critical resource for individuals as they learn and make sense of information, the topic is only just emerging as a sustained area of emphasis for instructional communication scholars. Using a sample of 752 students from three universities, we tested a predictive model exploring how teachers' communication behaviors, including teacher immediacy, clarity, and communication competence, potentially influence students' perceptions of emotional experiences in a class, and in turn, how specific feelings of enjoyment, pride, and hope are possibly affected. Results indicated strong support for the model, thereby implying that the theoretical explanation offered by emotional response theory should be expanded to include both the processes and discrete emotions explored in the study. Findings are discussed as they relate to theoretical and practical implications for scholars seeking to better understand the dynamic interplay of emotions in the classroom.