Affective Domain and Student Learning in the Geosciences

Abstract

Decades of science education research have provided us with a variety of tools to deal with the cognitive processes behind our students' learning. However, we have placed much less attention on student affect, the feelings, attitudes, emotions, and values that can encourage or discourage the adoption of effective learning behaviors. This has occurred even though the affective domain has been demonstrated to have a significant influence on student learning. An increased awareness of the role of the affective domain in the sciences has the potential to improve student learning, boost recruitment of majors, and reduce student attrition. We propose that the geoscience education research community would benefit from giving greater consideration to the role of the affective domain as a key component of the learning process.