Undergraduate Positive and Negative Achievement Emotions During the First Two Years at an Urban University: A Case Study

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: Community and University Issues in Urban Settings

Abstract

Research is finding that undergraduate students’ achievement emotions are critical in determining motivation and success in higher education. This paper reports on the first two years of a longitudinal case study involving seven (n=7) mostly ethnic minority undergraduates at an urban 4-year university. The findings reveal dramatic changes in feelings of hope, hopelessness, boredom, and enjoyment over students’ freshman and sophomore years. Additionally, students’ emotions impacted their perceptions of both their classes and instructors and affected their motivation, on-task behavior, and academic success. These findings paint an intimate portrait of the participants’ experiences, and the impact emotions had on their motivation and achievement during their first year in college.

Author

• Franklin S Allaire, University of Houston - Downtown