Today I was thinking about emotions and it's affect on the learning process. I think emotions play a big role. If you are passionate about a subject or a class, you will tend to listen more. You will try harder and spend as much time as needed learning the material. If you are having trouble comprehending, chances are you might try different ways to look it (i.e. draw a picture, find a video/animation, etc). But if you find a subject to be boring or something you really dislike, it will feel like a chore. It will be painful to learn the material and you will most likely not try as hard. That's just my guess, I mean, it sounds like common sense right?
I was reading the posts on this facebook group, named The Learning Revolution (there's a surprise), and someone commented about measuring emotional intelligence, or EQ. I was not completely clear on what emotional intelligence was, so I looked it up. Turns out it is the ability to identify, assess, manage, and control your own emotions, others, or a group. Now that is realllyy crazy!
It got me thinking though, if emotions do play a big role, and someone were to have a high EQ, that would be a powerful combination. I mean, even in classes you hate, if you can find out WHY, and address it, then you have a chance at succeeding in that class and doing ALOT better. Good and bad teachers good be identified by EQ. Question is, how would you even measure emotional intelligence? Does it make sense? If it became a standard, how do we ensure that it truly measures someones EQ (unlike most standardized tests)? Should there be a standard; since like intelligence people can be smart in different ways, maybe the way best way to assess emotion for one person may not work for another?
Not sure how relevant EQ is to what you are suggesting. You could lookup wikipedia on EQ. But you raise a good point, a different one from EQ that having an emotional connection (don't need high EQ for that, even pets can feel emotional connection) is very conducive to learning, or for that matter "performing" on any task. So how do we use this idea for learning?
ReplyDeleteSince we are thinking of learning 2.0 or social media supported learning -- how about you can find a study-buddy who is emotionally very positive about the subject matter that you are feeling emotional repulsion too! May be this online study-buddy could infect you with emotional enthusiasm. In lieu of a teacher, a good positive study buddy could be good substitute.