Emotions are an inherent part of the human experience, accompanying us from before birth to our final moments. At times, they give meaning to life, but they can also strip it away. Despite their fundamental nature, emotions have been stigmatized in society. However, we are witnessing a revolution in mental health that is beginning to break down this stigma, although there is still a long way to go. But what role does the university play in this?
This seminar aims to specifically explore and reflect on academic emotions in the university environment. These emotions are those that positively or negatively affect the learning process. The "queen" of academic emotions has always been exam anxiety. However, here we will delve into a broader spectrum, including emotions such as boredom, frustration, surprise, or enjoyment, examining them in three contexts: during study, in the classroom, and during exams.
Findings obtained from analyzing the experiences of over 2300 university students will be presented. Do students experience anxiety even while in class? Is it possible to enjoy an exam? Is there still any hope? Do these emotions affect the possibility of dropping out of university? And why does PowerPoint relate to all of this?
These questions, and many others, will be thoroughly addressed during the seminar, providing a broad and enlightening insight into emotions in the university academic context.
Speaker: Manuel Iglesias Soilán (Assistant Professor, Complutense University of Madrid)
Sponsor: RCCHU; Harvard University; UCM