View source for Attitudes and affect of the learner (KAB)

The '''attitudes and affect''' of a learner are the beliefs, emotions, and psychological factors held by an individual learner that can affect their [[participation]] and [[Learning objectives and outcomes|learning outcomes]]. 

== Definition==
The attitude of a learner are the emotions, dispositions, beliefs, or affective stances that the learner has, particularly toward the [[Interactions and activities|learning activities]] and [[content]] of an educational product. These psychological considerations are a key part of how a learner interacts with and chooses to engage with educational experiences. 

''Attitude'' is a part of the [[Knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) framework|knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) evaluation framework]] for evaluating a learner's whole self. It is theoretically aligned with constructivist and social learning theories that suggest that a learner has attitudinal and emotional factors that influence their behavior, as well as social and environmental factors. 

==Additional Information==
Over the last three decades, research has repeatedly shown that a learner's affective state or attitudes toward learning activities can greatly influence how the learner will [[Interactions and activities|interact]] or achieve the [[Learning objectives and outcomes|desired learning objectives]]. 

The ''attitude'' of a learner does not mean that they have a bad mood, but instead describes a family of individual psychological factors that have been known to influence how a learner participates in educational experiences.

'''Types of attitudinal and psychological factors and concepts that are considered in educational design:'''

* The affect or emotional state of the learner
* Motivation, interest, engagement level
* Self-efficacy and confidence with [[Interactions and activities|activities/tasks]] and [[Content|content topic]]
* Beliefs and values held by the learner
* Perceptions by learners about the educational experience
* Level of fun, enjoyment, satisfaction

It has become common practice for designers and evaluators to [[Evaluation and assessment|assess]] the attitudes of learners as they participate in an educational activity. This can be done before and after the learner uses the product, such as through [[pre-post testing]] or [[summative assessment]]. It can also be done in the middle of the activity through [[formative assessment]]. Most modern learning theories predict that the attitudes of learners may play a mediational role between the learning activity and the achievement of learning outcomes, so it is important to identify the attitudes of learners while they use the educational product. Such attitudinal factors can also be used in evaluation to establish links or relationships between behaviors and attitudinal positions. 

==Tips and Tricks==

* Consider how learners may feel while using your [[Educational product|product]]. The emotion and perceptions of learners play a large role in how people [[Participation|participate]] in educational exercises. Think about how you may [[Instrument|survey or inquire]] as to how your learners are feeling about and perceptions related to the learning activities that they are doing. 
* A learner's confidence or self-efficacy is positively related to their [[Participation|continued participation]] and [[Learning objectives and outcomes|success]] in an educational program. How might you identify the learner's self-efficacy or confidence in the activities and content? How might you support a person with lower levels of confidence and self efficacy? 
* When considering the audience for your design, it is useful to think about what common beliefs or values may be held by people who use your product. Beliefs and values, especially commonly held ones, can dramatically influence how a person will interact within an educational setting. 
* Brainstorm how you might identify what your learner's interests, motivations or level of engagement with the material might be. Finding ways to align activities with what your learners find interesting can be valuable in improving their attitudinal stance and give more reason to participate with the product.

==Related Concepts ==

* [[Knowledge-attitude-behavior (KAB) framework]]
* [[Evaluation and assessment]]

==Examples ==
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==External Resources==
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