Learning and Affect Trajectories Within Newton’s Playground

Abstract

Learning trajectories are typical, predictable sequences of thinking that emerge as students develop understanding of an idea. They have been used principally for research on instructional decision-making, but have also played a significant role in conducting research on learning. Affect refers to experiences of feelings or emotions. The affective states of boredom and confusion, in particular, have been of interest to researchers due to their significant relationships with student learning. In an attempt to account for gains or lack thereof among users of educational software, this study investigates these areas to monitor how students in the Philippines use software or how they are feeling compared to parallel studies conducted in the United States. In particular, this study investigates the relationships between learning trajectories and affect among students in the Philippines using Newton’s Playground, a learning game for physics.