An investigation into EFL prep-class students' academic emotions

Abstract

This present study is an investigation into EFL prep-class students’ academic emotions in learning and taking a test with reference to departments and gender. Academic emotions emerge when the student evaluates achievement related-situations such as studying course materials, taking an exam, doing homework or getting an exam score. In this study, academic emotions about learning and taking a test rather than class-related ones have been evaluated. Nine emotions in total - enjoyment, hope, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness, boredom and relief - in learning and in taking a test were evaluated before, during and after parts of the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ) prepared by Pekrun, Goetz and Perry (2005). 156 male and 59 female prep-class students of the School of Foreign Languages of Atatürk University in the academic year of 2011-2012 were investigated to find out probable differences of academic emotions in learning and taking a test in terms of departments and gender. The results of the study showed that there were relatively significant differences in the mean scores of male and female students. The study also revealed significant similarities and differences regarding the departments and there were significant linear relationships among the scores for academic emotions in learning and taking a test.