Inside Out

Abstract

Confusion is an emotion that is likely to occur while learning complex information.This emotion can be beneficial to learners in that it can foster engagement, leading to deeper understanding. However, if learners fail to resolve confusion, its effect can be detrimental to learning. Such detrimental learning experiences are particularly concerning within digital learning environments, where a teacher is not physically present to monitor learner engagement and adapt the learning experience accordingly. However, with better information about a learner's emotion and behaviour, it is possible to improve the design of interactive digital learning environments (IDLE) in promoting productive confusion but also in preventing overwhelming confusion. This article reviews different methodological approaches for detecting confusion, such as self-report, behavioural and physiological measures, and discusses their implications within the theoretical framework of a zone of optimal confusion. The specificities of several methodologies and their potential application in IDLEs are discussed.

Understanding Difficulties and Resulting Confusion in Learning: An Integrative Review

“…Digital learning environments that largely provide selfdirected students with autonomy and flexibility can potentially be created to detect and respond to student difficulties, but this potential has not yet been realized (Arguel et al, 2017). A key challenge for educational technology researchers and educators is to create digital environments that are better able to provide support for and potentially respond to difficulties and the resulting emotions such as confusion, without the requirement of having a teacher on-call to support students.…”

Exploring Students’ Engagement Patterns in SPOC Forums and their Association with Course Performance

“…Besides, confusion has been viewed as an emotion to infer students' potential difficulties and final learning performance in online learning. The indicators of confusion in conversational cues have considered as a viable solution to detect students' confusion in interactive learning environments (Arguel, Lockyer, Lipp, Lodge, & Kennedy, 2017). Liu, Pataranutaporn, Ocumpaugh, and Baker (2013) claimed confusion might evolve into frustration and negative emotion when it could not be regulated appropriately.…”

Teaching in a Continuously and Dynamically Changing Digital Information and Learning Environment of a Modern University

“…Having analyzed a large number of scientifi c publications, including the papers by A. Arguel, L. Lockyer (Arguel et al, 2017), M. Horn (Horn, 2013), N. Kucirkova, K. Littleton (Kucirkova & Littleton, 2017), B. Sorensen, K. Levinsen (Sorensen & Levinsen, 2015), H. Beetham, R. Sharpe (Beetham & Sharpe, 2013), K. Tyner (Tyner, 2014) and others, the authors of this paper have identifi ed the basic prerequisites for improving education systems when learning in the digital environment.…”