Emotions, Online Teaching and Online Evaluation in Higher Education during a Pandemic

Abstract

The present exploratory study aims to identify and assess positive and negative emotions felt by students from two higher education institutions regarding the change in the evaluation paradigm (from on-site to online) during the lockdown period resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire with two Likert scales (emotional Well-being and emotional Ill-being) was applied for data collection. The results reveal the experience of more positive than negative emotions, indicating that online evaluation does not intensify negative emotions besides those usually associated with the evaluation process itself. On the contrary, there is a higher record of positive emotions related to the newly instituted evaluation model. The exploratory study also suggests that the new teaching and evaluation model may benefit students' emotions and improve their academic success, promoting emotional well-being.