The Influence of Emotion on Preservice Teachers as they Learn to Assess Student Learning - Article 2

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy

This paper explores the experience of emotion for eight preservice teachers as they learn to assess their students while simultaneously being assessed. Using a qualitative design with semi-structured interviews and assessment-related artefacts, the study shows that emotional engagement shaped preservice teachers’ assessment decision-making. It also documents emotional reactions arising when they themselves were evaluated. The paper argues for preservice teachers to recognize emotion’s influence on their work to better rationalize assessment decisions and reflect on practice.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Purpose and research question

Conceptual Framework

Model of Teacher Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills (TPK&S)

Emotion and Emotional Labour

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 46 Issue 4 | Article 2 | | --- | --- | | 2021
The Influence of Emotion on Preservice Teachers Assess Student Learning
Frances Edwards
University of Waikato, New Zealand,
Follow this and additional works at: [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte)
Part of the Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons | as they Learn to | Recommended Citation Edwards, F. (2021) . The Influence of Emotion on Preservice Teachers as they Learn to Assess Student Learning. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 46(4) . [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n4.2](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2021v46n4.2) [This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[ ](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss4/2](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol46/iss4/2) The Influence of Emotion on Preservice Teachers as they Learn to Assess Student Learning Frances Edwards University of Waikato New Zealand Abstract: This paper explores the experience ofemotion for eight preservice teachers as they learn to assess their students while concurrently being assessed. This qualitative study utilised semi structured interviews and assessment-related artefacts. Findings indicate that emotional engagement influenced preservice teachers’assessment decision making. The teachers also experienced emotional reactions as in turn they were assessed. This paper argues for the need ofpreservice teachers to be cognisant ofthe influence ofemotion on themselves and their work, to allow them to better rationalise their assessment decision making and reflect on their practice. Keywords: Assessment, summative assessment, emotion, preservice teacher, emotional work, teacher education Introduction The complex nature of preservice teacher (PST) development has been acknowledged by researchers and teacher educators alike. Although there is not a large range of empirical research on the effect of emotion in initial teacher education (ITE) and teacher development (Anttila, Pyhältö, Soini, & Pietarinen, 2016), emotions have been said to be at the epicentre of teachers’work (Steinberg, 2008; Zembylas, 2003), and it has been found that “becoming a teacher is an emotionally-charged journey”(Anttila, et. al, 2016, p. 466) . As PSTs develop their ability to assess students, they encounter emotional experiences. However little research has been published on the effects of emotions on the development of teachers’ assessment knowledge and skills (Brown, Gebril, Michalides, & Remensal, 2018; Labadie, 2019) . In order to contribute to this gap in the literature this paper focuses on the research question: What are the effects of emotion that preservice teachers encounter as they learn to assess? This study contributes to the discussion about the involvement of emotion in PSTs’ initial experiences of acting as assessors, and also the interconnected emotions associated with being judged as PSTs. The impact of emotion on PST development is important to consider given that emotion has been shown to affect teachers’ cognition, motivation and their approaches to teaching (Sutton & Wheatley, 2003) . In the following sections of this paper the model that acts as a theoretical frame for the study is described, literature is reviewed that concerns emotion and teaching including its effects on PSTs, findings are presented and discussed, and implications are identified. Conceptual Framework The Model of Teacher Pedagogical Knowledge and Skills (TPK&S) (Gess-Newsome 2015) was used as a conceptual framework for this study (see Figure 1). As argued by Zembylas (2007),“issues about content, curriculum and pedagogy cannot be separated from emotional issues and these are inseparable to a teacher’s PCK”(p. 356) . Figure 1. Model of Teacher Professional Knowledge and Skill Including PCK an

FAQs

What does the study investigate about emotion and preservice teachers?

It examines how emotion is experienced by preservice teachers as they learn to assess students while being assessed themselves.

What methods does the research use?

The study uses semi-structured interviews and assessment-related artefacts in a qualitative design with eight preservice teachers.

How does emotion affect preservice teachers’ assessment decisions?

The findings indicate emotional engagement influences preservice teachers’ assessment decision-making, acting through their emotional responses during the learning process.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy