Affective Learning Competencies Overview
1. Importance of Affective Targets
- Besides academic performance, other dimensions of learners must be assessed. This includes aptitudes and attitudes related to academic achievement (Tanner, 2001).
- Researchers established a clear link between affect and cognitive learning (Ormrod, 2004).
- Students perform better in problem-solving activities when they enjoy the tasks.
- Those who are in good moods and emotionally involved tend to pay attention, remember, and apply information effectively.
Essential Positive Affective Traits and Skills
- Effective learning
- Involvement and productivity: Being an engaged citizen.
- Occupational satisfaction: This encompasses work habits, willingness to learn, and interpersonal skills.
- Maximizing motivation for current and future learning.
- Preventing school dropouts.
2. Affective Traits and Learning Targets
- The term affective refers to a range of traits and dispositions distinct from knowledge, reasoning, and skills (Hohn, 1995).
- It specifically means the emotions or feelings towards someone or something.
Affective Traits Description:
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Attitudes | Predisposition to respond favorably or unfavorably to various stimuli. |
| Interests | Personal preferences for certain kinds of activities. |
| Values | Importance or worth of conduct and end states of existence. |
| Opinions | Beliefs about specific occurrences and situations. |
| Preferences | Desire to select one object over another. |
| Motivation | Willingness to engage in behavior and intensity of involvement. |
| Academic Self-Concept | Self-perception of competence in school and learning. |
| Self-Esteem | Attitudes toward oneself; degree of self-respect. |
| Locus of Control | Perception of control success and failure (internal vs. external). |
| Emotional Development | Growth, change, awareness, and regulation of emotions. |
| Social Relationships | Nature of interpersonal interactions in groups. |
| Altruism | Willingness to help others. |
| Moral Development | Attainment of ethical principles guiding decisions and behaviors. |
| Classroom Development | Nature of feelings and relationships within the classroom (McMillan, 2007). |
2.1 Attitude Targets
- Definition of Attitudes:
- McMillan (1980) defines attitudes as internal states that influence possible actions towards objects or situations. - Components can lead to either positive or negative reactions.
Positive vs. Negative Attitudes
| Positive Attitude Towards | Negative Attitude Towards |
|---|---|
| Learning (subjects like Math, Science, English) | Assignments |
| Classroom rules | Teachers |
| - | Cheating |
| - | Drug use |
| - | Bullying |
| - | Cutting classes |
| - | Dropping out |
2.2 Value Targets
- Definition of Values:
- Values refer to desirable end states of existence or modes of conduct (Rokeach, 1973).
Commendable Values:
| Value | Sample Value Target |
|---|---|
| Honesty | Students valuing honesty in interactions. |
| Integrity | Observance of personal codes of values. |
| Justice | Belief in equal justice for all citizens. |
| Freedom | Acceptance of freedoms provided in democracies (Popham, 2005). |
2.3 Motivation Targets
- Definition of Motivation:
- Motivation is the extent of students’ engagement in learning (McMillan, 2007). It encompasses initiation, effort, commitment, and persistence. - Motivation can be organized through the Expectancy X Value Framework (Brophy, 2004; Pintrich & Schunk, 2002).
Examples of Motivation Targets:
- Students believing in their capability to learn programming (self-efficacy).
- Students recognizing the importance of learning to program (value).
2.4 Academic Self-Concept Targets
- Self-concept and self-esteem literature varies extensively among educators.
- These beliefs are critical, especially for students with learning challenges.
- Having a degree of positive self-efficacy supports achievement (McMillan, 2007).
- Positive self-concept develops through meaningful successes with moderate effort.
2.5 Social Relationship Targets
- Social relationships comprise interaction skills and appropriate responses to social cues.
Examples of Social Relationship Areas and Targets:
| Social Relationship | Target Concern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Relationship | Interest in others | Students sharing ideas in discussions |
| Cooperative Skills | Listening | Demonstrating negotiation and compromise |
| Peer relations | Friendship | Cooperation and collaboration in groups |
| Assertiveness | Conflict resolution | Functioning effectively in groups |
| Prosocial behavior | Empathy | Supporting and accepting others’ ideas |
Collaborative Skills Components (Borich & Tombari, 2004; Hoy & Greg, 1994):
- Basic interaction
- Getting along
- Coaching
- Fulfilling roles
2.6 Classroom Environment Targets
- Every classroom possesses a unique climate that influences student behavior and interaction.
- A classroom can manifest warmth, productivity, or coldness.
Characteristics of Classroom Environment:
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | Acceptance among students. |
| Involvement | Engagement in learning activities. |
| Task Orientation | Focus on academic task completion. |
| Cohesiveness | Shared norms and expectations. |
| Competition | Level of competitiveness. |
| Favoritism | Equal privileges for students. |
| Influence | Each student's impact on decisions. |
| Friction | Amount of student conflict. |
| Formality | Emphasis on rules. |
| Communication | Honest and authentic dialogues. |
| Warmth | Caring and concern among students (McMillan, 2007). |
3. Affective Domain of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
- In 1964, David R. Krathwohl extended Bloom's Taxonomy emphasizing the affective domain.
- Five levels of affective objectives were defined, characterized as follows:
Levels of Affective Objectives:
| Level | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving (Attending) | Sensitivity to stimuli and willingness to attend. | Student involved in mathematics activities. |
| Responding | Motivated beyond mere attendance. | Student actively engaged in mathematics discussions. |
| Valuing | Holding values of importance consistently. | Active participation and answering activities in Math. |
| Organizing | Internalizing and systemizing values. | Integrating lessons from Math with Science. |
| Characterizing by a Value | Internalized values reflecting on behavior. | Applying math lessons in daily activities (e.g., budgeting, cooking). |
Sources:
- Cajigal, R. & Mantuano, M.L. (2015). Assessment of Learning 2. Adriana Publishing Company: Quezon City
Note for Students: Use these comprehensive notes to understand the various dimensions of affective learning competencies and their applications in educational settings.