Achievement goals as antecedents of achievement emotions: The 3 X 2 achievement goal model as a framework for learning environments design

Achievement goals and achievement emotions, given their important role in learning processes, could affect the effectiveness of Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) programs. In this study, the links between achievement goals and achievement emotions are explored. The participants were 466 Italian university students who completed a 48-item questionnaire about learning exam-relevant material. Confirmatory factor analyses showed the goodness of the hypothesized models for goals (task-approach, task-avoidance, self-approach, self-avoidance, other-approach, other-avoidance) and emotions (including enjoyment, relaxation, hope, pride, relief, anger, boredom, anxiety, shame, hopelessness). A path analyses indicated that task goals predicted activity- and outcome-related emotions, matched by valence; self-approach goals positively predicted one positive activity-related emotion; other-avoidance goals positively predicted activity- and outcome-related emotions. The results are discussed considering the utilities of the instruments for the design of TEL products, to assess motivation and affect involved in learning environments.