Emotions in the lab: We don’t ask our students enough about how they feel

Confusion, frustration, and anxiety are common occurrences in the lab, where students struggle to match the textbook theory with the practical results of the experiments.

These emotions are rarely acknowledged by teachers, however. And this means we’re missing out on an important aspect of both lab learning and development of a professional identity, says assistant professor Hendra Agustian.

"As teachers we need to encourage students to acknowledge, that these feelings are just truly human experiences and a normal part of doing chemistry. And we don't do this enough,” said the researcher.

“Many teachers might not be sure how to. But it can be as simple as asking: How do you feel about this?”

What it means to do chemistry

Through recent research Hendra Agustian and colleagues have shown how epistemic affect – that is emotions relevant for learning – are an important dimension of learning in the lab.

"Emotions matter," Hendra Agustian emphasizes.

"Confusion with unexpected results and frustrations when things just don't work out. Or joy when the things you predicted happen.”

These experiences mirror what professional chemists go through in their actual work. When students are able to navigate these emotions, it contributes to their identity development as future scientists. But when teachers don't acknowledge or discuss these feelings, students miss out on normalizing what it actually means to do chemistry.

Dialogic feedback

One way to approach the emotional aspect of lab learning is through dialogic feedback. This means establishing conversations where teachers don't just talk about experimental procedures, but also about how students are experiencing the work.

When students encounter unexpected results, for instance, teachers can ask: "Now that you have your experimental data and there are some discrepancies here, how do you think you can resolve this discrepancy?"

This kind of prompt does two things. It guides students toward solutions, but it also acknowledges the anxiety they're feeling about not knowing.

"This kind of dialogic feedback will guide them to try and provide a solution to this sort of problem with not knowing that they have," said Hendra Agustian.

Simply ask

The recommendation is clear: foster a lab environment where emotions are acknowledged, where negative ones are normalised and positive ones are celebrated.

This doesn't mean turning the chemistry lab into a therapy session. It means recognizing that when students feel anxious for instance about inconsistencies between their anticipated data and actual outcomes, those feelings need to be addressed for learning to continue.

As teachers we need to encourage students to acknowledge, that these feelings are just truly human experiences and a normal part of doing chemistry.

"Good lab pedagogy means that teachers are aware of and recognize some of these subtle affective and emotional experiences, as they may play a key role in sustaining and directing inquiry in the lab," said Hendra Agustian.

"And a good first step is simply asking: How do you feel about this?”