Investigating the Relations between Students’ Affective States and the Coherence in their Activities in Open-Ended Learning Environments

Open-ended learning environments (OELEs) are educational settings that encourage students to explore, experiment, and construct their own understanding of STEM concepts. While OELEs can increase engagement and deepen learning, they can be challenging for novice learners who may lack the self-regulated learning (SRL) skills needed to manage their own learning effectively. Recent research highlights the importance of students’ emotions (affective states) and thinking processes (cognitive processes) in determining performance in these environments, but the connection between these factors has not been fully explored.