If Nobody Is Confused, Are They Really Learning?

Here is a 100 word summary of an article I found interesting and my three classroom applications to start using tomorrow.

Article citation:

D'Mello, S. K., Taylor, R. S., & Graesser, A. C. (2007). Monitoring affective trajectories during complex learning. In D. S. McNamara and J. G. Trafton (Eds.), Proceedings of the 29th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 203-208). Cognitive Science Society.

100 word summary:

This study investigated how learners' emotions change during complex learning tasks using the intelligent tutoring system AutoTutor. The researchers found that students frequently moved between flow (engagement), confusion, frustration, and boredom, with confusion emerging as a potentially productive state. Rather than hindering learning, confusion often accompanied deeper thinking and conceptual change, particularly when students continued working through difficulties. In contrast, boredom was highly persistent and associated with disengagement. The study suggests that learning is not purely cognitive but strongly influenced by emotional experiences. Effective instruction should therefore support productive struggle while preventing confusion from developing into frustration or boredom.

My Three immediate classroom applications

1.      Use a “struggle first” starter

o   Give students a challenging problem before teaching the method (e.g. an unfamiliar integration or proof task).

o   Allow 3-5 minutes of thinking and discussion before instruction.

2.      Normalise confusion

o   Explicitly tell students: “If this feels confusing, that's often a sign you're thinking hard enough.”

o   Praise persistence and reasoning, not just correct answers.

3.      Respond with prompts, not solutions

o   When students are stuck, ask:

§  “What do you know for certain?”

§  “What's different from questions you've done before?”

§  “Which topic might connect to this?”

o   Give hints before explanations to keep cognitive engagement high.

Key takeaway: Aim for challenge → confusion → insight, while intervening before students drift into frustration or boredom.

My final thoughts:

The study is probably correct that challenge, uncertainty, and disequilibrium often accompany learning. However, I don’t believe "confusion" should be treated as a simple, objectively measurable emotion. What matters is how learners construct and interpret those experiences within a particular context.