Boredom in class prevents students from learning. This was shown by a study using the experience sampling – That’s multiple surveys per day via smartphone – a total of 95 ninth graders answered questions in eight teaching hours over two weeks.
The focus was on economics. The teachers were required to hold classes as usual. In this way, the psychologist Richard Göllner and the business educator Kristina Kugler received almost 4,500 observations of how interesting, understandable and boring the students found the lessons.
Those who found the lessons exciting reported significantly less boredom in between. Boredom from under-challenge resulted from people finding the material too easy. If the students still rated the lesson as uninteresting towards the end of the lesson, this led to their understanding deteriorating.
source
Göllner, R., & Kögler, K. (2025). Control-value appraisals and the emergence of students’ boredom: An in situ perspective within lessons. British Journal of Educational Psychology. DOI: 10.1111/bjep.70048
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