Emotions, Engagement and Motivation: A Delicate Dance in a Virtual Learning Environment
Angelina Sundström Kärneus
School of Innovation, Mälardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden
Noushan Memar and Toon Larsson
School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University, Västerås, Sweden
Volume 20: 2025, pp. 35-68; ABSTRACT
Emotions play a pivotal role in shaping learners’ engagement and motivation. Yet, little
is known about how emotional fluctuations unfold within virtual gamified learning environments,
despite their growing importance in higher education. This study investigates how a bundle of game
design elements in a virtual learning exercise evoke learners’ emotional responses, and how these
emotions, in turn, affect learners’ engagement and motivation throughout gameplay. Using a mixedmethod research design, we examined the emotional experiences of 71 university students
participating in the virtual version of the Strategic Business Game (VSBG). Qualitative analysis
revealed that game elements such as time pressure, information asymmetry, and social interaction
evoked both positive and negative emotions, often simultaneously. Quantitative results showed that
negative emotions significantly decreased both engagement and motivation, while positive
emotions enhanced motivation. Interestingly, engagement appeared more sensitive to negative
emotional experiences, whereas motivation was shaped by both positive and negative emotions.
These findings highlight the importance of emotional calibration in the design of gamified virtual
learning environments. Understanding how emotions shape learning can inform more effective
pedagogical strategies that sustain engagement and motivation over time.
Keywords: virtual learning environment, gamification, emotions, Strategic Business Game (SBG),
engagement and motivation.
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