University Teachers' Views on the Distressing Elements of Pedagogical Interaction

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the aspects of pedagogical interaction that give rise to negative emotional experiences among university teachers. The study used a phenomenological approach and the data was gathered by interviewing eight teachers from various disciplines in an open manner. The aim of the analysis was to identify the distressing aspects of various pedagogical situations and to identify the potential sources of teachers' negative experiences. The study showed that coping with the emotional load placed on them by the students, making pedagogical decisions under uncertain conditions and facing conflicting expectations and beliefs concerning the teaching‐learning process were the sources of negative emotions. Keeping in mind the subjectivity of human experience this study suggests that university teachers need to be better informed about the complex nature of pedagogical interaction especially when a teacher is regarded as a facilitator of learning.