ETH Learning and Teaching Journal, Vol 2, No 2, 2020 322 https://learningteaching.ethz.ch | ISSN 2624-7992 (Online) ICED 2020 proceedings: Emotions as pedagogical tools: The role for educational developers in university learning and beyond Kate Ippolito 1 , Nikki Boyd, Richard Bale & Martyn Kingsbury Centre for Higher Educational Research and Scholarship (CHERS), Imperial College London Exhibition Road London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom Abstract In light of concern about student mental well-being and pressure for universities to take action, we present an approach for increasing awareness and challenging assumptions around the importance of emotion in learning and teaching. We draw on Barrett’s (2017) and Pekrun’s (2006) theories and our experience to explore how, as educational developers, we can inform the ways academics and students make sense of and regulate emotions inherent in education. Key areas of focus include educational development activities to reconceptualise the role of positive and negative emotions in learning (Pekrun & Perry, 2014). 1 Introduction Academics have a responsibility to inspire their learners to recognise the central role of emotions in their discipline's learning and teaching. Some do this through sharing their enthusiasm for topics and learners’ progress (Cavanagh, 2016) and modelling how they handle pressure and disappointment. Others lack awareness of how crucial emotion in learning can be. Educational developers, with their cross-disciplinary and theoretical insight, are well-placed to lead in this collaborative endeavour, and have a valuable role to play in conceptualising emotions as pedagogical tools in curricula and for graduate futures. This paper outlines our concept based on a workshop we have developed. 2 Reframing student well-being In recent years student well-being has become a source of growing concern for universities internationally (Neves and Hillman, 2019; Van der Heijde, Vonk & Meijman, 2015; Barra Stolzenberg, 2018). In the UK, the new University Mental Health Charter (Hughes & Spanner, 2019) sets out principles for making student mental well-being a strategic priority. This policy- level activity is accompanied by pedagogical recommendations such as embedding mental well-being in university curricula (Houghton & Anderson, 2017). However, there is disagreement over the academic’s responsibility and role in so-called “therapeutic education” (Ecclestone & Hayes, 2019). Others warn against the risk of over-medicalising normal emotions of young adults responding to university life (Wessely, 2019). The challenge faced is acknowledged as being complex, including the need to better understand what is meant by student well-being (UUK, 2017). Whilst not dismissing mental health difficulties, our aim is to problematise the broader concept of well-being by asserting that even perceived negative emotions are valuable assets that should be worked with, and not avoided. Departing from the language of “support” and “management” of emotions, we seek to challenge teachers’ and students’ assumptions and reframe existing ideas about emotion in university learning and teaching. We aim to embed practical approaches to increase emotional awareness in institutional practice and culture. This more sustainability-focussed view of emotions for 1 k.ippolito@imperial.ac.uk