Understanding Teacher Emotions Through Electrodermal Activity in Teaching: A Narrative Review

Research demonstrates that the emotional state of teachers significantly impacts both their occupational health and the classroom environment. Stress and emotional variations affect teaching self-efficacy and students’ outcomes, making the study of teacher emotions essential. Electrodermal activity (EDA) measures autonomic arousal through skin conductance changes and shows promise for biofeedback in pedagogical self-reflection, and teacher stress measurement. This paper presents a narrative review of literature on the use of EDA specifically with teachers, mapping key themes and research gaps, and discussing future research implications. With the rise of wearable EDA devices, there is significant potential for their use in teaching. Understanding teacher emotions through EDA can inform and refine strategies for self-reflection, stress management, and overall professional development.