This discussion paper is predicated on a belief that affective (emotional) systems are central to learning. As such, this discussion is contextualised by literature relating to engagement with learning and learner motivation (see Harter 1990, Humphrey 2004) and seeks to analyse how the e- environment presents challenges, for users/members, moderators and designers in these precise areas. Indeed, studies, since the late 1980s, have emphasised the general psycho-social complexity, volatility and unpredictability of online interactions (Hiltz et al 1989, Brown et al, 1999, Preece and Maloney-Krichmar 2003); as well as the huge potential benefits for professional/personal development and learning within an open, vibrant online community (McConnell, 2004 ). Cumulatively these studies suggest that the affective and social dimensions of online learning can have a decisive impact upon: user/member participation; the tenor and quality of online interactions; inclusion/exclusion; and ultimately the viability, or ‘critical mass’, of any online community. As practitioners, engaged in designing and moderating online postgraduate pathways, this has considerable, and particular, implications for our practice. In this paper we examine issues that have been fore-grounded by our experience of online learning (as moderators, practitioners and users) and consider how they can be understood in light of affective systems and concepts such as self-esteem (Covington, 2001, Hanko 2003). Our aim is to critically consider what contribution this perspective, taken from broader psychological and educational contexts, can make to developing practice in the design, development, moderation and evaluation of online learning.

The aim of this paper is to highlight, and debate, the centrality of emotional engagement to all learning. As such, we anticipate that this study will emphasise the need to consider the affective aspects of learning when designing on-line activities, materials and assessment tasks.