+Emotional Intelligence& Educational Practices

Gobinder Gill

+Aims & Objectives

1. To outline a critique of emotional intelligence.

2. To outline own research into emotional intelligence and reflective practice.

3. To outline possible future directions within emotional intelligence and education.

+Stage 1

Critique

+Emotional Intelligence – Key Issues

1. Empirical scientific research v popular research

2. Model interpretation (Trait v Ability)

3. Measurement interpretation (Self-Report v Maximal Performance)

4. Research design and method

+Stage 2

Research

+Emotional Intelligence and Reflective Practice in Tutorial Settings (2014)

Aim: to assess the impact of emotional intelligence and reflective practice within tutorial settings.

The tutorial system within FE is seen as the cornerstone from where learners can develop.

Tutorials enable practitioners to capture learner feelings and emotions related to both academia and personal life situations.

+Key Concepts

Emotional Intelligence

Recognise, understand and manage our own emotions; recognise, understand and influence the emotions of others

Reflective Practice

Schon (1983) links reflective practice into two different forms – ‘in-action’ & ‘on-action’

+Method

Practitioners completed a self-report measure of emotional intelligence and were introduced to reflective practice.

Practitioners were invited to utilise emotional intelligence and reflective practice with learners during tutorials for 6 weeks.

In postulation, a relationship between emotional intelligence and reflective practice would emerge.

+Key Results

Reflective practice enabled practitioners to enhance their own emotional intelligence skills, specifically self-awareness and self-regulation.

Focus group interviews identified that practitioners adopted a range of strategies to increase their own emotional intelligence skills and improve use of reflective practice.

+Percentage increase of emotional intelligence sub-domain scores over 6 week testing period

+Data illustrating increases in emotional intelligence across all sub-domain scores following 6 week testing period

Self-Awareness Self-Regulation Motivation Empathy Relationship Management

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Emotional Intelligence Scores

Test 1Test 2

Emotional Intelligence Core Domains

+Focus Group Data

+Discussion

Considerations for future investigations should include:

Design more longitudinal studies to examine emerging patterns.

Incorporate semi-structured interviews to facilitate deeper understanding of emotional intelligence scores.

Start to examine emotional intelligence differences between gender, age, experience and cultural aspects.

+

Stage 3

Future EI practices

+Trainability of Emotional Intelligence

Schutte, Malouff & Thorsteinsson (2013) suggested that trainability within emotional intelligence should be implemented in research.

Arguably, trainability in education is important and should form an integral stage of teacher training.

As a consideration, future research on emotional intelligence should centre on trainability for teacher trainers on teaching courses (PGCE, DTLLS, CERT ED’s).

+Ways Forward

Collect and compare data between different educational sectors (e.g. schools, FE & HE)

Use research and conferences as a mechanism to showcase best practices in emotional intelligence and education (UK and abroad)

Implement workshops that raise awareness of emotional intelligence amongst practitioners and teacher trainers

+Summary

Emotional intelligence has evidenced its potential effectiveness within education.

Consideration should be given to the type of method and measurement tool to be used in research as ambiguity persists.

Educational establishments should implement the use of emotional intelligence within their practices.

+References

Goleman, D. (2004). What Makes a Leader? [Article]. Harvard Business Review, 82(1), 82-91.

Schon, D.A. (1983). The Reflective Practitioner: how professionals think in action. London: Temple Smith.

Schutte, N.S., Malouff, J.M., & Thorsteinsson, E.B., (2013). Increasing emotional intelligence through Training: Current status and future directions. The International Journal of Emotional Education, 5 (1), pgs, 56-77.