Impact of lecturers’ emotional intelligence on students’ learning and engagement in remote learning spaces: A cross-cultural study

Abstract

Higher education institutions have recently transitioned from face-to-face to online teaching and learning environments. However, academic staff lack sufficient training in applying emotional intelligence (EI) skills and strategies in online learning environments. Although literature addressing academics’ EI is sparse, some studies have suggested that lecturers’ EI greatly influences teaching and learning. This study used the concept of EI to understand students’ perceptions of how lecturers’ EI impacted their learning and engagement in an online learning environment. We conducted four online focus group interviews of 14 students pursuing a bachelor’s degree at two campuses of an Australian university, one in Melbourne and the other in Malaysia. Four main themes were identified using thematic analysis. Students discussed their perceptions and experiences on (a) vulnerabilities, coping and empathy; (b) relationships with lecturers, trust and safety; (c) communication, tone and voice; and (d) managing emotions of lecturers. Our findings suggest that lecturers’ EI impacted students’ learning and engagement in online learning spaces. However, the impact differs between Australia and Malaysia due to cultural differences. Drawing on the findings, we present online education good practices grounded in the theory of EI. Lecturers delivering online courses should consider employing these practices for effective teaching. Implications for practice or policy: Higher educational institutions need to support lecturers in developing the necessary EI skills to engage students in online learning. Lecturers need to make meaningful attempts to develop positive relationships with students in online forums to support students’ engagement. Lecturers working in online learning environments need to support students to develop friendships and connections with their peers. Lecturers need to include regular discussion breaks during online lectures to allow students to share their opinions and experiences.

Exploring students' perceptions and the significance of social and cognitive presence in their educational voyage

“…According to Lowenthal and Dunlap (2018) and Matuzas (2021), students' comfort level with communication technologies affects their capacity to express themselves clearly and participate in dialogues. Students' verbal and written communication abilities influence their capacity to connect with others and express emotion (Gunasekara et al, 2022).…”

Achieving lasting education in the new digital learning world

“…A further theme within this special issue is that of instructional design, which also has links back to social constructivism. The article by Gunasekara et al (2022) investigates students' perceptions of how lecturers' emotional intelligence impacted their learning and engagement during remote learning. Emotional intelligence was found to enable lecturers to develop connections with peers online, and use a range of different modes of interaction to forge those connections.…”

“…Online education is a paradigm shift in itself, creating a mindset that education and continual professional development do not need to compromise other aspects of people's lifestyles to occur. Examples from this special issue include the reconceptualisation of the role of the teacher as an agent of the building, nurturing and sustaining of relationships within the classroom (Gunasekara et al, 2022;Kizilcik & Türüdü, 2022) or the role of students as drivers of their learning experience (Konstantinidou & Nisiforou, 2022).…”

Emotional Dimorphism in Pedagogy: Assessing Gender Response to Active Methodologies

“…In their cross-sectional study, Gunasekara et al (2022) found that teachers' emotional intelligence significantly impacts student engagement and learning in remote learning contexts, though the effects may be influenced by cultural differences [11]. This suggests that educators should consider employing online education practices based on the theory of emotional intelligence.…”