An assessment of students' emotional intelligence, learning outcomes, and academic efficacy: A correlational study in higher education.

Zahid Shafait,József Popp,Zdzisław Dacko-Pikiewicz,Umar Farooq Sahibzada,Muhammad Asif Khan,László Vasa

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0255428

Zahid Shafait, József Popp + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0255428

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Aug 3, 2021
Citations: 46	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: WSB University, Northwestern Polytechnical University

Abstract

The purpose of this empirical study is to investigate the effects of Emotional Intelligence (EI) on learning outcomes (social, cognitive, self-growth outcomes and satisfaction with the university experience) of students in Chinese research universities. This study further examines the mediating role of student trust in teachers (emotional and cognitive learning) and learning orientation (commitment to learning) in the relationship between EI and learning outcomes. This intent of this study was to examine the direct effects of learning outcomes on students’ academic efficacy (cognitive skills and standardised tests). This study used a sample frame of 454 students from research universities in China. The relationships were tested through the partial least squares’ structural equation modelling method. The results reveal that EI has a significant impact on learning outcomes. Furthermore, an indirect relation between EI and learning outcomes is established through student trust in teachers and in the learning orientation. The direct relation between learning outcomes and student academic efficacy is also established. There is a lack of studies that investigate the relationship of EI, student trust in teachers, learning orientation, learning outcomes and student academic efficacy. This is one of the initial research studies that not only empirically examine the interface of EI and learning outcomes of students of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) but offers insights into the existing literature by concurrent investigation of the mediating role of student trust in teachers and in the learning orientation in fundamental association, while explaining the association between learning outcomes and students’ better academic efficacy.

Highlights

Higher education plays an extremely important role in the creation of a knowledge-based economy
It is vital that higher education institutions (HEIs) students are trained with emotional intelligence (EI) and learning outcomes to meet the demanding challenges of the current age [5]
The considered research investigated the influence of EI on learning outcomes of students in Chinese HEIs, the indirect influence of students’ trust in teachers, and learning orientation between EI and student learning outcomes (SLOs) while having a direct influence of SLOs on students’ academic-efficacy

Summary

Introduction

Higher education plays an extremely important role in the creation of a knowledge-based economy. Western higher education has been an inspiration for East Asian countries in terms of policies and practical procurement. Students’ emotional intelligence, learning outcomes and academic efficacy has challenged the predominance of the education system of the ‘West’ [1, 2]. Chung [5], explained that Hong Kong HEIs have lengthened their three-year education system to four years within a discipline favouring early specialisation in a quest to enhance student learning outcomes (SLOs). The latest research shows that to sustain SLOs, emotional intelligence (EI) can be introduced into the education system, as HEIs lack a clear and consistent EI strategy formulation and application, in China [6]

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