Abstract:
Teaching is one of the most stressful professions in the world where teachers have to cope with stressful situations in the classrooms such as heavy workload, administration, marking and parents’ interviews among others (Corcoran & Tormey, 2012). Teachers have to be able to manage and control their emotions when feeling overwhelmed or stressed so teaching can become more effective and fruitful. Perhaps there are many expectations in terms of what teachers have to do, how they teach, what they teach, but what is the support in terms of emotional knowledge they receive in higher education? Higher education has been debated among academics throughout Australia (White, 2016). Therefore this study focuses on the role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in first year pre-service teachers (PSTs) perceptions. The main aim of this research is to highlight pre-service teachers’ voices about EI, what they know about the topic and what they expect to learn in their degree is included. This study seeks to answer the question: What are the perceptions of first year degree pre- service teachers about EI in an Australian university? How (in what form) they think they will learn EI in their degree?
With ethical approval from the university, a hundred and eight students were surveyed enrolled in their Bachelor of Education (Honours) in an Australian institution. The PSTs were invited to answer an online survey thorough their online learning platform and face-to-face classes. This survey contained Likert type questions and open-ended questions. This study utilised a mixed method design. Quantitative data (analysed on SPSS) provided with measurements about important aspects on the role of EI, whereas qualitative data (analysed using thematic analysis) complemented with PSTs agentive voices, believes and understanding about EI.
Results indicate that first year PSTs have clear understandings about EI, its definition and main dimensions and implications. However, PSTs have no clear perceptions about how they can incorporate the topic as part of their future teaching. PSTs believe that EI would be covered as part of their education degree thorough tutorials, workshops or in placements and consider the topic as essential for their expertise.
This study contributes to the education field and for a socially just world in terms of providing with what PSTs believe is important for their degrees, what they expect to learn on EI and how this is going to contribute to their future teaching.
With ethical approval from the university, a hundred and eight students were surveyed enrolled in their Bachelor of Education (Honours) in an Australian institution. The PSTs were invited to answer an online survey thorough their online learning platform and face-to-face classes. This survey contained Likert type questions and open-ended questions. This study utilised a mixed method design. Quantitative data (analysed on SPSS) provided with measurements about important aspects on the role of EI, whereas qualitative data (analysed using thematic analysis) complemented with PSTs agentive voices, believes and understanding about EI.
Results indicate that first year PSTs have clear understandings about EI, its definition and main dimensions and implications. However, PSTs have no clear perceptions about how they can incorporate the topic as part of their future teaching. PSTs believe that EI would be covered as part of their education degree thorough tutorials, workshops or in placements and consider the topic as essential for their expertise.
This study contributes to the education field and for a socially just world in terms of providing with what PSTs believe is important for their degrees, what they expect to learn on EI and how this is going to contribute to their future teaching.