Emotional Intelligence amongst engineering undergraduates at Loughborough University

Methods for Enhancing the Emotional Intelligence of Engineering Undergraduates

Andrew Dainty, Yiyi Mo and Andrew Price, Department of Civil and Building Engineering

What Is Emotional Intelligence (EI)?

Emotional intelligence can be described as the capacity for recognising our own feelings and those of others, for motivating ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our relationships (Goldman, 1998) or the ability to effectively reason about emotions and use emotions to aid cognitive processes and decision-making (Mayer et al., 2000). Unlike IQ which is difficult to change, emotional intelligence can be developed through education and training interventions (Goleman, 1995).

Why Enhancing EI is important and how can we measure it?

EI is a more effective and powerful predictor than IQ in determining a range of relevant work dimensions including work performance (Goleman, 1995), effective leadership (Butler and Chinowsky, 2006), academic achievement (Parker et al., 2004) and team effectiveness (Jordan et al., 2006). As such, developing EI in undergraduates has the potential to enhance their potential work performance in many positive ways.

A number of established EI instruments are available to measure EI including the EQ-i (Emotional Quotient Inventory, Bar-On, 1997), the MSCEIT (Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, Mayer et al., 2002), the ECI (Emotional Competence Inventory, Goleman et al., 2001) and the EIS (Emotional Intelligence Scale, Schutte et al., 1998).

Project description

Despite the acknowledged importance of EI, relatively little research has been carried out to establish how the engineering curriculum should be designed to enhance it in students’ studying on engineering management programmes. Accordingly, in this project we aimed to establish how different teaching and learning methods affected EI development amongst our undergraduates in order to find the best ways to enhance EI in the future.

Methodology

Nearly 400 undergraduates from a range of engineering programmes took part in the study, including Civil Engineering (CE), Construction Engineering Management (CEM), Architectural Engineering and Design Management (AEDM) and Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying (CMQS). Participants were given an EI assessment (SEI, Schutte et al., 1998) before and after the completion of a full academic year in order to establish how their EI changed in relation to their particular programme of study. By examining the differences in the modular content of the programmes studied, it was possible to discern the types of modules and teaching/learning activities which appear to influence EI development in a positive way.

Key findings

Overall, EI score declined for all engineering programmes over the test-retest period. This suggests that the way in which we currently educate our students does little to enhance EI.

Interestingly, students’ studying on the AEDM programme tended to have a higher EI score (M=122.3; S.D.=17.65) than those who had taken another programme (M=118.2; S.D.=14.65), whereas those studying on the CMQS programme had lower EI (M=114.1; S.D.=17.52) than the average of the other programmes (M=120.4; S.D.=14.43). However, despite the differences between the cohorts, the ways in which we currently educate out engineering students appears to do little to support their EI development.

Teaching and learning strategies to enhance student’s EI development

In light of the findings summarised above, the modular content of the programmes was further examined in order to identify the types of learning intervention that develop students’ EI. An analysis of the teaching and learning methods for each module was used to establish the pedagogic interventions which might have a positive impact on EI relative to the other modules.  By relating these to the literature on EI development and discussing their impact with both lecturers and students, several teaching and learning activities were identified which appeared to influence EI development in a positive way.  Examples taken from some of the more successful strategies are presented below with references to the supporting literature:

Empirical studies indicate that direct, teacher-centred instruction hindered students’ emotional and motivational aspects of learning (Brophy and Good, 1986; Weinert et al., 1989). In contrast, student-centred or open instruction (e.g., project-oriented work) was found to enhance learning by allowing students to regulate their cognitive and emotional process in learning (Giaconia and Hedges, 1982).

Role-play and simulation exercises allow students the opportunity not only to analyse, but also to experience and feel the principles, theories and concepts of negotiations (Jaeger, 2003), thereby helping them to understand both their emotions and those of others (Reilly, 2005).

Peer assessment helps students identify their own strengths and weaknesses, target areas for remedial action, develop professional transferable skills, and enhance their reflective thinking and problem solving abilities during the learning experience (Sluijsmans et al., 1999; 2002 and Topping, 1998). Peer assessment is also found to improve students’ interpersonal relationships, a key dimension of EI, in the classroom (Sluijsmans et al., 2002).

Case Example 1: Module CVA025 “Project and Teamwork”, Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying Programme

This module is based around a role-play exercise where each student takes on the role of a particular construction professional such as an architect, contractor or quantity surveyor. The lecturer also plays different roles and actively participants in the simulation exercises. The module requires students to work effectively in a team and relies on a high level of communication. For example, students have to negotiate with the quantity surveyor, provide information to the building team and cope with changes and emergencies introduced during the course of the project. Through the social interactions that these changes enforce, students learn how to control their emotional expression and to better understand others’ emotions.

Case Example 2: Module CVA012 “Architectural Drawing and Representation”, Architectural Engineering and Design Management Programme

This module is a design-based module which aims to teach students to produce their own drawing and to ‘read’ and interpret other’s designs. By attending a series of studio sessions, students learn about how to produce and present their work in a way which is intelligible to a third party. Facilitated discussion groups are used to encourage them to discuss their designs and ideas with their peers. These types of activities encourage emotional perception and understanding (see Mayer, 2000). Additionally, later in the module students have to defend their work and give peer feedback to other students.  This also supports their abilities in providing constructive and appropriate feedback to their colleagues. 

Helping students to develop their own EI

As well as considering EI in their own teaching and learning strategies, lecturers can actively encourage their students to enhance their own EI through a combination of personal development measures. According to Jarboe (1999) these include developing constructive coping skills for specific moods, being honest with oneself, respecting other people's feelings, and paying attention to non-verbal communication.  It is incumbent on lecturers to build in specific interventions to enable students to develop these facets if they wish to encourage their broader EI development.  It is important to recognise however, that improving emotional intelligence will take both time and patience.

References and further reading

Further information

For further information on this research contact either Andrew Dainty  or Yiyi Mo.