Background and Aim: This paper aims to examine the
relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and interpersonal relations
(IR) among upgrading university teacher students at Makerere University (MAK)
and Uganda Christian University (UCU). Emotional intelligence helps an
individual to understand, use, and manage their own emotions in positive ways
to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome
challenges and defuse conflict. Interpersonal relations are social and emotional
interactions between two or more individuals. While the curricula and syllabi
in the Teacher Education programmes in Uganda do not clearly show EI as a vital
and critical factor, literature shows that EI is responsible for 80% of the
success in our lives. IR enables teacher students to perform better, be
emotionally well adjusted to perform other activities besides teaching, as well
as professionally deal with the community within the school.
Methodology: The study used mixed methodology, DCM SPSS 22
data analysis, a sample of 434 Grade V teacher students randomly sampled for
qualitative survey design and 75 purposively selected participants for
qualitative design, with the ability model of Emotional Intelligence).
Findings: Overall emotional intelligence was not
significantly related to the quality of interpersonal relations (r = .08, p
> .05). Similarly, all aspects of emotional intelligence were not
significantly related to the quality of interpersonal relations. Qualitative
results show that some participants were not clear about the difference between
EI and cognitive intelligence. The findings believe that EI is positively
correlated to IR. For better IR, one needs a high level of EI. Conclusively,
although the quantitative data showed no significance between EI and IR
qualitative data indicated results to the contrary. Subsequently, the teaching
of EI especially at the university level is new to the education curriculum of
Uganda.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Most
teacher students had not heard of EI. Thus, there is a need to put emphasis on
IR at all levels of education and to deliberately include EI in the curriculum.
Most previous scholarship on EI did not use mixed methodology. This is the
first study to use the ability model of EI, in an educational research using
mixed methods. The study recommends more research, teaching and training in EI
and IR in the educational fraternity. A clear distinction needs to be made
between EI and IR and how these impact human growth, development and learning
at all levels of the educational system.
Further research needs to be done using the ability model of EI.
Author(s)
Details:
Helen Christine
Amongin Waiswa
Department of Educational, Social and Organizational Psychology,
Makerere University, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of
Psychology, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
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