The Impact of Emotional Intelligence of Teachers in Higher Education on Student Engagement: Evidence from National Universities in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Student Engagement has emerged as a central theme in a context of Higher Education in recent years. So there is a great consent towards it. Due to several factors undergraduates are diverted and disengaged consequently especially the state universities of Sri Lanka currently experiencing this issue. Even there are many factors impact on student engagement this study explored the significance of teachers with their emotional intelligence competencies for getting student engagement. University students are prefer to take student centered teaching where it is possible if only teachers are ready and capable to take account of students interest, needs and perspectives on adaptation with their teaching approach. Having understood the phenomenon above the current study designed to investigate the Impact of Emotional Intelligence of teachers in Higher Education on Student Engagement based on students’ perspective. This is an explanatory study data collected from the sample of 255 undergraduates selected from three state universities in western province of Sri Lanka on which convenience sampling method was adopted. Finding reveal that students are engaged but not actively and as per the students’ point of view lecturers are just good rather excellent enough on emotional intelligent competencies. However there is a positive strong relationship as well as have significant positive impact of emotionally intelligent teachers of higher education on student engagement. Ultimately it is concluded that higher educational teachers require and have to expand substantial amount of skill on emotional intelligence further then the active student engagement can be ensured, thus it is not a profession limited to only technical skills