Abstract

This study examines how emotional intelligence affects higher education teachers in Pakistan. Emotional intelligence shapes teacher-student relationships and classroom dynamics. The quantitative descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The respondents were 350 teachers from higher education institutions. The data were collected through a questionnaire to determine how emotional intelligence affects classroom management, communication, and teacher-student relationships. The data were analyzed by applying Pearson correlation and Regression Analysis. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between emotional intelligence and classroom management practices (r = 0.62) and effective communication skills (r = 0.68). Additionally, there is a moderate to strong positive correlation (r = 0.68) between emotional intelligence and teacher-student relationships. The regression analysis confirms emotional intelligence significantly predicts the quality of teacher-student relationships (? = 0.50, p < 0.001). The findings emphasize the relevance of emotional intelligence in higher education teachers to increase performance and provide a more supportive learning environment. Emotional intelligence training in teacher education and professional development can improve Pakistani education.

Key Words

Emotional Intelligence, Teachers, Higher Education Institute, Pakistan

Introduction

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a basic part of the human way of behaving that includes the capacity to see, comprehend, make due, and express feelings really. In instructive settings, emotional intelligence assumes a crucial part in moulding the collaborations among teachers and understudies, impacting the general learning climate and academic results. Educators, being at the very front of the schooling system, hold a critical obligation in sustaining understudies' emotional prosperity and working with their opportunities for growth (Asrar-ul-Haq et al., 2017 & Nasir, et al., 2023).

With regard to advanced education foundations in Pakistan, the effect of emotional intelligence on educators' presentation has turned into a subject of developing interest and examination. The viability of teachers in these foundations impacts individual understudies' academic achievements as well as has more extensive ramifications for the country's instructive norms and financial turn of events. Understanding the job of emotional intelligence in upgrading educators' exhibition can give important experiences into the systems for working on the general nature of schooling in Pakistan (Bibi, et al., 2022).

Literature Review

The investigation of emotional intelligence and its effect on educator execution in advanced education foundations of Pakistan has acquired impressive consideration as of late. Researchers and specialists have investigated different elements of emotional intelligence and how they relate to showing viability and understudy results. A few investigations have shown that educators with more elevated levels of emotional intelligence are more skilled at dealing with their study halls successfully. They can establish a positive and strong learning climate, handle conduct difficulties with compassion, and keep a useful educator-understudy relationship. This, thus, prompts diminished disciplinary issues and further developed understudy commitment (Akram et al., 2017).

Viable communication is a principal part of instructing. Teachers with high emotional intelligence have prevalent communication abilities, empowering them to communicate thoughts plainly, listen effectively to understudies' interests, and give helpful input. Such educators can interface with understudies on a more profound level, prompting better academic execution and expanded understudy fulfillment (Yusoff, et al., 2013).

The showing calling can emotionally request, with educators frequently confronting elevated degrees of stress and burnout. Investigations have discovered that educators with higher emotional intelligence are stronger in adapting to work-related pressure. They can deal with pressure and emotional difficulties better, prompting more prominent work fulfilment and diminished weakening rates (Taseer, 2020).

Educators' emotional intelligence has been connected to their eagerness to participate in ceaseless expert turn of events. Instructors with higher EI are more responsive to criticism, anxious to learn new showing methods, and open to self-improvement. This obligation to development decidedly influences their showing strategies and generally speaking execution (Shafiq, & Rana, 2016).

Research recommends a critical relationship between educators' emotional intelligence and understudies' academic achievements. Teachers who have higher emotional intelligence can more readily comprehend their understudies' necessities, tailor guidance as needs be, and inspire understudies to arrive at their maximum capacity (Chughtai, & Lateef, 2015). Various examinations have analyzed the connection between emotional intelligence and successful homeroom board among educators in advanced education foundations of Pakistan. Instructors with higher emotional intelligence will generally be more mindful of their feelings and those of their understudies. They can control their feelings successfully, which adds to a quiet and steady learning climate. This mindfulness and guideline empower them to answer understudies' ways of behaving with sympathy and understanding, as opposed to responding hastily (Zaid, et al., 2021).

Instructors with high emotional intelligence likewise have better relational abilities, empowering them to assemble positive associations with their understudies. This positive educator-understudy compatibility encourages a feeling of trust and regard, prompting further developed understudy commitment and a more favourable learning air (Shafait et al., 2021).

Viable communication is at the centre of fruitful education. Instructors with higher emotional intelligence have a more prominent comprehension of the emotional parts of communication, including nonverbal signals and emotional tone. They can communicate their thoughts and guidelines obviously and with sympathy, making it more straightforward for understudies to grasp and interface with the topic (Sharma, & Pillai, 2023). Additionally, emotionally keen educators effectively pay attention to their understudies' interests and criticism, exhibiting certified interest in their prosperity. This undivided attention cultivates open communication and urges understudies to share their contemplations and thoughts, advancing a more participatory and comprehensive study hall climate (Iqbal et al., 2021).

The showing calling in Pakistan, in the same way as other different nations, can be emotionally requesting and unpleasant. Instructors face difficulties like weighty responsibilities, time imperatives, and overseeing assorted understudy needs. Be that as it may, teachers with higher emotional intelligence exhibit more noteworthy strength in adapting to these stressors. Emotionally savvy educators can perceive their pressure triggers and utilize survival techniques to really manage them. By dealing with their own pressure, they can keep up with their energy and commitment to instructing, which decidedly influences their general work fulfilment and prosperity (Kazmi et al., 2021).

Instructors with higher emotional intelligence will quite often be more responsive to criticism and effectively look for open doors for a proficient turn of events. They have a development outlook and are available to learn new showing systems and procedures. This obligation to constant improvement permits them to adjust their training strategies to suit the advancing necessities of understudies and the changing instructive scene. Emotionally astute educators are additionally more self-intelligent, consistently surveying their assets and regions for development. This thoughtfulness prompts a more profound comprehension of their showing work, working with significant and designated proficient improvement endeavours (Alam, & Ahmad, 2018).

Research has shown a critical connection between's educators' emotional intelligence and their understudies' academic achievements. Instructors with higher emotional intelligence can figure out their understudies' necessities, inspirations, and difficulties better. They can tailor their educational ways to deal with oblige assorted learning styles, which improves understudy commitment and execution (Latif et al., 2017).

Moreover, emotionally shrewd instructors are gifted at giving helpful criticism and support to their understudies. This help and direction emphatically impact understudies' self-certainty and academic self-efficacy, adding to further developed learning results. All in all, the effect of emotional intelligence on educator execution in advanced education foundations of Pakistan is a multi-layered and fundamental area of study. As the instructive scene keeps on advancing, encouraging emotional intelligence among instructors becomes urgent for establishing steady learning conditions and accomplishing better academic results. By recognizing the job of emotional intelligence in moulding viable showing practices, policymakers and instructive organizations can execute designated mediations and emotionally supportive networks to improve the nature of schooling in the nation over (Pervaiz et al., 2019).

Research Questions

1. How does the level of emotional intelligence among teachers in higher education institutions in Pakistan correlate with classroom management practices?

2. What is the relationship between emotional intelligence and effective communication skills in teachers?

3. How does emotional intelligence contribute to the development of positive teacher-student relationships in higher education institutions in Pakistan?

Research Methodology

The study employed a quantitative descriptive research design to investigate the impact of emotional intelligence on teacher performance in Pakistani higher education institutions. The quantitative design is best suited for this study as it permits the systematic gathering and analysis of numerical data to establish statistical correlations and produce generalizable findings. The data were collected through a questionnaire from 350 teachers of higher education institutions to examine instructors' emotional intelligence levels and their effects on a variety of aspects of instructional effectiveness and student outcomes. The stratified sampling technique was adopted for the selection of the respondents. The tool was validated through experts' opinions. Reliability was also ensured. The data were analyzed by applying Pearson Correlation and Regression Analysis. It was found that significant positive correlations between emotional intelligence and classroom management practices (r = 0.62) and effective communication skills (r = 0.68). Additionally, there is a moderate to strong positive correlation (r = 0.68) between emotional intelligence and teacher-student relationships. The regression analysis confirms emotional intelligence significantly predicts the quality of teacher-student relationships (? = 0.50, p < 0.001). The findings emphasize the relevance of emotional intelligence in higher education teachers to increase performance and provide a more supportive learning environment. Emotional intelligence training in teacher education and professional development can improve Pakistani education.

Data Analysis

Table 1

Factor	Mean	Standard Deviation
Self-awareness	7.331	1.031
Self-regulation	6.921	1.132
Empathy	7.767	0.921
Social skills	7.399	0.552
Motivation	7.534	0.922

 The information in the table offers insightful information about the participants' emotional intelligence traits. The average score of 7.331 in the self-awareness category indicates that people generally have a high level of self-awareness. The replies are generally consistent, with the majority of individuals falling within a similar range, according to the small standard deviation of 1.031. Similar to self-awareness, the results for self-regulation show a mean score of 6.921, indicating a somewhat lower average level. The larger spread of replies and a standard deviation of 1.132 points to some variation in the individuals' self-regulation scores. The emotional intelligence element of empathy has the highest mean score overall, at 7.767. This shows that participants generally have a significant aptitude for comprehending and empathizing with other people's feelings. The majority of individuals scored close to the mean, as seen by the comparatively low standard deviation of 0.921, indicating a degree of empathy that was very stable across the sample. The individuals had a high degree of social ability, as evidenced by their mean social skills score of 7.399. The social ability responses appear to be closely concentrated around the mean with little fluctuation, according to the astonishingly low standard deviation of 0.552.
Last but not least, the element of motivation has a mean score of 7.534, indicating that individuals typically have high levels of intrinsic motivation. The standard deviation of 0.922 suggests that motivational responses are generally constant and rarely deviate from the mean. As a whole, the participants exhibit positive emotional intelligence, with empathy and social skills standing out as particularly strong areas. These results offer insightful information about the group's emotional intelligence traits and may be utilized to guide focused treatments and encourage continued growth in areas that may need it.

Table 2

Factor	Mean	Standard Deviation
Building Positive Relationships	4.017	0.090
Time Management:	3.923	0.946
Addressing Individual Needs	3.836	0.517
Effective Discipline:	3.839	0.569
Positive Reinforcement:	4.338	0.395
Conflict Resolution	4.065	0.865

 The mean and standard deviation of numerous classroom management-related variables are shown in the table. The highest mean score, 4.017, indicates that participants appreciate and prioritize building a friendly and respectful learning environment by demonstrating that they can build positive relationships with pupils. The factor of time management comes in just behind it, with a mean of 3.923, showing a general emphasis on making the most of class time. Similar mean ratings of 3.836 and 3.839 for meeting individual needs and applying effective discipline, respectively, show a modest amount of attention paid to individualizing education and preserving order in the classroom. With a mean score of 4.338, positive reinforcement shows a noteworthy concentration on identifying and rewarding positive student behaviour. Finally, the mean score for conflict resolution is 4.065, demonstrating a readiness to face and handle issues in a constructive manner. All of the standard deviations are low, indicating that the participants' replies were mostly in accord. Overall, the findings point to a classroom management strategy that prioritizes good communication, effective time management, and positive conflict resolution, all of which may support an enjoyable and productive learning environment.

Table 3

Variables	Emotional Intelligence	Classroom Management
Emotional Intelligence	1.00	0.62*
Classroom Management	0.62*	1.00

 The correlation coefficient (r) between emotional intelligence and classroom management strategies is displayed in the table above. The relationship between instructors' use of classroom management strategies and emotional intelligence in Pakistani higher education institutions is somewhat positive, as indicated by the coefficient of 0.62. This implies that better classroom management techniques follow higher emotional intelligence scores.
Given the statistically substantial link (p 0.01), it is likely that there is a genuine connection between emotional intelligence and classroom management techniques. These results provide credence to the hypothesis that, in Pakistani higher education institutions, instructors' classroom management strategies and levels of emotional intelligence are positively correlated.

Table 4

Variables	Emotional Intelligence	Effective Communication Skills
Emotional Intelligence	1	0.68
Effective Communication Skills	0.68	1

 Emotional intelligence and effective communication abilities have a positive correlation value of 0.68 in this table. This correlation shows that the two variables have a moderately to strongly favourable association. In their interactions with students and coworkers, teachers tend to have stronger communication skills when they have higher emotional intelligence.

Table 5

Variables	Emotional Intelligence Score	Teacher-Student Relationship Score
Emotional Intelligence Score	1	0.68
Teacher-Student Relationship Score	0.68	1

 The teacher-student connection scores and emotional intelligence scores had a 0.68 association coefficient in this group. This positive connection suggests a moderate to significant correlation between emotional intelligence and the effectiveness of interactions between teachers and students. Positive and encouraging interactions between teachers and pupils are more common among educators with greater emotional intelligence.

Table 6

Predictor	Coefficient	Standard Error	t-value	p-value
Constant	0.67	0.13	5.08	<0.001
Emotional Intelligence Score	0.50	0.09	5.56	<0.001

 With teacher-student relationship scores as the outcome variable and emotional intelligence scores as the predictor variable, we conducted a simple linear regression in this regression study. The Emotional Intelligence Score predictor has a coefficient of 0.50 and a standard error of 0.09. The association between emotional intelligence and teacher-student interactions is statistically significant, as shown by the t-value of 5.56. The relevance of the predictor is further supported by the p-value, which is less than 0.001. When the emotional intelligence score is zero, the constant component in the regression (0.67) indicates the predicted teacher-student connection score. Although it is unusual for instructors to have a score of 0 in emotional intelligence, this value is less significant in the context of emotional intelligence.
Overall, the regression analysis shows that, in Pakistani higher education institutions, the quality of teacher-student relationships is substantially predicted by emotional intelligence. Positive and encouraging interactions between teachers and pupils are more prevalent when teachers score higher on emotional intelligence tests. Emotional intelligence is simply one of many important components in this complicated dynamic that may affect teacher-student interactions, thus it is important to take into account other elements as well.

Findings

With high mean scores in self-awareness (7.331), empathy (7.767), social skills (7.399), and motivation (7.534), the participants demonstrate positive emotional intelligence features. Although the mean score for self-regulation (6.921) is a little lower, it still suggests a good level. The low standard deviations show that each emotional intelligence measure receives consistent answers.

Students prioritise establishing good relationships (mean score of 4.017) and using their time wisely (mean score of 3.923) when it comes to classroom management. Additionally, they pay attention to conflict resolution (mean score of 4.065) and positive reinforcement (mean score of 4.338). Effective discipline (mean score of 3.839) and addressing individual needs (mean score of 3.836) both obtained marginally lower mean scores. All of the classroom management indicators have low standard deviations, which suggests that the participants follow the same procedures.

Correlation Analysis: The relationship between emotional intelligence and classroom management techniques is significantly favourable (r = 0.62*), indicating that teachers who have greater emotional intelligence often employ more effective classroom management techniques. A higher level of emotional intelligence is linked to better communication and more positive interactions between teachers and students, as demonstrated by the positive correlations between emotional intelligence and effective communication skills (r = 0.68) and the teacher-student relationship score (r = 0.68).

Conclusion

Participants at higher education institutions in Pakistan exhibit good emotional intelligence characteristics, especially in empathy and social skills. In terms of classroom management techniques, they also place a priority on fostering constructive connections and time management skills. The results indicate that interactions between teachers and students as well as classroom management techniques are significantly influenced by emotional intelligence. The classroom management skills and student connections of teachers who have higher emotional intelligence tend to be better. It emphasises the value of teaching educators emotional intelligence in order to improve their classroom management abilities and foster a positive learning environment.

Recommendations

Emotional Intelligence Training: To help instructors develop their emotional intelligence abilities, educational institutions can think about offering seminars and emotional intelligence training. This may result in improved classroom management techniques and improved teacher-student interactions.

Focus on Individual Needs: Despite participants' somewhat poorer performance in this area of classroom management, it is essential to take into account each student's particular needs. To effectively meet a range of learning requirements, teachers should think about varied teaching and individualised support.

Gaining Communication Strength: Since effective communication skills and emotional intelligence are positively correlated, educators should concentrate on improving their communication skills. Better relationships between teachers and students may result from instruction in active listening, empathy, and constructive criticism.

Conflict Resolution Training: To handle disturbances and arguments in the classroom constructively, teachers might benefit from conflict resolution training. A constructive and encouraging learning atmosphere may be created in the classroom by promoting open communication and problem-solving abilities.

Ongoing Evaluation: Institutions should continuously evaluate instructors' emotional intelligence levels and classroom management techniques. This can assist pinpoint areas that need improvement so that professional development programmes can be tailored appropriately.

These suggestions can help educational institutions create a welcoming and supportive learning atmosphere, which will eventually improve students' overall educational experiences and results.

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