5 ways educators can improve emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence boils down to understanding and managing your emotions and those of the people around you.

It means knowing what you’re feeling, why you’re feeling that way, and how your emotions affect others. It also means understanding where others are coming from, and having the self-awareness to manage your reactions while communicating and building relationships.

Buuuut... isn't emotional intelligence is one of those things you have or don’t have? Nope. It’s a skill that can and should be developed.

5 things to remember to improve emotional intelligence in your courses

1. Accept that you’re going to make mistakes

Did you cruise around the neighborhood the very first time you got on a bike? Most people don’t. It takes a few falls to get there. But even experienced bikers can crash on new trails and tough terrain.?

It’s the same with developing emotional intelligence; you’ll make mistakes while you’re navigating new and potentially tough situations, but you’ll learn along the way. So, when it happens, pick up your bike, dust yourself off, and get back on the trail after you find what threw you off.

2. Embrace healthy conflict

Healthy conflict is a good thing—emphasis on "healthy."?

It challenges us to focus on the issue instead of an individual. It challenges us to have constructive discussions that create solutions. A lack of conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can indicate operating within a comfort zone that doesn’t challenge ideas.

3. Practice taking a brief pause before responding

Tough conversations often lead to immediate reactions, which can cause misunderstandings and escalate conflict.?

Taking a brief pause before responding gives you a chance to collect your thoughts, manage your emotions, and respond—rather than react—in a way that better communicates your message.

4. Learners need alternative ways to reach out to you

Some learners are comfortable speaking up during class, but others may prefer to send an email, meet one-on-one, or even provide anonymous feedback.?

Regardless of their preferences, make sure they’re aware of the different ways they can reach out to you, and remind them during classes.

5. Communicate with purpose

• Be assertive and direct: Emotional intelligence doesn’t mean you can’t be assertive and direct. But the key is to do it with tact, respect, and encouragement while having a true dialogue, not just talking at them.
• Listen to learners’ words and body language: Listening to what learners say, how they say it, and their body language is key. Are they understanding the topic? Are they interested or disinterested? Are they paying attention? Do they sound disconnected? Are they multitasking? Pay close attention, even in a virtual classroom (you may just have to zoom in on their screen).
• Put yourself in their shoes: Empathizing with learners involves understanding how they’re feeling, their perspectives, and being able to relate to their situation.
• Be descriptive and provide context: Which response do you think benefits the learner more if they answer a question during class that isn’t quite right?Instructor response 1: Close, but that’s not entirely accurate. Anyone else?Instructor response 2: "You’re on the right track because ___ and ___ are ___. But a key to helping differentiate them is that _____, which means that ___. So, think of it like this: [analogy].”

The second response is definitely better. It acknowledges their answer, reiterates the correct portion, identifies the incorrect portion, and provides context in different ways.?

Emotional intelligence can help improve mental health

Depression, anxiety, and stress are increasingly common among students. A 2019 survey of undergraduate students by the American College of Health Association showed:?

• 1 in 4 students reported depression that negatively impacted their academic performance?
• 43% of students reported feeling overwhelmed by anxiety

However, studies show that emotional intelligence can help students manage anxiety and stress. Whether it’s balancing their education and career, preparing for high-stakes exams, or life in general, emotional intelligence can help students adapt and better manage stress and anxiety in different situations.?

Tests are stressful, but the right technology can help

A 2020 student survey found that over 60% of students reported that tests make them nervous.

But the surprising thing? Honorlock’s virtual proctoring is proven to help reduce test anxiety.?

Seriously, there’s no fine print here. But how does it do that?

Honorlock combines AI with live human proctors, but our approach is different from other services. Our AI monitors each exam session and alerts a live proctor if it detects any potential misconduct. After they’re alerted, the proctor reviews a recording of the behavior, and they’ll only intervene if necessary. Otherwise, the test taker isn’t interrupted, and a proctor isn’t watching them the whole time.

Aside from that, Honorlock offers unlimited practice exams, which helps test takers get comfortable with taking proctored exams to avoid any technical hiccups before the real test.

“The proctor popping in was different than I expected - in a positive way. I imagined them being more strict. I felt that the proctor was helpful and a lot less intimidating than I thought.” - student quote in a post-exam interview

Links you'll want to check out:

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