Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education Scholars (eBook)

Camila Devis-Rozental is a senior lecturer and a teaching and learning fellow at Bournemouth University, UK. She is also a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the UK representative for the education division of the International Positive Psychology Association. Her work, which she has presented both nationally and internationally, centres on socio-emotional intelligence within teaching and learning. She has been the recipient of multiple awards and grants. 

Foreword 6
Preface 8
Rationale for This Book 8
We Are All Scholars 9
Organisation of the Book 9
Acknowledgements 14
Contents 16
List of Figures 18
List of Tables 19
1: Introduction and Rationale 20
1.1 Introduction 20
1.2 My Story 22
1.3 Overview of Early Years Training and Practice in England 27
1.4 What We Already Know About Social and Emotional Intelligence, and Its Application in Early Years Education Policy and Practice 32
1.5 Case Study 37
1.6 Early Years Students and Their Development of Socio-Emotional Intelligence 38
1.7 Socio-Emotional Intelligence Within the Wider Construct of a Higher Education Environment 39
References 39
2: Socio-Emotional Intelligence: Background, Meaning and Understanding 44
2.1 Introduction 44
2.2 The Many Ways of Categorising Intelligence 45
2.3 Concluding Thoughts on Intelligence 50
2.4 Theoretical Underpinning of Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence 50
2.5 Emotional Intelligence 50
2.6 Social Intelligence 53
2.7 Linking Emotional Intelligence and Social Intelligence 56
2.8 “Understanding Me, Understanding You” Scholars’ View of Socio-Emotional Intelligence 60
2.9 Conclusion 64
References 64
3: Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence 68
3.1 Introduction 68
3.2 The Importance of Social Interaction 70
3.3 Physiological Effects of Social Interactions 71
3.4 The Socio-Emotional Brain 72
3.5 The Nurturing Environment 73
3.6 Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence: Gaining an Embodied Relational Understanding 78
3.7 Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education 79
3.8 Socio-Emotional Intelligence Is Ingrained but Can Be Developed with Practice 80
3.9 “Plant a Seed” 85
3.10 Strategies to Develop Socio-Emotional Intelligence 87
3.11 Conclusion 88
References 88
4: Developing Our Socio-Emotional Intelligence by Understanding Our Emotions 92
4.1 Introduction 92
4.2 Emotions 93
4.3 The Study of Emotions 94
4.4 Emotions Within the Social Context 95
4.5 Behaviour and Emotions 97
4.6 The Biology of Emotions 98
4.7 Labelling Emotions: The Scholars’ Views of Emotions Within Their Social Construct 102
4.8 Labelling Emotions: “What You Say Affects Everybody” 109
4.9 Conclusion 117
References 117
5: Humanising Higher Education by Meeting Scholars’ Needs with Socio-Emotional Intelligence 122
5.1 Introduction 122
5.2 Fostering a Positive Culture 123
5.3 What Does a Positive Education University Look Like? 125
5.4 The Humanisation of Higher Education with Socio-Emotional Intelligence 127
5.5 Insiderness Versus Objectification 129
5.6 Agency Versus Passivity 130
5.7 Uniqueness Versus Homogenisation 131
5.8 Togetherness Versus Isolation 132
5.9 Sense-Making Versus Loss of Meaning 133
5.10 Personal Journey Versus Loss of Personal Journey 134
5.11 Sense of Place Versus Dislocation 135
5.12 Embodiment Versus Reductionist Body 136
5.13 Strategies to Provide an Environment That Positively Impacts on Students’ Socio-Emotional Intelligence: The Tourist Metaphor 137
5.14 Supporting Scholars to Integrate and Develop a Sense of Belonging 139
5.15 Conclusion 147
References 147
6: Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence Through Self-Reflection 150
6.1 Introduction 150
6.2 Reflection 151
6.3 Case Study on Self-Reflection 153
6.4 “Reflection Is Almost Like a Token Statement” 161
6.5 Self-Awareness 166
6.6 Developing Self-Awareness Through Mindfulness 168
6.7 Developing Self-Awareness by Looking Through a Window 169
6.8 Developing Self-Awareness by Journaling 170
6.9 Conclusion 171
References 172
7: Developing Socio-Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education Academics: Benefits Beyond the Classroom 176
7.1 Introduction 176
7.2 What Is Socio-Emotional Intelligence to Academics? 177
7.3 The Role of the Academic 177
7.4 Teaching Socio-Emotional Intelligence 180
7.5 Enabling Social Learning to Enhance Scholars’ Socio-Emotional Intelligence 181
7.6 “We Are About Transforming People” 185
7.7 Positive Student-Lecturer Relationships Are Fundamental in Developing Scholars’ Socio-Emotional Intelligence 187
7.8 Teaching Is Like a Boomerang: What You Give You Get Back 190
7.9 Scholars as Peers 192
7.10 Forging Relationships for the Day-to-Day Role 194
7.11 Everyone Is Unique but We Are All Equal 197
7.12 Effective Strategies to Support Students in Developing Their Socio-Emotional Intelligence 199
7.13 Practical Ideas to Support Students in Developing Their Socio-Emotional Intelligence 202
7.14 Innovating Practice 203
7.15 Positive Didactics Model for Effective Teaching and Learning to Foster Socio-Emotional Intelligence 203
7.16 Areas Within the Positive Didactics Model 207
7.17 An Assumption That Academics Would Have Knowledge of Socio-Emotional Intelligence 211
7.18 Conclusion 213
References 214
8: Practising Socio-Emotional Intelligence 219
8.1 Introduction 219
8.2 “No” Is Not a Dirty Word, Assertiveness with Kindness 220
8.3 Practising Self-Care, We Deserve It 223
8.4 Nice to Meet You: Developing Our Self-Awareness 224
8.5 There Is No Need to Have a Mask: The Importance of Genuineness 226
8.6 Resilience: Becoming Wiser After Adversity 228
8.7 Humour and Laughter as a Healing Force 229
8.8 Conclusion 231
References 232
9: Conclusion 235
9.1 Limitations and Blind Spots 238
9.2 Looking to the Future, Recommendations for Further Research and Practice Development 239
References 241
Index 243