Educational Social Skills: a Study on Emotional Intelligence in Higher Education

Objective: the research aimed to identify the level of emotional intelligence of teachers of Lato Sensu Postgraduate Courses at an HEI in the Itajaí Valley (SC). Theoretical Framework: the text addresses the concept of Educational Social Skills (ESS) and Emotional Intelligence (EI), highlighting the impact of EI on teachers' performance in the classroom and in their interactions with students. Method: from a methodological point of view, the research was classified as qualitative, descriptive and exploratory, using the case study method. Eleven (11) teachers working in higher education took part in the study, specifically in Lato Sensu postgraduate courses at an HEI in the Itajaí Valley (SC). One of the instruments used was the emotional quotient mapping test - EQ Map, by Cooper and Sawaf (1997), to identify the level of emotional intelligence of the teachers. Results and Discussion: the results showed a high level of Emotional Intelligence in the scales relating to Work Pressures, Personal Pressures, Emotional Awareness, Emotional Awareness of Others, Intentionality, Creativity, Interpersonal Connections, Constructive Dissatisfaction, Personal Power, Relationship Quotient and Optimal Performance. On the other hand, the Compassion, Confidence Radius and General Health scales showed low levels. In general, at the time the survey was carried out, the teachers had a good level of Emotional Intelligence, indicating that they feel satisfied with their work at the institution, a fact that has a direct impact on their efficient performance with students in the classroom and, consequently, on their contribution to achieving the HEI's organizational objectives. Implications of the research: the research revealed the need to maintain the development of EI within the institution, exploring the educational social skills of teachers in order to better observe interpersonal relationships in the institutional environment. This analysis could stimulate longitudinal research that follows the evolution of teachers' emotional intelligence throughout their careers. Originality/Value: with the growing interest in research and studies on Emotional Intelligence, the challenges associated with Educational Social Skills (ES) and Emotional Intelligence applied to Higher Education continue to exist, representing a gap to be explored.