An Experiential and Blended Learning Approach to Promote Emotional Intelligence among Learners in Higher Education - A Systematic Review

Abstract

The inclusion of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in higher education programs is crucial as EI competence determines personal and professional success. However, higher education programs focus on technical knowledge and skills, and pay little or no attention to EI and socioemotional competences. It is cited that EI is better taught using an experiential learning approach. Several reviews have been conducted to review EI studies. The current article reviews the promotion of EI among higher education learners or adults using an experiential learning approach in a blended and/or electronic context. The current review maps scientific studies that target the promotion of EI among young adults in higher education using and experiential learning approach in blended and electronic context as technology play a major role in today’s life. The systematic review uses a descriptive methodology, and it aims to describe the intervention from a theoretical, conceptual, instructional, and technological aspects and examine the employed scientific methodologies to study interventions’ effects on promoting the intended skills. The systematic review has been conducted using three main databases: Web of Science, SCOPUS, and EBSCOhost. PRISMA flowchart has been employed for the data selection process. Forty-nine documents from 2004 till 2022 are located and processed according to the specific criteria resulting in four articles met the required conditions. Required data are collected and analyzed using content analysis and descriptive methods. Main findings show that the socioemotional skills tackled in research studies are social skills, life skills, employability skills, and cultural skills, and they are taught as a part of discipline courses. Main theoretical frameworks were person-centred learning approach, experiential learning theory, and work integrated learning approach. No mention of the instructional design model has been cited. Previous studies employed qualitative or mixed approaches to collect and analyze data. No quasi-experimental methodology had been employed to quantitatively measure students’ acquisition of the required skills. These studies confirm improvement of students’ socioemotional skills after interventions. Several gaps can be noticed and further research studies is required with a focus on conceptualization and framing of socioemotional competences, theoretical frameworks and instructional approaches, instructional design model and process, and use of quantitative methodologies. The area of socioemotional competences promotion using innovative approaches, such as experiential blended learning, shows a promising area for research and education since the higher education systems currently do not prioritize the explicit specialized training of these crucial skills.