Training course on emotional intelligence: The experience of emotional intelligence in a secondary education project

Abstract

The present work analyzes the effectiveness of a program to develop emotional intelligence in secondary education. The Training Course on Emotional Intelligence (TCEI) offers the opportunity for secondary students to develop their emotional intelligence cooperatively applying their new knowledge to solve real-world problems. A total of 158 secondary education students participated in this educational experience. A combination of both in-person classes and online classes was used in this program in a virtual campus according to the flipped classroom methodology. The TCEI prepares students to think critically and analytically, to learn about one's own feelings and other people's emotions, and to find and use appropriate emotional learning resources. The results indicate that improvement in emotional intelligence is possible using our program. The implications of these results for incorporating emotional competencies into secondary education curriculum are discussed.