Comparison of Emotional Intelligence Levels and Problem Solving Skills of Prospective Teachers According to Different Variables

Abstract

IQ is considered as a true criterion of intelligence while emotional intelligence is considered as a decisive in order tobe happy and successful in life. It is of interest to the educational system that emotional intelligence can bedeveloped at the same time. Emotional intelligence gained in the family will help to improve the school life,overcome the obstacles that people will encounter in their lives and solve the problems. In this study, emotionalintelligence levels and problem solving skills of the prospective teachers were examined according to differentvariables. In this study, the cross sectional survey design was used to investigate the research questions with 1033prospective teachers, 813 of whom were women and 220 were men, who agreed to participate in the study. The studygroup was chosen from the students of education faculty of the public university located near the black see region ofTurkey. As a means of collecting data, the Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Scale, the Problem Solving Scale, and thePersonal Information Form were used to obtain data from the participants. As a result of the study, the problemsolving skills of prospective teachers don’t differ according to gender and the class level; It was also found thatemotional intelligence did not differ according to gender and the class level, but it had a significant differenceaccording to age and department variables. In line with these results, in order to educate teachers with high level ofemotional intelligence and problem solving skills, attention should be paid to the emotional characteristics of theteacher candidates. The change of emotional intelligence with different factors should be examined in follow upstudies.