Advancing the Emotional Intelligence Ability of Technology Education Students for Socio-Behavioral Adjustment

Abstract

This chapter focuses on possible strategies to improve emotional intelligence competencies of technology education students for the sustainability of their socio-behavioral adjustment. Specifically, this chapter, for the purpose of achieving the objective, dealt with concept of technology education, and uncover behavioral deviances of technology education students. The chapter covers concept and importance of emotional intelligence. The chapter inquired the importance of emotional intelligence on job opportunities and job performance. Similarly, the chapter uncovered the level of emotional intelligence abilities of technology education students. Also, the chapter uncovered the emotional intelligence skills needed by technology education students. Finally, the chapter highlights phases for the development of emotional intelligence in technology education students.

1. Introduction

Education is proclaimed to be an instrument for social, economic and technological growth and development in a country [1, 2]. Education and training make individual remain relevant, marketable and gain employment opportunity in his career choice. Education, especially higher education, has the singular responsibility of producing and supplying personnel that will propel and sustain national development agender [3]. Through education, an individual will be enabled to develop the ability, attitude and other form of behavior which have formative impact on the mind, character or physical ability of individual and are of positive value to transformation of the society in which he lives [4, 5, 6]. Form of education that inculcated in students, ability to shape and change the physical world to meet individual and societal needs, by manipulating materials, tools and machines using appropriate procedures and techniques is technology education. This chapter however introduces the readers to: concept of technology education, workshop and classroom behavior, concept of emotional intelligence, importance of emotional intelligence, emotional intelligence and job requirement, learning emotional intelligence, skills for emotional intelligence development, and four-phase process for developing emotional intelligence through training.

2. Technology education

Technology education is an offshoot of the Industrial Arts and Craft teaching or vocational education [7]. Technology education is a programme of study which focuses on the development of competencies in every student necessary to successfully solve problems in a given technical situation, regardless of any later profession, careers or any personal inclinations or preferences [8]. Technology education emphasized more primarily on analysis, application, implementation, and improvement of existing technologies and is aimed at preparing graduates for the practice of engineering closest to the product improvement, manufacturing and engineering operational functions [9, 10]. Technology education is a type of education that prepares students in grasping knowledge of technical systems, technical processes and technical action as well as the systematic and process orientated way of thinking [11]. Graube and Theuerkauf stated that technology education is design to enable students be part of process in which a world undergoing technical change has to be given shape; be capable of responsible technical action; cope with technical/practical requirements encountered in our daily lives and on the job; understand the principles of technical systems; and be able to use their basic technical understanding to decide in favor of technical profession [8]. Similarly, technology education aims at enhancing students understanding of how conditions of production, the society, the physical environment, and the conditions of life are changing [12]. Dietrich and Michael [7] expressed that technology education contributes to the overall scientific and technological literacy of the students.

In technology education programs, workshop/laboratory training is a mandatory part of curriculum requirement for academic accreditation by many professional bodies such as Engineering Council of the United Kingdom, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and National University Commission [13, 14, 15]. Laboratory/workshop environment which facilitates planned interaction between teacher and student during training [16] to produce graduates that can perform satisfactorily in their chosen vocation should be aimed at [17, 18]. Altalbe [16]; Balakrishnan and Woods [19]; Ogbuanya and Okoli [20] remarked that acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills needed in technology education for various tasks execution such as construction, design, development, testing, upgrading products, learning and repairing, can only be ascertained in a classroom and well functional workshop stocked with relevant tools, equipment and facilities. Kailani [17] remarked that technology education curriculum can only be implemented where tools, equipment and facilities that can enhance students learning and prepare them for the world of work in the workshop are available, adequate and functional. Similarly, scholar remarked that in the faculties or departments where technology education is offering as course of study, modern infrastructure, well equipped workshops/laboratories and competent academic staffs who educate and train students on engineering design and applications, operation and maintenance are very crucial [21].

3. Workshop and classroom behavior

Meanwhile, evidences claimed that majority of tools and equipment in workshops/laboratories are hazardous due to their operational voltage, sharpness or chemical compositions, fragile, heavy, radiative, poisonous, sensitive, expensive and some requires patience because of their preciseness and sensitivities [22, 23, 24], hence, coordinated behavior and prescribed regulation as well as great care while handling or operating them inside workshop is very necessary and required [25].

Meanwhile, Cho and Ji [22]; Owolabi, [26]; Olugbenga and Thomas [27]; Osang et al. [28]; Patrick and Babatope [29]; Watson [30]; Zhang et al. [31] proclaimed that failure to observe necessary and prescribed behavior and regulation during interaction with materials, tools and equipment inside workshops, often cause accidents which by extension causes physical injuries and loss of human resources responsible for tomorrow science and technology and damages to equipment and tools in most of the time. The American Chemical Society [32] reports that since 2001 there have been incidents in more than [33] university laboratories resulting in deaths, human injuries including students, teachers, researchers, and staff, and loss to valuable material worth millions of dollars. Specifically, Cho and Ji [22] reported that between 2011 and 2015, 749 accidents occurred in universities and research institutions - 655 accidents occurred from university laboratories and 94 accidents occurred from research institution laboratories with 12.2% of accidents from tools and machinery, 5.6% of accident from electricity and 1.5% of accidents from facility safety. This causes 828 light and serious injuries, and damages to properties worth of 1,387,792 thousand won [22]. Report also confirmed that 112 typical accidents occurred in university laboratories in China from 1999 to 2016, resulting in 12 deaths and 84 injuries [34]. From 2000 to 2015, there were 34 laboratory accidents resulting to 49 deaths in the United States, [35]. Similarly, Janicak [36]; Wong et al. [37] reported that in 2003 and 2006, the proportion of fatalities due to contact with electric current is significantly higher for younger individuals among 16 to 19 years old age group which is university student age range. However, scholars explained that 80 to 90 per cent of accidents occurring inside workshops are caused by unsafe acts and error among workshop users [38, 39, 40, 41]. Correspondingly, Olugbenga and Thomas [27]; Patrick and Babatope [29]; Abdullah et al. [39]; Koo et al. [40]; Shanmugam [41]; Fagihi [42] claimed that carelessness, lack of common sense, failure to obey the established safety rules and instructions, failure to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety boot, gloves, helmet etc. as well as unethical and unsafe practices and behavior toward the handling of materials or implementing some operating procedures among technology students cause accidents in the academic workshops.

Similarly, within the range of planned interaction between teacher and students, student and student, and students and equipment in the classroom and workshop, behavioral problems of different kinds do occur among students [25]. Common behavioral problems threatening educational process during classroom and workshop interactions among technology education students include frequent absent from classroom and workshops, divided attention during practical and classroom lessons, hyperactivity, inappropriate talk or discussions in the classroom and workshops, vandalization of laboratory properties, disobedience, aggressiveness, refusal to do assigned tasks, getting to class/laboratory late and misuse of cell phone and personal computers during workshop and classroom interactions among others [43, 44, 45, 46, 47]. Thus, defiant behavior of university students inside classroom and workshop is the manifestation of the students’ maladjustment or inadequate adjustment to normal classroom and workshop interaction [48, 49, 50]. Maladjustment leads to absenteeism, truancy, low achievement and other unworthy habits among students [51, 52]. Scholars stated that if the learner fails to achieve adjustment, maladjustment occurs where students distance themselves from balanced behavior and show a kind of maladjustment attitude such as aggression, anti-social personality, attention-drawing, escape from school and other habitual disorders and deviation from standards and regulations [50, 53]. Evidence claimed that psychological adjustment of human being is found to influence human activities at all levels of their life in the way that causes different implications to the way they behave or react with the motives in their environments [54, 55].

To rid technology education students of behavioral maladjustment and unsafe act in classroom and workshop, skills - interpersonal, teamwork, strong sense of motivation, compassion, empathy, adaptability, sense of social responsibility, altruistic behavior, moral, cooperative, self-discipline, self-regulation, self-control and ability to strike balance between personal needs and the needs of others - which are subset of emotional intelligence are crucial among the students [56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65]. This is because Moshahid [61] claimed that low emotional intelligence is related to violent behavior and participation in delinquent behavior. Similarly, evidence upheld that students with high emotional intelligence are more disciplined compared to students who have lower emotional intelligence [66].

4. Concept of emotional intelligence (EI)

Emotional Intelligence is defined as ability to perceive, appraise and express emotion; the ability to access and generate feelings when they facilitate thought; the ability to understand emotion and emotional knowledge; and the ability to regulate emotions in self and others to promote emotional and intellectual development [67, 68, 69, 70, 71]. Emotional intelligence is an array of cognitive capabilities, competencies and skills which influence one’s ability to succeed in coping with environmental demand and pressure [63, 72, 73]. Emotional intelligence is a set of skill to identify and monitor personal thoughts, as well as those of others, using the information to steer and facilitate thinking, reasoning and action [74, 75]. EI is defined by Elias as a set of skills necessary for emotional recognition and regulation, self-control, social responsibility, empathy, problem solving, conflict resolution, and skills needed for leadership and effective group participation [76]. Emotional intelligence is claimed to affect various aspects of human performance such as physical and psychological health, social interaction and performance at school and in the work place [67, 72].

5. Importance of emotional intelligence

According to Cook et al. [77], emotions play the driving force behind all human behavior. Scholars underlined that emotional intelligence elements are related to positive traits in human beings such as being optimistic, persistent, sound decision-making, awareness of oneself and the others [66]. Thorndike [78]; Cobos-Sánchez et al. [79]; Zainudin et al. [80] stated that emotional intelligence involves the ability of individuals to understand and control behaviors and reduces some dysfunctional behaviors in a daily social activity. Aside from improving their learning process, emotional intelligence enables students to be confident and capable of addressing all the challenges of life as well as challenges in the education world [80]. Mohzan et al. [67]; Jaeger and Eagan [81] concluded that in achieving college success, students need to have emotional intelligence abilities to be calm, flexible, and realistic when dealing with pressures. Udoudo [65] remarked that high level of emotional intelligence such as self-control is required among technology education students since they work with tools - hammers, chisels, hacksaw, knife, soldering iron, punch, plier and electrically active cable among others - that can be injurious if thrown at someone at slightest provocation. This is because emotional intelligence helps to prevent and regulate state of anger and aggressive behaviors among students [65, 82, 83]. EI is important in shaping one’s personality, behavior, style and abilities [84]. Scholars reported that high emotional intelligence has positive relationship with teamwork skills, team harmony, effectiveness and performance among individuals [26, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89] and compliance with rules and standard [90, 91]. Abiding by the instructions when performing laboratory practices serve as a moral charter that should be observed by every workshop user including technology education students [42, 92]. However, emotional intelligence assist students in learning and shaping their behavior and practice [93, 94] and cause in them adaptation to the higher likelihood of success even in seriously risky situations [95, 96]. Emotional intelligence improves in students the ability to obey workshop safety rules and regulates expression of emotion in laboratories/workshops [96, 97]. Similarly, study conducted by Ifelebuegu et al. [90] upheld that emotional intelligence has positive relationship with willingness to participate in the implementation of risk-reduction action plans, level of understanding and compliance with protective regulations of all machines and equipment and with new accident preventive measures, level of understanding on the use of personal safety devices and first aid equipment provided at workplace, and ability to take cognizance of a colleague’s inability to take right decisions in times of emergencies at workplace globally.

A student who knows himself well enough to keep impulses in check and delay gratification, control anger and maintain composure will probably be more successful in the classroom and beyond [98]. It was argued that individuals with high EI might adequately and correctly perceive emotions such as anger and sadness in themselves and others, and also regulate emotions in themselves and others for the purpose of achieving range of adaptive outcomes or emotional states (e.g., motivation, creative thinking) [99]. EI is positively correlated with fewer negative interactions with close friends [100], pro-social behavior, positive peer and family relations [101], more optimism [102], higher empathic perspective taking and self-monitoring in social situations and higher social skills [103]. Khan and Lin [66]; Rupande [98]; Pool and Qualter [104]; pointed out that students with high emotional intelligence have better school attendance records, less likely to drop out of school and graduate than their peers, their classroom behavior is more constructive and less often disruptive and aggressive, and they like school more, and are less likely to be suspended or otherwise disciplined. Finding of a study revealed that high EI scores were associated with higher scores on self-esteem, happiness, mental health, and suppression of negative thoughts [105, 106]. Evidence shown that the successful problem solvers have high emotional intelligence than the unsuccessful solvers [68]. Emotions are associated with learning especially in skills that require―high motivation, self-control, and effective self-regulation, along with social skills such as forming constructive learning partnerships and avoidance of antisocial behaviors as well as cognitive intelligence of the learner [58, 107, 108]. Emotional intelligence is reported to influence learning, and a range of behaviors, such as helping, negotiating, altruism, risk taking and compliance [98]. Emotional intelligence such as adaptability and general mood predicted students’ locus and control [83, 109]. Report claimed that students who scored higher EI were evaluated by their peers as less aggressive, and their teachers considered them to be more inclined toward prosocial behavior than students with low scores in EI [110], and reported less conflict with their closest friends, even when monitored for personality traits and intelligence [100].

Conversely, emotionally unintelligent behaviors may be highly damaging to educational institutions [108]. Students who possess immature levels of emotional intelligence may be inclined to perceive learning with technology negatively, as it requires self-discipline, independent effort, maturity, time management skills, and positive attitudes [56, 58]. Studies conducted among British students have confirmed that students with lower levels of EI have a greater number of unjustified and unauthorized absences, have a greater likelihood of being expelled from school for one or more days [111] and have higher levels of aggressive conducts and delinquent behaviors [112]. Studies also shown that there is an association between high levels of EI and fewer impulsive actions, a less aggressive temperament, and less justification for aggression in adolescents [113, 114]. Bar On [72] argue that emotional intelligence not only brings psychological wellbeing by making students good at interpersonal relationships but also enhances their creativity, which flourishes their academic success.

6. Emotional intelligence and job requirement

Universities should aware of industrial demands from graduates [62]. Thus, preparing students to meet the demands of the current and future workforce is consistently a moving target for technology education disciplines at all academic institutions [70, 115]. Research which examines job advertisements through interviews and focus groups found that majority of employers want ‘soft’ skills such as team work, customer focused, business environments among their technologists and professional hires [70]. Similarly, scholars also submitted that various surveys, professional bodies and past research have identified that the graduate of technology education requires many skills and a great deal of knowledge such as interpersonal skills, as well as teamwork and a strong sense of motivation when entering the workforce [62]. Evidence proclaimed that educators, executives, and life-style gurus have all bowed to the notion that what people need most in contemporary life is emotional awareness, heightened sensitivity, and street smarts [108]. After the assessment of the needs of the industries in Poland, the Technical University of Czestochowa Poland identified that EI is the major importance psychological elements required of its graduates in technology and engineering areas for the teamwork and management of a group of people [116, 117]. Thus, there is trending global need for technology education students to possess EI skills [33]. University education needs to be able to prepare graduates, not just with science, technology and engineering fundamentals, but also for success and actual on-the-job skills [62]. Riemer [62] emphasized that technology education graduates with high EI will show better performance in their business life. Evidence from intervention studies revealed that training young people in social and emotional intelligence helps to increase their emotional intelligence [118, 119] which will prepare them to manage their emotions at the time of decision-making processes associated with career choice and vocational commitment [119] and very unlikely to dropout from school [120]. Furthermore, training on emotional intelligence enable students to develop relevant knowledge and skills that could improve their employability and earning power [121, 122, 123]. Graduate with high emotional intelligence will function better as a worker such as being able to be a team player, work under pressure, and contribute to organization’s productivity [67]. Abraham [124] stated that EI level of graduate students is important for their career and success. Goleman [75]; Zeidner et al. [108] see emotional intelligence as a set of learned skills that may translate directly into success in various social domains including universities and industries.

7. Learning emotional intelligence

Scholars explained that many students, including technology education students seeking educational degrees in the universities lack adequate skills/ability needed for controlling their emotions, working in teams, managing other people, and adapting to continuous changes [25, 74, 125]. Castejón et al. [126]; Pertegal-Felices et al. [127] compared the emotional profiles of students from different disciplines and found differences in the emotional profiles of students according to their area of study, with engineering technology education students having fewest skills. Goleman identified that EI skills are declining in students and thereby affecting their performances, increasing student’s dropout rates [128] and affect their abilities to perform on the job as technologists, including their communication skills [62]. Study conducted by TalentSmart, [129] upheld that engineering technologists scored lower in emotional intelligence test, suggesting that they receive little (if any) training in EI and do not focus on social–emotional competence as much as those in other professions [116, 130]. Also, statistics show that Malaysian undergraduates are lacking soft skills and emotional balance during their studies and even after they have graduated [131]. Evidence showed that few universities and colleges currently providing classes to help students develop their “soft skills,” including emotional intelligence [132]. Goleman [133] stated that technology education has ignored this range of skills in the past, skills that incorporate communication and collaborative abilities, teamwork, selling an idea, accepting criticism and feedback, learning to adapt, and leadership. Similarly, study reported that the overall level of emotional intelligence and some of the domains of emotional intelligence is average for technology students [58]. However, it can be concluded that technology education students are not trained in EI skills, hence, have low emotional intelligence ability [70].

Low and Nelson [134]; Low and Nelson [135] argued that it is apparent that having high emotional intelligence gives an added advantage to individuals, be it in educational pursue or career development. However, students have to be helped to maximize their emotional and psychological ability that will be beneficial to them and society in which they live [136]. Studies on emotional learning and behavior change suggests that it is possible to help people of any age become more emotionally intelligent [137]. This is because researchers concluded that emotional intelligence is both teachable and learnable by students [67, 138]. Scholars posits that emotional intelligence can be learned, strengthened and developed over a period of time through proper training, programming and therapy [139, 140, 141, 142, 143]. To build a complete individual and prepared for the society of the future, there is need to educate our students and children in the affective and emotional world [144]. Development of EI in students seems a necessary task, and the school environment becomes the ideal place to foster these skills in them [144]. Behavior based safety training should be used as intervention in developing good safety practices among young adults [40]. Report claimed that emotional intelligence competencies are needed among students to enhance the personal skills leading to success in academics [145]. Thus, emotional intelligence-related skills need to be integrated urgently into technology education curricula and be implemented in the co-curricular segments such as well-being workshops, seminars, and training offer to students as part of the co-curricular activities and embraced in the classroom and workshops for engineering technology to regain relevance in education, across disciplines and in society [62, 66, 146, 147, 148]. Because, improving EI skills will help students to become better communicators, team workers, and reflective and empathic practitioners of their profession [62]. Researchers reported that among 150 students, greater correlation between emotional intelligence and academic performance was found among students who were offered emotional intelligence curriculum as compared to their counterparts who did not undergo the curriculum [67, 138, 149].

8. Skills for emotional intelligence development

Many scholars proposed number of skills which individuals should possess for them to be emotionally intelligent. Specifically, Ercan et al. [83]; Zayapragassarazan and Kumar [150] submitted that emotionally intelligent people have ability, capacity, skill to identify, assess, and manage the emotions of one’s self, of others, and of groups. Manimekhalai [151] reported that emotional intelligence is a sequence of competencies that involve abilities to recognize and regulate emotions in ourselves and in others, monitor ones and other’s feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action. Emotional intelligence is seen as a person’s ability to recognize the emotions as well as the ability to control emotions of others in order to solve practical problems [152]. Mayer et al. [153]; Mayer et al. [154]; Mayer and Salovey [155] proposed model for emotional intelligence called ability model which has four elements: perceiving emotions, reasoning with emotions, understanding emotions and managing emotions. Salovey and Mayer later reduced their EI’s theoretical framework or model and contents to three which include the appraisal and expression of emotions, emotional regulation, and utilization of emotions to promote thinking, solve problems and enhance social adaptation [75]. Law et al. [156] follow Mayer and Salovey emotional intelligence ability model and concluded that emotional intelligence includes self-emotional appraisal, others’ emotional appraisal, regulation of emotion and use of emotion. Chen et al. [157] submitted that emotional intelligence of a person should encompasses the ability to perceive emotions, ability to manage emotion, ability to identify and understand others’ emotions and true feelings, the ability to understand the true nature of feelings, as well as to be aware of others’ emotion, and ability to control Emotion. With respect to the submissions of scholars on skills for emotional intelligence, it can be concluded that skills that technology education students should possess for them to be emotionally intelligent include ability to recognize and understand emotions in ourselves and in others, monitor ones and other’s emotions, ability to use emotions, ability to perceive emotions, ability to control and regulate emotions and ability to manage emotions among others.

9. Four-phase process for developing emotional intelligence through training

Developing emotional intelligence in technology education students follows four basic phases as adapted from Optimal Process for Developing Emotional Intelligence in Organizations Model [137, 158]. The phases include preparation, training, transfer and evaluation (Figure 1).

Figure 1.

Model of four-phase optimization process for developing emotional intelligence through training. Adapted from Cherniss et al. [137] and Olawoyin, [158].

Phase One: Preparation: This involves preparation for change at the students and institution levels before beginning formal EI developmental training. The preparation phase includes:

1. Follow National Needs, philosophy and goal. Every nation has her propelling philosophy and goal. Thus, before inculcating knowledge, skill and value into students, national philosophy and goal must be used as guide. Because, this specifies the type of graduate school must produce. For example, national educational goal according to Federal Republic of Nigeria [159]; Federal Republic of Nigeria [160] include instilling of national consciousness and national unity; instilling of the right type of value and attitude for the existence and survival of individual and the Nigeria society; training of mind for the understanding of the world around; acquisition of relevant and suitable skills and development of mental, physical and social capabilities to live in and contribute to the development of the society among others. These are the educational philosophy that guides EI developmental training in Nigeria.

2. Assess Personal Strengths and Limits. Good training begins with need assessment [137]. Each student should be assessed for the purpose of identifying their strength and weaknesses relative to emotional and social intelligence. This reveals their needs to become a good citizen of a nation as stipulated in the national philosophy and goals. This will also make the training to be tailored and directed toward the improvement of their weakness and attainment of national goals and philosophy. A lot of instruments for assessing level of emotional intelligence in students have been developed by experts. Thus, Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) – a self-report measure – used to measure the Emotional and Social Intelligence ability level, was developed by [161], and Multifactor Emotional Intelligence Scale (MEIS) that was developed by [101]. Bar-On [72] postulates that an assessment of emotional intelligence levels among students can be significantly used to predict their scholastic performance. Bar-On [72] also argued that such information can be used to identify students who require emotional intelligence guided intervention, and to enhance their emotional and social intelligence skills to help them perform better academically. Knowledge on students’ emotional intelligence allows educational stakeholders such as educators and administrators as well as the students themselves to identify the importance of emotional competencies in learning, hence, capitalizing on them to achieve the common educational goals [67].

3. Provide Feedback Carefully. After the assessment, the true outcome of the assessment should be shown to the students with great prudence and in friendly manner. Evidence claimed that if the feedback is not provided with sensitivity, people often become defensive [137].

4. Maximize Student Participation. The students with less emotional intelligence competencies and abilities should be encouraged to participate in the emotional intelligence training. This may be done through sensitisations and by informing the students the importance of emotional intelligence in them. Similarly, making the emotional intelligence course a compulsory for students encourages participation in the training.

5. Encourage Student Readiness. The students who supposed to participate in the training should be encouraged to prepare. Readiness involves making the resources available. Students are to be informed about the needed resources for the training. The location or venue for the training centre should also be told. The time and duration for the training should also be known to students. This will help them to plan ahead, hence, improve their readiness.

Phase Two: Training: The main change process takes place at this phase in which students are trained to improve their level of social and emotional competency. The phase includes:

1. Foster a Positive Relationship Between the Trainer and Learner. Establishment of the mutual relationship between the trainer and learner is very critical [137, 162] because it stimulates the interest of the learners toward what they are learning. Students are less likely to drop out and show more positive changes at the end of the program if they have positive relationship with the trainer [163].

2. Set Clear Goals. Goal is the overall expected outcome of the program. This should be stated clearly, and should be achievable. This should reflect the national needs, goal and philosophy. This should also include personal needs of students that does not against the attainment of the national objectives. This will propel the program toward rightful and expected direction and serve as guide for subsequent specific objectives formation and attainment.

3. Break Goals into Manageable Steps. Here, general goal is break into specific objectives. The specific objectives are objectives to be achieved within a short time or in a specific lesson. This will guide the choice of topics of the lessons and details the expected behavior after each contact.

4. Maximize Opportunities to Practice. There should be room for practicing what is learnt during training. This involves repeating what is learnt during training. In training, trainers give instruction and make some demonstration of the expected behavior. Thus, the trainees will be asked to repeat the same until it is mastered under the guidance of the trainers. Such a process requires repetition over a prolonged period of time for expected behavior formation to be manifested in trainees [137].

5. Provide Frequent Feedback on Practice. Trainees need more sustainable feedback as they practice new behaviors [164]. The performance of the trainee is relayed to them after practice. This will help them make some improvements. Feedback is important during the change process as a way of indicating whether the learner is on track or off track [137].

6. Choose appropriate Methods. Chang [165] made EI a major component of an undergraduate psychology course and included several hours of class time and one-on-one sessions between the instructors and students. Thus, studies explained that teaching methods for inculcating emotional intelligence skills and knowledge in students varies. Some researchers support use of case studies [138, 165] and role play [165, 166]. Other teaching methods such as group projects, lectures, student diaries, role play, simulations, self-development plans, class discussions, one-on-one coaching, and activities [137, 138, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171] are necessary for real behavior change.

7. Use Models. Model means copy and practice someone pro social behavior. Trainer and other responsible personnel in the school society can be taken as model by students to follow. This will enhance learning and make learning more practical. Learning is further enriched when trainers encourage and help learners to study, analyze and emulate the models [137].

Phase Three: Transfer: this phase describes the experience after formal training has taken place. The phase includes:

1. Encourage application of learnt knowledge and Skills. After training on emotional intelligence, students will put the learnt behavior into practice until the behavior become their total way of life. There are many ways for teachers, school administrators, peers, subordinates, and parents to encourage learners to apply what they learnt in their everyday activities by reminding them to use the skills or reinforcing them when they do so [137, 172].

Phase Four: Evaluation: this phase determines the effectiveness of the process.

1. Conduct on-going evaluation research. When training is completed, the extent to which training objectives is achieved is examined. This includes judging the worth, usefulness, effectiveness and value of the training to detect deficiencies that need improvement [173]. The essence is to determine the effectiveness of the training and identify need for amendment and improvement. Research suggests that many training programs do not fulfill their objectives [137]. Only through evaluation can poor programs be improved and effective ones retained [137].

10. Educational implication

This chapter harmonizes the scholastic opinions and reports of the previous studies on strategies for advancing the emotional intelligence of technology education students for socio-behavioral adjustment. The chapter has inevitable implications to educational industries and stakeholders – educators, school administrators, parents, psychologists, governments of various levels and non-governmental organizations that have uncompromisable interest toward educational development locally and globally. The chapter exposes educational stakeholders- educators, school administrators, parents and psychologists to behavioral abnormalities that STEM students are displaying in school laboratories/workshops and classrooms. The chapter introduces the educational stakeholders to the importance of emotional intelligence on students’ behavioral adjustment when schooling and job performance after graduation. Similarly, chapter identified skills that needed to be inculcated in students for emotional intelligence skill development, and processes for developing emotional intelligence skills and competencies in students. The information will guide the educational stakeholders - educators, school administrators, parents and psychologists - to assess the students for timely recognition of behavioral abnormalities and emotional intelligence deficiencies in them and by extension plan for appropriate strategies and/or refer students to appropriate bodies for proper behavioral adjustment and emotional intelligence skill development trainings. The chapter will also encourage government and non-governmental organizations to provide aids for and sponsor training of students on emotional intelligence skill development.

11. Limitation of the study

This chapter harmonizes the experts’ opinions and findings of the previous studies on strategies for advancing the emotional intelligence of technology education students for socio-behavioral adjustment. Meanwhile, validity of the process for the development of emotional intelligence skills in students through training has never been tested. Thus, the need for the empirical investigations of the validity of the processes for the development of emotional intelligence skills in students is inevitable in the future studies.

12. Conclusion

It was established that technology education students do exhibit certain behavior which against pro-social and normal student-teacher workshop/laboratory and classroom interaction while receiving workshop and classroom training. This causes injuries, loss of life and valuable properties and by extension distort normal student-teacher classroom and workshop interaction. Thus, emotional intelligence is identified as tool for normal classroom and workshop safety behavior. Meanwhile, technology education students lack emotional intelligence abilities and competences. This paper established emotional intelligence skills needed by technology education students and model for the development of emotional intelligence abilities in them for behavioral adjustment.