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Emotional Intelligence is perhaps the most complex element in the dominant principles of the Five Levers. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the awareness of self- emotions and innate abilities on how to control behavioural responses in any situation (Mayer et al., 1999). Different EI models exist and are applied to different learning contexts. This thesis is focused on the Goleman (1998) mixed model of behavioural traits in the health sciences. Emotional Intelligence is often argued as a learned behaviour rather than acquired from human genetics. EI requires reflexivity, critical thought, and congruent foundation of an individual’s sense of reality, thing and being before they can be useful in their actions. Careful analysis of behaviour in healthcare affords practitioners the opportunity to create schemas required when dealing with complex or challenging situations. Authenticity in healthcare practice is also essential because consistent messages expressing clear meaning and values, without emotive responses are effective in reducing risks for patients (Birks and Watt, 2007). The Rogerian theory would describe EI as the approach to the creation of self-determined behaviour; however in the Five Levers it is the conscious awareness of how the other dominant principles influence your EI and how you perceive the situation you are in.

4.4.1 Case example – Healthcare students

In this case example, I declare I was the designer and tutor on the anaesthesia module. In this example, I attempted to remove any conscious or unconscious bias by inviting the students to complete the Emotional Intelligence questionnaire as part of their studies. The findings from the questionnaire were then contrasted to the observed activities in the classroom and online discourse. Thirty-five participants, 17 qualified nurses and 18 Operating Department Practitioners working in the Operating Department enrolled on a Continuing Professional Development module.

All students participated in a Mode Neutral experience, with eight selecting to interact online from enrolment. The remaining 27 opted for on-the-ground classroom attendance. The emotional intelligence question was scheduled in the programme of study during week two (Unit of learning 2). Each student saw their responses whilst the tutor saw all the responses.

Following completion of the questionnaire and during week 3, a significant change occurred witnessing 15 of the 27 classroom attendees choosing to study online. Twelve students continued to attend the classroom sessions for the duration of the module. Sampling those who selected a different mode of learning highlighted when they completed the emotional intelligence questionnaire, they felt more in-tune with their identity and confident to learn at a distance. Participant H5C remarked, “When I

first started I was nervous about joining a new group. Looking at the EI questionnaire, I realised that I had fitted into the group and could still do the study online with them.”

A comment from another student showed their heightened awareness of the difference between online and classroom education:

“if you want to make a comment you can leave a couple of hours and think about

what you want to say and then write it. In the classroom, you cannot do that you just come out and say it.” (Participant P96C)

Their emotional intelligence profile encouraged them to look at the situation and determine if an immediate response was required. One student expressed they were unsure if they were contributing enough to the online discussion. The comment “I am contributing to each unit, but we have no idea if we are contributing enough”

(Participant I21C), hints at the student may be trying to calibrate what the group's

acceptable amount of contribution to the discussion. This is an exciting group norm being instigated by the student to create a buy-in status for all subconsciously.

4.4.2 Case example – Biomedical science graduates

Group norms were also visible in the biomedical science graduates. Their responses and behaviours, albeit tainted by their lack of autonomy in the choice to study the module, they showed a willingness to try and establish what acceptable levels of engagement were. The participants discussed their emotional responses to ‘being sent’ on the course, which consumed the learning time of the first two weeks. During my observation of the sessions, there were visible signs that the learners were unaware of emotional intelligence and expressed negative views and attitudes towards the course. The tutor continued to deliver the subject material and over three weeks they showed less negativity towards their employer and greater engagement in the learning process. This indicates the students had not developed their buy-in to the learning experience and their sense of reality was impacted and consumed by ill-

thoughts towards their employer sending them to the course. During week three, once the students had become exposed to content, they started to reshape their thoughts and identity towards ‘getting on with it’ (Biomedical science participant F3B student).

Besides, the findings from my previously published papers, participants did show awareness of their emotional intelligence when talked over. One participant believed this action of another to “take away their right to express their opinion” (Healthcare SS4A). This is an EI misalignment between the sender and the receiver of the

communication. The sender appeared to be unaware of how they were projecting themselves; the receiver assumed the action of the other participant was to dampen their identity. The data captured suggests this individual contributed less to the classroom and the online community. I argued here that harnessing the collective intelligence from the group is a critical element in the pedagogic design of learning, but equally as important is the dominant principle to create a space where all can learn together. Acquisition of knowledge is not discrete and separate from the emotions; values encased in the message or transferred knowledge. Race (2005) advocates that we may think we have acquired the know-how, but it is when we apply it to a given situation then we can appreciate how much or little we actually know or perhaps can do. Kolb encourages us to reflect on what we do, to make sense of the experience and how active we were in the activity (Teekman, 2000). These are all elements of emotional intelligence in our praxis; self-control of learning, willingness to engage and share the experience is critical in not only our identity formation but in our motivational levels (Block, 2007).