EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND CRITICAL THINKING AS CORRELATES OF RESTIVENESS TENDENCIES AMONG COLLEGES OF EDUCATION STUDENTS IN NIGER-DELTA, NIGERIA
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2021-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN
Abstract
The rising wave of restiveness culminating in insecurity is quite alarming and has led to the closure of schools, number of lives lost and the disruption of productive activities. However, lack of development of emotional intelligence (EI) and critical thinking CT), could make youths to act impulsively and take wrong decisions. Similarly, the involvement of youths in violent behaviours due to youths’ restiveness in the Niger-Delta and its attendant consequences have been a source of concern to teachers, parents, the government and other stakeholders. The aim of this study was to examine EI and CT as correlates of restiveness tendencies among Colleges of Education students in the Niger-Delta, Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined: (i) the level of EI among the students; (ii) the common dimension of EI and CT skills among the students; (iii) level of CT among the students; (iv) level of restiveness tendencies among the students; and (v) EI and CT as correlates of restiveness tendencies among Colleges of Education students in the Niger-Delta.
The study adopted the descriptive survey research design of correlational type. The population for this study was all the Colleges of Education students in the Niger-Delta. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample only the government owned, (Federal/State). Simple random sampling technique was used in selecting 3 Federal and 9 State Colleges of Education from each stratum. The target population was 11198 NCE II students, while 1119 students were sampled for this study. Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Youth Restiveness Tendencies Inventory (RATI) were adapted to measure EI and restiveness tendencies respectively. Similarly, Owolabi Critical Thinking Test (OCTT) was adopted to measure the CT skills. Percentage and mean rating were used to answer research questions, while Multiple Regression statistical technique was used to test the formulated hypothesis at 0.05, level of significance.
The findings of the study revealed that:
i. the level of EI among Colleges of Education students in Niger-Delta was average; (62%).
ii. the common dimension of EI and CT skills among Colleges of Education students in Niger-Delta were self-awareness and test of inference respectively.
iii. the level of CT among Colleges of Education students in Niger-Delta, Nigeria was average; (76.7%)
iv. the level of restiveness tendenies among Colleges of Education students in Niger-Delta, Nigeria was average; (77.1%) and
v. there was a significant relationship among EI, CT and restiveness tendencies of the Colleges of Education students in Niger-Delta. (df = 1116, F=184.85; ρ <.00).
The study concluded that there was significant relationship among EI, CT and restiveness tendencies of the Colleges of Education students in Niger-Delta. The implication is that EI and CT could be used to reduce restiveness tendencies among colleges of education students, because their EI and CT levels were average. It was therefore recommended that educational psychologists and school authorities should find ways to increase the level of EI and CT thereby reducing restiveness tendencies to the barest minimum.
Description
Keywords
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, CRITICAL THINKING, CORRELATES OF RESTIVENESS TENDENCIES, COLLEGES OF EDUCATION STUDENTS, NIGER-DELTA, NIGERIA