Effect of Social Emotional Learning on Peer Relationship And Academic Achievement at University Level

Abstract

This paper explored the impact of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) on the peer relationships and performance at the university level. The main aim was to investigate the effects of SEL competencies to interpersonal interactions and academic outcomes of students who are currently identified as vital elements of student success and well-being in the university. The research addresses the increased attention of educators and policy makers towards the implementation of SEL models to improve emotional intelligence and social skills in universities.

The type of the research design used was a quantitative correlational research design, the target population was students of the public sector universities in Faisalabad, Punjab. A structured questionnaire was used to gather data as the questionnaire was created in consideration of objectives of the study and it was validated by experts in the field. The sample size was 300 students who were chosen based on convenience sampling comprising of 150 students of Government College University Faisalabad and 150 students of the University of Education, Faisalabad Campus. Spreadsheet SPSS version 26 was used to do descriptive (frequencies, means, and standard deviations) and inferential (independent samples t-tests and Pearson correlation) statistics analysis. Internal consistency of the instrument was justified by the use of Cronbachs- alpha which produced a reliability coefficient of 0.781.

The results revealed that the positive correlation between Social Emotional Learning and peer relationships is strong implying that SEL can be used to reinforce the social interaction of students. Nevertheless, the association between SEL and academic performance was not statistically significant. The study will suggest, based on these findings, that universities should address the need to integrate organized SEL efforts into their curriculum, and foster socially supportive learning settings to foster the social growth and general well-being of students.