Problem:
Remember all participation replies each topic week should be substantive with 250 words. If citing a source please demonstrate APA 7th edition.
My problem statement changed as I refined my topic during this course. Earlier versions focused more broadly on teacher factors that influence student achievement. I also considered examining the relationship between teacher emotional intelligence and student test scores through a mixed-methods design. That approach would have allowed me to look at both student outcomes and teacher perspectives through triangulation. As I reviewed more research and course concepts, I narrowed the topic to focus on early academic gaps in K-5 settings and the possible role of teachers' emotional intelligence and social-emotional competencies in student learning. Research links emotional intelligence to academic performance, but findings across studies are mixed (Gebregergis et al., 2023). Many studies also focus on populations outside elementary classrooms. This leaves a limited understanding of how emotional intelligence functions in K-5 settings. Recent research suggests teachers' social-emotional competencies may shape classroom relationships and learning conditions (Wells & Auletto, 2025). These changes helped me clarify the population and research focus. I selected a qualitative phenomenological methodology to understand teachers lived experiences with emotional intelligence as they support student learning. Qualitative research is used when the goal is to understand experiences and meaning (Grand Canyon University, 2022). This approach allows teachers to explain how emotional skills appear in their daily teaching. Semi-structured interviews will allow teachers to describe how these competencies influence classroom interactions and learning conditions (Grand Canyon University, 2022). These responses may reveal shared patterns in how teachers support student learning. Need Assignment Help?
References:
Gebregergis, W. T., Beraki, F., Michael, M.,Ahmedin, M.,Debesay, N.,Atoshm, T.,Tekleberhan, W., Kovács, K. E., & Csukonyi, C. (2023). Factors influencing academic achievement among college students: The influence of emotional intelligence, student engagement and demographics.European Journal of Psychology and Educational Research, 6(4), 181-193.
Grand Canyon University. (2022). GCU doctoral research: Foundational principles of research design (2nd ed.). Wells, T., & Auletto, A. (2025). The effect of teachers' social and emotional competencies on students' academic achievement.Education Policy Analysis Archives, 33(56/57), 1-23.