Project

Empathy as a catalyst in motivating learners and creating an effective learning environment

The relationship between teachers and learners is essential and is considered key to successful vocational education and training (Cooper, 2011; Makoelle, 2019). The aim of this research is to explore the role that vocational teacher empathy plays in learning.

blond woman with many faces and expressions
Adobe Stock / 1STunningART

The relationship between teachers and learners is essential and is considered key to successful vocational education and training (Cooper, 2011; Makoelle, 2019). Teacher empathy refers to a person's ability to deeply understand the personal and social situations of learners, to feel concern and caring in response to both negative and positive emotions that they experience, and to respond with compassion while not losing sight of learning objectives. Empathy can play an important role in this relationship and influence the well-being of both teachers and learners.

In order to deepen our understanding of this aspect, we will focus our attention on the impact of teacher empathy on learning in vocational education and training. At the same time, our research is intended to inform teachers and principals at vocational schools of the importance of empathy as a key teaching competence in vocational education and training.

Three research objectives will be pursued in this study:

  • First, we need to establish various profiles of empathic teachers, taking into account their cultural and educational backgrounds as well as their individual traits (e.g. teaching style, emotional intelligence, etc.).
  • Second, we will seek to describe potential situations where teachers may find it difficult to manage their empathy, e.g. due to hypersensitive responses to emotionally charged situations in the classroom. In other words, we want to determine the conditions and circumstances that challenge teachers' ability to manage empathy. We also seek to ascertain the impact that this failure to cope can have on professional burnout.
  • Third, researchers will identify behavioural strategies and produce a booklet containing practical tips that should help teachers to retain the beneficial aspects of empathy while at the same time avoiding the detrimental aspects that can lead to burnout.

In the first phase, the study will be carried out using a questionnaire for vocational school teachers in the French-speaking region of Switzerland (ideally 300 teachers, covering all VET programmes and training years). The questions will cover empathy, control of emotions, teaching style, ability to separate professional and private life and some socio-demographic details. Completing the questionnaire should take about 40 minutes. The results will be used to establish several profiles of empathic teachers and detect situations that can trigger hypersensitive responses.

In the second phase, learners (200 learners, covering all VET programmes and training years) will be presented with the teacher profiles produced on the basis of an aggregate analysis of teacher traits. Learners will be asked to assess the relevance of these profiles in a number of hypothetical classroom situations. Completing the questionnaire should take about 15 minutes. Ideally, the questionnaire should be completed by learners during class time to ensure maximum participation (to be discussed later).

All responses to the various questionnaires will be anonymous and we guarantee that all data will be kept strictly confidential. This means that the data will be aggregated and reported in a general manner.

The results of this study will provide teachers and principals of vocational schools with information about the most effective strategies for managing empathy in learner-teacher relationships. Corresponding guidelines will help to build a climate of trust in the classroom and support learning. The findings from this research will be presented to interested parties and a summary will be sent to them. In addition, at the end of the study, a booklet will be distributed containing practical tips and suggestions to help vocational school teachers to better understand and manage empathy.

Method

This study began with semi-structured interviews with workplace trainers at host companies to gather information about empathy in their work with apprentices.