Evaluating the Development of Competences of Students in the Master-Level Course in Socioemotional Learning for Personal and Professional Development (MAESE)

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the impact that the Master-level course in Socioemotional Learning for Personal and Social Development (hereinafter MAESE) has had on socioemotional skills, positive psychology (dispositional optimism and satisfaction with life), the level of communicative and teamwork skills developed through coaching, and the capacity for entrepreneurship and innovation in the students of four consecutive graduating classes. This Master-level course has been taught at the University of Zaragoza in a blended-instruction form since 2014 and is currently in its sixth year. The methodology used here is eminently quantitative through an ex post facto descriptive study, although in the coaching and entrepreneurship block, qualitative information is also collected through open-ended questions. The results show that after completing the MAESE, there are few significant improvements in socioemotional skills (MSCEIT). On the other hand, there are significant improvements in the participants’ dispositional optimism (Life Orientation Test), satisfaction with life (SWLS), skill development through coaching, and ability to undertake projects and to innovate (PTWS). We conclude by reinforcing the importance of and responsibility to evaluate the impact that university training has on its students, especially for degrees covering emotion-related content.