The relationship between social intelligence levels and communication skills of fine arts education department students (A case study of the Aegean Region)

The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between social intelligence levels and communication skills of students in the Department of Fine Arts Education. The research, which utilizes the Relational Survey model and quantitative methods, includes a sample of 321 students enrolled in undergraduate programs during the 2023-2024 academic year in the Music and Visual Arts Education Departments of Adnan Menderes University, Dokuz Eylül University, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, and Pamukkale University, selected through cluster sampling. Data for the research were collected through the Tromso Social Intelligence Scale, Communication Skills Inventory, and Personal Information Form. In solving the sub-problems of the research, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, Tukey, Games-Howell, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, simple and multiple linear regression analyses were utilized. The results of the study show that the students' communication skills and social intelligence levels are generally high. When analyzed according to variables of gender, age, university, and department, it was found that female students have higher levels of social awareness, a sub-dimension of social intelligence, compared to male students. Age-related analysis revealed that students aged 18-20 have higher levels of behavioral skills, a sub-dimension of communication skills, compared to those aged 20-25. According to the university variable, students from Adnan Menderes University and Dokuz Eylül University exhibited higher emotional and communicational skills levels compared to students from Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University. Regarding departmental differences, students from the Music Education Department were found to have higher cognitive and emotional skills levels compared to those in the Visual Arts Education Department. The research found a moderate positive relationship between students' social intelligence levels and their communication skills. Sub-dimensions of social intelligence, namely social information processing, social skills, and social awareness, were identified as significant predictors of communication skills. The study emphasizes the importance of social intelligence and communication skills in education, highlighting the need for further research in these areas. Such studies could have significant impacts on educational policies and practices and contribute to the development of strategies for enhancing communication and social skills in education. Keywords: Social Intelligence, Communication Skills, Music Education, Visual Arts Education