Exploring the Influence of Teachers' Soft Skills on Students' Learning Outcomes at the University Level

Abstract

This study explores the influence of university teachers' soft skills on students' learning outcomes in Karachi Pakistan’s public sector universities. The primary objective is to understand the perceptions of teachers regarding their use of soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence within the classroom. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 08 university teachers from Karachi. Participants were selected through convenience sampling, and the data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that effective communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence significantly enhance student engagement, motivation, and academic success. However, challenges such as time constraints and varying student awareness of soft skills were identified. Despite these challenges, the study highlights opportunities for integrating soft skills training into university curricula, offering recommendations for teachers to incorporate collaborative activities and communication-focused tasks into their teaching strategies. The study emphasizes the growing importance of soft skills in preparing students for professional success and suggests further emphasis on these skills in teacher development programs.