Inquiry in Education.xlsx

This research investigates the antecedents of epistemic curiosity—an intrinsic desire for knowledge—and the mediating role of emotional intelligence among teaching professionals. Using a quantitative design, 203 educators from Indian institutions completed standardized measures, including scales for epistemic curiosity, emotional intelligence, intellectual humility, and grit. Data analysis through correlations, multiple regression, and mediation analysis revealed significant relationships, with emotional intelligence emerging as a strong predictor and mediator. Specifically, emotional intelligence mediated the relationship between intellectual humility and epistemic curiosity (β = 0.099, p < .001) and between grit and epistemic curiosity (β = 0.121, p < .001). The findings underscore the importance of emotional intelligence in fostering curiosity-driven learning and professional development, offering practical insights for cultivating intellectually curious and emotionally competent educators to enhance academic engagement and teaching efficacy.