Distance Education Students’ Cognitive Flexibility Levels and Distance Education Motivations

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between distance education students’ cognitive flexibility levels and their distance education motivations. In the study, cognitive flexibility levels and distance education motivations were also investigated in terms of several variables (gender, age, computer and internet usage time, time spent weekly in distance learning environment and frequency of participation to synchronized classes). The participants of the study consisted of 615 students enrolled in the Turkish Language course which is carried out at a private university in Istanbul. Cognitive Flexibility Scale (Altunkol, 2011) and e-Learning Motivation Survey (Yıldırım, 2012) were employed for data collection. Study results revealed that there is a low level of positive relationship between cognitive flexibility levels of distance education students and their distance education motivations. Time spent in distance learning environment and the frequency of participation to synchronized classes are found as the factors that affect students’ distance education motivation. Computer usage time is found as the only factor that affects students’ cognitive flexibility level. There is not a significant relationship found between gender, age and internet usage time for cognitive flexibility and distance education motivation.