Dr Ahmad Rastegar, Dr Mohammadhasan Seyf, Dr Somayeh Negahdari, Mis Zahra Dehghan Khalili,
Volume 11, Issue 3 (Volume11, Issue 3 2023)
Abstract
The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relationship between the presentation of the causal model of perception of the electronic (virtual) learning environment and reflective thinking with regard to the mediating role of cognitive flexibility among the students of Payam Noor University in Shiraz. This research is descriptive and correlational. For this purpose, using simple random sampling, 400 students were selected as a statistical sample from all the students of Payam Noor University, Shiraz center, and questionnaires of perceptions from the educational environment of Sweeney et al. (1994), reflective thinking by Kamber et al. Cognitive flexibility questionnaire (CFI) was completed by Dennis and Vanderwaal (2010). All questionnaires are standard and have validity and reliability (alpha higher than 0.70). The collected data were analyzed with the help of Lisrel software. The results of the research showed that the direct and positive effect of engagement in academic assignments, learning authenticity and feeling of membership on the components of cognitive flexibility (perception of controllability, perception of behavior justification and perception of different options) is significant. Also, the direct and positive effect of the feeling of support on the components of the perception of controllability and the perception of different options is significant. In addition, the direct and positive effect of the sense of ownership on the component of the perception of the justification of behavior is significant. The direct and positive effect of flexibility components on reflective thinking is also significant. Also, the results showed that, in general, the mediating role of cognitive flexibility components is significant in the relationship between the perception of the educational environment and students' reflective thinking.
