The relation between science teachers’ classroom management skills and their cognitive flexibility

ABSTRACT This study is intended to determine science teachers’ cognitive flexibility and their classroom management skills, and to examine the relationship between teachers’ cognitive flexibility and their classroom management skills. The study was carried out through the use of correlational survey model. In the study carried out with 261 participants, science teachers’ levels of cognitive flexibility and their classroom management skills are tried to be explained through descriptive analyses, and the relation between teachers’ cognitive flexibility and their classroom management skills is explained through Structural Equation Model (SEM). It has been observed in the study that science teachers have a high level of cognitive flexibility and classroom management skills. In addition, a model correlating variable of alternatives and control, which are the sub-dimensions of cognitive flexibility, with classroom management skills has been built and tested. Fit indices of the model have demonstrated that the model is statistically acceptable. Findings show that there is a positive and significant relation between the alternatives sub-dimension of cognitive flexibility and classroom management skills while there is no significant relation between the control sub-dimension of cognitive flexibility and classroom management skills.