Determining the relationship between cognitive flexibility and professional vitality of teachers during the COVID 19 pandemic period

The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between teachers' cognitive flexibility and professional vitality levels during the Covid 19 pandemic. The sample of the study consisted of 244 teachers working in public institutions in Tunceli in the 2021-2022 academic year. Data are collected by; 'Cognitive Flexibility Scale' and 'Professional Vitality Scale' in the study along with 'Personal Information Form' for the sociodemographic characteristics of the participants. Statistical Package for Social Science for Windows (SPSS) 24.0 and AMOS 24.0 package programs were used in the analysis of the data obtained in the study. Explanatory and confirmatory factor analyzes were performed for each scale, followed by independent sample t test, analysis of variance, correlation and regression analysis. It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the levels of participation in the Cognitive Flexibility and teachers' gender, age, education level, marital status, number or children, total working time in the current institution, and performing administrative duty. There was no statistically significant difference between levels of participation in the Professional Vitality Scale and its subdimensions, in terms of teachers' education levels, marital status, total working time, working time in the current institution, and performing administrative duty. The Professional vitality levels of female teachers were higher than male teachers. In the sub dimension of job satisfaction; teachers between the ages of 20 and 29 had higher job satisfaction levels than teachers in other age groups. In the subdimensions of vigor and mastery; the level of participation in the subdimensions of vigor and mastery of the teachers who had two children was found to be higher than the other teachers. There was a strong relationship between the participants' level of participation in the cognitive flexibility and their level of participation in the professional vitality. Accordingly, it showed that as teachers' cognitive flexibility levels increase significantly. With the regression analysis the professional vitality of the teachers explained of the cognitive flexibility of tecahers by 52.7 %. As a result of the study, it was determined that there was a relationship between concepts of cognitive flexibility and professional vitality in teachers. Recommendations were made in line with the data obtained.