- The document describes a dissertation that designed an e-course in psychology based on the principles of cognitive flexibility theory and evaluated its effects. - The study found that the e-course was effective in developing students' systems intelligence and reducing their cognitive load compared to a control group. It also found no significant difference in systems intelligence scores one month later, indicating the effects were sustained over time. - The dissertation contributes to the field by providing a measure of systems intelligence and cognitive load, as well as demonstrating how principles of cognitive flexibility theory can guide effective e-course design.

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University of Alexandria
Faculty of Education
Educational Psychology Department
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Dissertation Submitted By
Helmy Mohamed Helmy Abd Elaziz ElfielHelmy Mohamed Helmy Abd Elaziz ElfielHelmy Mohamed Helmy Abd Elaziz ElfielHelmy Mohamed Helmy Abd Elaziz Elfiel
Assistant Lecturer at the Educational and Psychological Sciences Department
Faculty of Specific Education - Alexandria University
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree
Doctor of Education in Educational Psychology
Supervised By
Prof. Dr. Samia Lotfy Elansary Dr. Hassan Hosseny Gamee
Professor of Educational Psychology
Faculty of Education Alexandria University
and vice Dean for Graduate Studies, formerly
Assistant Professor of Educational Technology
Faculty of Specific Education Alexandria University
Dean of Faculty of Specific Education Alexandria University,
formerly
Dr. Shahera Abd ElHady Mohammed
Lecturer of Educational Psychology
Faculty of Education - Alexandria University
2013

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Research Summary
Introduction:-
Attention has been focused recently on applying the principles of
Constructivism when designing learning environments. Constructivists believe
that learning is an active process for constructing knowledge, which is done
through the integration of new and existing experiences in learner’s cognitive
structure. The cognitive flexibility theory is one of the modern theories in
teaching and learning which seeks learners’ complex understanding of the
educational material through a set of principles which constitutes the core of this
theory.
Today learners cannot link what they have learned with their own
contexts because knowledge was neither introduced in its context nor contained
the key elements which are related to real life situations. Actually, learners recall
some information in exams to move to the next stage without using it
furthermore. Hämäläinen, R; Saarinen, S (2006) indicated that the ability to deal
with the context and restructuring it effectively are the essence of Systems
intelligence, which represents the top-level of Gardner's theory of multiple
intelligence. Systems intelligence refers to intelligent behavior in contexts and in
complex systems.
This is in addition to cognitive flexibility theory which suggests that
learning would happen if teaching depended on a context that develop learner’s
cognitive structure. The importance of cognitive structures lies in its treatment;
they are treated as one item when it is called by working memory; therefore they
do not represent a cognitive load on them. Cognitive load theory has been
developed to provide us with ways to improve education. The basic hypothesis
of this theory is that learners have working memory with limited capacity;
accordingly, learning would be impeded if this memory is overloaded.
In conclusion, the cognitive flexibility theory ensures that teaching
should depend on the context to develop learner’s cognitive structure. It also
emphasizes the correlation between different concepts and interactions between
them. Nowadays this is linked, on a theoretical level, with the intelligent
behavior in contexts and complex systems. The person who is Systems
intelligent is able to understand the complex processes and interactions in the
Systems environment, and in parallel the instructional design which is based on
cognitive flexibility theory aims to achieve Meaningful Learning, which is
responsible for reducing cognitive load by creating cognitive structures, if it is
verified. From this point, a researcher can attempt that there is a research
problem.
Research Problem:
The principles of instructional design which are based on the cognitive
flexibility theory based on Contextual Teaching. They all aim to develop

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students' understanding of inclusive complexities. Based on the nature of the
interrelated relations, and Westerlund (2004) definition to the Systems
intelligent person which is “a person who has high ability to understand complex
processes and interactions in Systems environment, and therefore s/he is able to
determine the obstacles of the system and factors which aid her /him”; the
researcher expected that designing an e-course in psychology based on the
principles of cognitive flexibility theory could develop Systems intelligence for
students of Faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University.
Cognitive flexibility theory allows learners Flexible Access to various
types and forms of education, which indicated by Banert (2002) as a way for
learners to organize and manage their cognitive load. Cognitive flexibility
theory also aims to form and build cognitive structures by linking new
information with what it exists in learners’ cognitive structure; thus the
researcher expected the reduction of intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load
when designing e-courses in light of cognitive flexibility theory.
The principles of the cognitive flexibility theory also state that it is
crucial to present information to learners in different contexts, thus the
researcher expected to develop the Cognitive Load of learners if principles of
cognitive flexibility theory were activated when designing e-courses.
Based on the above research problem can be determined on the
following questions:-
Q1- What is the effect of designing E-Course in psychology based on the
principles of cognitive flexibility theory in developing students’ Systems
Intelligence in faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University?
Q2- What is the Effect of designing E-Course in psychology based on the
principles of cognitive flexibility theory in reducing Cognitive Load for
students in faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University?
Q3- What is the degree of effect in designing E-Course in psychology which is
based on the principles of cognitive flexibility theory in Developing
Systems Intelligence for students in faculty of Specific Education,
Alexandria University, after a month from its teaching?
Research Objectives:-
1- Understanding the principles of the cognitive flexibility theory which will be
used in designing E-Course in psychology.
2- Recognize how Designing E-Course in psychology based on the principles
of cognitive flexibility theory.
3- Evaluating the effect of designing E-Course in psychology based on the
principles of cognitive flexibility theory in developing Systems intelligence
for students of Faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University.

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4- Evaluating the effect of designing E-Course in psychology based on the
principles of cognitive flexibility theory in reducing Extraneous Cognitive
Load and Intrinsic Cognitive Load for students of Faculty of Specific
Education, Alexandria University.
5- Evaluating the effect of designing E-Course in psychology based on the
principles of cognitive flexibility theory in developing Germane Cognitive
Load for students of Faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University.
6- Discovering the degree of continuity of the effect of designing E-Course in
psychology based on the principles of cognitive flexibility theory in
developing Systems intelligence for students of Faculty of Specific
Education, Alexandria University, after a month from its teaching.
Research Importance:-
1- This research may serve courses designers by direct their attention to the
modern theory in the field of e-learning design is the cognitive flexibility
theory.
2- This research may direct the attention of officials from teaching and learning
to the importance of the development systems intelligence and reduce the
cognitive load of learners.
3- E_Course which was designed in this research may serve educational
psychology teacher in the colleges of education and Specific education in
Egyptian universities.
4- Provide an E-Course in psychology based on the principles of cognitive
flexibility theory can be used in teaching in the future.
5- Provide a measure of systems intelligence for university students, the first
measure of systems intelligence positions in the global and Arab
environment within the limits of researcher know.
6- Provide a measure of cognitive load for university students, the first measure
of the cognitive load in the Arab environment within the limits of researcher
know.
7- Provide a list of the principles of E-Courses design based on the cognitive
flexibility theory can be used to designing other E-Courses in the according
to the principles of this theory.
Research limitations:-
The generalization of the results of this search depends on the following limits:-
1- Spatial limits: - The field study of this search was conducted in Faculty
of Specific Education, Alexandria University.
2- Time limits: - The field study of this search was conducted within the
first semester of the academic year (2012/2013).

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3- Sample: - The sample consisted of (66) students registered in fourth year
in Faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University in the academic
year (2012/2013). They were divided into experimental group and control
group. The experimental group consisted of (34) students and the control
group consisted of (32) students.
4- The Electronic Course: - The Course is Educational Psychology
(Individual Differences), which is taught for fourth year students at the
Faculty of Specific Education, Alexandria University.
5- Research Variables: -
Independent Variable :-
- E-Course in psychology based on the principles of cognitive
flexibility theory
Internal Variables :-
- Age.
- Intelligence.
- Prior Knowledge.
Dependent Variable :-
- Systems Intelligence.
- Cognitive Load.
Research Hypothesis:-
1- There are significant differences between the average degrees of
experimental group and the control group in the Post-test for Systems
intelligence abilities and the total Degree of the experimental group.
2- There are significant differences between the average degrees of
experimental group in the Pre-test and Post-test for systems intelligence
abilities and the total Degree for the Post-test.
3- There are significant differences between the weighted average (average of
averages) for degrees of the experimental group and the control group in the
Extraneous Cognitive Load and Intrinsic Cognitive Load for the control
group, and for the experimental group in Germane Cognitive Load.
4- There are no significant differences between the average degrees of
experimental group in the Post-test and Follow-up test for Systems
intelligence abilities and its Total Degree.
Research Methodology:-
This research was based on Quasi-experimental method and experimental design
with experimental and control groups.

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Research Tools:-
1- The Systems intelligence Scale for students of the university.
(Prepared by / the Researcher).
2- The Cognitive load Scale for students of the university.
(Prepared by / the Researcher).
3- The Achievement test in educational psychology.
(Prepared by / the Researcher).
4- The Intelligence Scale for the Adults
(Prepared by / Samia Elansary).
5- A list of principles of designing e-Courses which is derived from the
Cognitive Flexibility Theory.
(Prepared by / the Researcher).
Research Terms:-
1- Designing:-
It is a process which includes precise determination of educational
objectives, and what is necessary to achieve it such as educational
content, strategies, methods, and educational media.
2- E-Course:-
Using the computer technology and Internet in delivering the course for
students at any time and place, in which it allows interaction between
teacher and student; learners with each other in a way that are
synchronous and asynchronous.
3- Cognitive Flexibility Theory:-
It is a systematic constructive theory to design traditional learning
environments and computer-based learning environments to enable
learners to apply their knowledge flexibly, and produce flexible open
cognitive structures, as well as enabling them to create adaptive
response for different situations.
4- Systems Intelligence:-
It is a set of abilities such as the ability of Systems awareness, Systems
preoccupation, Systems control, and Systems development; which lead
the individual to improve his/her life. It is measured by the degree
which the student obtained in Systems Intelligence scale.

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5- Cognitive Load:-
It is the total of mental effort exerted by the learner during his/her
preoccupation into a specific task. It is measured by the degree which
the student obtained in cognitive Load scale.
Research Results:-
1- There are significant differences at the level of (0.01) between average
degrees of the experimental group and the control group in the Post-test
for Systems intelligence abilities (ability of Systems awareness - ability
of Systems Preoccupation - ability of Systems control - ability of
Systems development) and the total degree of Systems intelligence for
the experimental group.
2- There are significant differences at the level of (0.01) between the
average degrees of experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of
Systems intelligence abilities (ability of Systems awareness - ability of
Systems preoccupation - ability of Systems control - ability of Systems
development) and Total Degree of Systems intelligence for the post-
test.
3- There are significant differences at the level of (0.01) between the
weighted average (average of averages) for degrees of the experimental
group and the control group in the Extraneous Cognitive Load and
Intrinsic Cognitive Load for the control group, and for the experimental
group in Germane Cognitive Load.
4- There are no significant differences at the level of (0.05) between the
average degrees of experimental group in the Post-test and Follow-up
test for systems intelligence abilities and Total Degree.