PROMINENT FACTORS IN THE DISTANCE EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF COVID-19: AN EXAMPLE OF A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The experience of Turkey and other countries on distance learning applications are quite deep-rooted; However, distance education in the COVID-19 period has been a process in which online education has completely replaced formal education in higher education without proper preparations. This study was conducted in a state university in Anatolia -which has been relatively successful at managing distance education period. The aim of the study is to identify the socio-economic factors affecting students' experiences with their perceptions about the distance education process, the aspects they find difficult and/or positive during the distance education process that started with COVID-19 pandemic. Another outcome of the article is underlining the socio-economic and gender-based factors that generate differences in students' motivation and success in the distance education. For these purposes, a questionnaire with 484 students and 3 focus group studies were conducted, and the results were shared in the article in a descriptive manner. The results are expected to be a resource for Higher Education Institutions, who are caught unprepared for the emergency distance learning period, in terms of understanding student perception and experience. At the same time, it is aimed to identify vulnerable student groups in distance education and to reveal the socio-economic inequalities affecting students in the distance education process.