Higher education, and the future of distance teaching and perceptions of academics; An investigation in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze distance education and explore the implications for tourism education from the perspective of academics in the higher education system. Design - This study was designed as exploratory research in order to measure its effects on the university academics. Methodology - A questionnaire-based survey was used to collect data. A total of 408 questionnaires from participants were found to be a satisfactory sample. Simple random sampling technique was used by selecting a sample of academics who were teaching distance education in universities in Turkey, of which 228 were from tourism and the rest were from other social science departments. Findings - The system entails an excessive workload for faculty to provide satisfactory preparation, while some technical problems such as interruptions and disconnections occurred frequently. It was also found that the system is less interactive, does not provide control over students’ examination, and it is difficult to keep students interested in active participation. This system was found to be less effective and impractical than traditional on-site instruction in subject areas, especially where hands-on practice is required. Originality of the research - This study reveals the views of instructors during and immediately after the Covid 19 pandemic, and it is also one of the first studies to examine instructors’ opinions on distance education, including suggestions for professionals as their scholarly and applicable contributions.