Abstract
Student Perspectives on Distance Education and the Assessment of the Efficiency of Distance Education English Courses: Banaz Vocational College
As it was in all aspect of our lives, rapid developments in communication technologies have significant impacts also in education and training activities. Distance education or distance learning is an education system independent of time and place in which communication technologies are used and courses are conducted through internet. There are several universities in Turkey offering associate and undergraduate degrees through distance education programs. Some basic courses at Banaz Vocational College of Usak University in Turkey are offered through distance learning program. In this study, student perspectives on distance education system were identified and follow up, satisfaction and success levels of students in English courses which were offered through distance education program were investigated. A questionnaire study was performed with 216 students taking the course and resultant data were subjected to statistical analyses with SPSS 20.0 software. Of the participant students, % 67 indicated that distance education classes were not as efficient as face-to-face classes. About 65% of them indicated that they didn’t want to take English courses through distance education system. Of 216 participant students, 27.3% indicated that they had a chance to follow English courses of distance education system from their homes or dorms. The ratio of students regularly following English courses in accordance with weekly schedule was 9.3%. There were significant positive correlations between regular follow up and interesting and amusing teaching fashion of the course (r=0,614). There was also significant high correlation between regular follow up and success level of the students in this course (r=0,710). It was concluded that distance education can be used as an efficient tool in teaching as long as students have an access to internet from home or dorms and they regularly follow the courses.
Keywords
Distance Education, English, Banaz Vocational College.
