Distance Education at Universities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Universities' Capacities, Adaptations of Faculty Members and Student Satisfaction

The evaluation of distance education in universities in Turkey during the pandemic will shape the integration levels of academics, expectations and experiences of students. In this direction, the main aim of the project is; The aim is to determine and evaluate the distance education capacities of universities, the acceptance and use of distance education systems by faculty members and the satisfaction of students. Three separate studies were carried out within the scope of the project. In the first study, distance education capacities and future projections of 30 universities (20 state & 10 foundations) were examined. The findings showed that universities are insufficient in terms of human resources, hardware and software infrastructures and capacities, content production capacities, examination infrastructures and capacities, and budgets. In the second study, the factors affecting the acceptance and use of distance education systems by 3,631 faculty members from 30 universities were analyzed. Findings revealed that faculty members had difficulties in accepting distance education systems. In the third study, based on the data of 14,962 undergraduate students, the effect of students' satisfaction with distance education and the distance education capacities of universities and the level of acceptance and use of distance education systems by faculty members on students' satisfaction were investigated. The findings showed that all satisfaction areas of the students except "Higher Education Council Satisfaction" were low. In addition, it was determined that the distance education capacities of the universities and the acceptance and use of the distance education systems by the faculty members had a significant positive effect on the general satisfaction of the students. As a result of the project, it was concluded that the distance education capacities of universities in Turkey are low and insufficient, faculty members have difficulty in adapting to distance education, and students' satisfaction with distance education experiences is low. According to these results; The following recommendations can be made to the Council of Higher Education, higher education institution administrators and policy makers: • The budgets allocated to distance education of universities should be increased and the deficiencies in hardware-software infrastructure should be completed urgently. • Studies should be conducted to support the adaptation of faculty members. • Studies and encouraging measures should be taken to improve the distance education and technological equipment competencies of current faculty members. • Students who do not have technological tools should be provided with loan facilities by the Council of Higher Education in cooperation with banks.