ACADEMICS’ PERSPECTIVES ON DISTANCE EDUCATION: EXPERIENCES, CHALLENGES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Samenvatting

This study seeks to provide an in-depth understanding of the experiences and difficulties encountered by academics during the distance education process at a provincial university in Türkiye. Designed within a qualitative research framework and grounded in interpretive phenomenology, the study investigates academics’ perceptions of distance education, the pedagogical and technological challenges they faced, their views on institutional support, and the strategies they employed to manage the process. The study group comprised 17 academics (8 male, 9 female) from eight different departments. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed using content analysis techniques. Results showed that although many academics considered themselves technologically competent, this competence was largely limited to basic technical skills rather than the effective pedagogical integration of technology into teaching practices. Major challenges included insufficient technological infrastructure, limited student engagement, a lack of interaction due to closed cameras, and substantial constraints in delivering practice-based courses and conducting valid and reliable assessments in an online environment. While the distance education experience contributed positively to academics’ technological development, especially in terms of digital tool usage, it also diminished professional satisfaction in disciplines heavily reliant on practical applications. Academics reported developing various personal coping strategies, such as modifying course content and employing alternative digital platforms. However, institutional support mechanisms were frequently viewed as delayed, reactive, and inadequate. Overall, the study concludes that the rapid and crisis-induced shift to distance education exposed a discrepancy between technological adaptation and meaningful pedagogical transformation. The findings highlight the necessity of developing sustainable and discipline-specific institutional policies that promote hybrid learning models, enhance technological infrastructure, ensure equitable access to resources, provide ongoing pedagogical training, and introduce clear regulations regarding attendance and camera use in order to foster interaction and engagement in future distance education contexts.