Prospective pre-school teachers’ distance education perspectives

Abstract

Background: Distance education is a science-based system that supports learner independence through technology. Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the distance education system according to the experiences of prospective teachers studying the preschool education curriculum. Methodology/Approach: The research was conducted with a phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods. In this research, the study group was formed by selecting a number of first, second and third grade students on the preschool education programme to represent the study universe, and the study group of the research was determined with the stratified sampling method of non-probability sampling. The research data were collected through focus group interviews using a telecommunication tool. The collected data were analysed using the content analysis method. Findings and Discussion: According to the research findings, the prospective preschool teachers stated that the distance education system had a positive effect on the learning process in terms of convenience, saving time and money, use of technology, and flexibility. The participants reported that the distance education system affected them positively in terms of use of technology, self-discovery, time saving, acquisition of research skills and motivation, whereas it affected them negatively with regard to inefficiency, lack of communication, internet problems, and deterioration in social skills.