Implementer Views on Whether Catch-Up Education Program in Primary Schools (Iyep) Could Be Performed Via Distance Education

Abstract

Face-to-face education in many countries was suspended due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2020. The pandemic led to new searches in the academic process, and distance education gained importance in Turkey. However, the Catch-Up Education Program in Primary Schools was not taken into account while it was stated that educational services provided in resource rooms within the scope of inclusive education were to be continued via distance education. Accordingly, it was aimed to examine the views of classroom teachers who had implemented IYEP before on whether IYEP could be performed via distance education and to make an evaluation based on the first-hand experiences of implementers. To that end, the research was conducted with 22 participants in accordance with the ethical principles. Ethics committee approval was obtained for the study with the decision of Agri Ibrahim Cecen University Scientific Research Ethics Committee dated 08.09.2021 and numbered 206. All of the participants are experienced classroom teachers who have experience with IYEP and have performed distance education. The research was performed with the phenomenological design of qualitative research designs. The data were collected with a semi-structured interview form, and the interview questions were finalized after having been reviewed by two academics who are subject-matter experts. The data obtained in the research were subjected to descriptive analysis individually by the researchers and evaluated. It was concluded that IYEP could be continued via distance education when the face-to-face education could not be performed, but there were several concerns about the matter at hand. The participants often mentioned that distance education could not substitute for and be as effective as face-to-face education. Nevertheless, despite certain disadvantages, considering the contributions of IYEP in face-to-face education, it was found that distance education could be utilized so that shortcomings in learning would not accumulate and extend to the next year and that experiencing IYEP via distance education could provide ideas about future practices.