School Administrators' Views on Distance Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic Process

Abstract

Schools are among the most important educational organizations where education and training activities are carried out. Along with the impossibility of the continuation of face-to-face education during the COVID-19 pandemic called new type of coronavirus, the distance education process has affected schools' ability to continue educational activities. School administrators, who are among the most important sections responsible for carrying out education and training services in schools properly, have played a significant role in the continuation of distance education during the present COVID-19 pandemic. Although school administrators have carried out the general activities of the school within the framework of social isolation rules, they have done all kinds of work to continue the distance education process efficiently. The aim of this study was to determine school administrators' views on distance education activities during the COVID-19 pandemic process. The results of the study are considered to be important since they will provide information on school administrators' perceptions of distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic process. The study was designed according to the qualitative research method. 46 school administrators (Principal or Deputy Principal) working in Elazığ province. A structured interview form was used as the data collection method. The "content analysis" was performed in the study. The responses in all interview forms were tabulated under common codes in a way to form categories (themes). The most remarkable results of the study were that school administrators indicated that distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic process generally had positive and negative aspects. Furthermore, the situations such as Internet access, lack of technical infrastructure, and computer/tablet shortage were the most determined problems during the pandemic.