Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
YUKSEKOGRETIM DERGISI, sa.3, ss.175-188, 2024 (ESCI)
This study, which aims to investigate the emotions and thematic concerns about "Distance Education" in Ek & scedil;i Sozluk, one of the leading online forums in Turkey, tries to answer the question of whether the mandatory widespread use of distance education, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, is perceived as an opportunity or a problem. Using sentiment analysis and thematic content analysis from qualitative analysis methods, the research aims to reveal the dominant emotions in distance education discussions and to suggest themes. The data for this study includes all inputs under the heading "Distance Education". The entries were collected from Ek & scedil;i Sozluk using a Python algorithm, resulting in a dataset of 412 entries. It was observed that the date range of the obtained entries was 2003-2023. Therefore, the dataset covers all the entries under this heading. The inputs were analyzed using Atlas.ti qualitative analysis software, which allowed for a detailed exploration of user sentiments and thematic orientations towards distance education. The findings reveal a predominance of negative sentiments towards distance education, with significant criticism directed at issues such as inefficiency, low teacher quality, technological difficulties and inequality. Positive sentiments, on the other hand, emphasize the potential benefits of distance education, indicating a complex and nuanced public perception. This study contributes to the understanding of public attitudes towards distance education in Turkey by providing insights into the challenges and opportunities perceived by Ek & scedil;i Sozluk users.