The effects of undergraudates distance learning experience on social changes: The sample of Afyon Kocatepe University

With COVID-19, which emerged in the 2019-2020 academic year, people obeyed the calls to "stay at home" and isolated themselves from social life, the flow of life changed and the internet became the centre of life, face-to-face education was replaced by online education and many people lost their lives. For this reason, COVID-19 is considered to be a period of significant sociological breakthrough. The aim of this study is to reveal the distance education perceptions of students studying in the COVID-19 process and the social changes they have experienced. A total of 110 undergraduate students who received distance education at Afyon Kocatepe University in the 2020-2021 academic years participated in the study. The study was determined as a mixed research model in which qualitative and quantitative research methods were used together. In the qualitative part of the mixed design study, an interview was conducted and a questionnaire was applied in the quantitative part. In the questionnaire form, questions were asked to measure students' perceptions of distance education they received during the COVID-19 process. Percentage and frequency distribution were used in data analysis. Undergraduate students expressed more critical opinions about distance education. Students' opinions differ according to their gender and faculties. The students who participated in the interview spent their time at home during the pandemic and were affected by this difficult process. Their daily routines have changed and new normal have started to replace the normal they are used to. According to the interview data obtained; students' friendship relations were not affected, their hobbies changed, they did not acquire new habits, their consumption behaviours changed, the use of technology devices increased, they had the opportunity to spare time for themselves with distance education, but no efficiency was obtained, and in terms of their relations with their families, they stated that both their relations were strengthened and they were in conflict.