A sociological research on parent experiences in the educational process of the pandemic period (Avcılar case)

One of the social structures affected by the Covid-19 pandemic is education. The aim of this study is to examine the parents' experiences regarding the reflection of the changes in the society after the Covid-19 virus epidemic on the education system. This study, which used grounded theory as qualitative research method, was carried out in the academic year of 2020-2022. In-depth interviews were held in May 2021 and December 2022 with 7 parents who were students in primary schools in the Avcılar region of Istanbul. Data were collected face-to-face and online with the semi-structured interview technique and deciphered by the descriptive analysis method. The collected data was repeatedly coded and categorized into different stages, and processed within the functional theory by passing through the stages of grounded theory, including open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The collected data were analyzed under the themes of distance education and face-to-face education. As a result of these examinations, the old order experienced in education during the pandemic lost its functionality and the distance education system was replaced. According to the opinions of the participants, the chain of irregularities seen in the household and student life has been reached due to the fact that the distance education system cannot fulfill the functions of education. In the research, opinions were conveyed in many areas such as the education system, infrastructure, application, access to electronic devices, the distance education system of the students, the adaptation status of the students to the changes in the education system, and their positive and negative experiences during the pandemic period. In the research, the "irregularity" core code was obtained with the opinions of the participants. In the axial coding phase, the data were analyzed in the context of this core code. At the end of the study, the suggestions of the parents to solve the problems experienced in distance education are given.