Determining the predictors of teachers' attitudes towards distance educati̇on process i̇n the context of lifelong learning and basic technology competence

Innovations and social developments affect the daily life of individuals. In the recent past, the corona virus epidemic all over the world has negatively affected many areas of life. It is seen that education, which is one of the main areas, is negatively affected by that process. In this process, with the decision taken by the Ministry of National Education, face-to-face education was suspended in schools. Then, the emergency distance education process was started abruptly in all education and training levels. In this process, all activities carried out in the name of education were carried out by means of technological tools and equipment. It is seen that the inability to sustain face-to-face education in schools seriously affects the students, teachers and education system, which are the main stakeholders of education. Based on these thoughts, in this study, it is aimed to examine the distance education process of teachers in terms of various variables in the distance education process, which has inevitably become the most used education method in all countries of the world during the pandemic period. Relational screening model was used in the study. For this purpose, this study was carried out with 333 teachers working actively in the distance education process in the official secondary schools affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Aydın province Efeler District. From the data obtained from the sample, 36 scales with blank data were excluded from the scope of the study. In this context, 297 scales were evaluated. The data were collected with the "Distance Education Process Evaluation Scale" developed by Gökçe, Önal and Çalışkan (2021), the "Lifelong Learning Scale" developed by Engin, Kör and Erbay (2016), and the "Basic Technology Competencies Scale for Educators" developed by Tekinarslan (2008). According to the results of the research, lifelong learning variables for predicting the accessibility factor of the distance education process of teachers, word processor and internet use sub-dimensions of the basic technology proficiency scale present a significant contribution of the accessibility factor to the model. In general, the accessibility factor of the distance education process explains 29% of the total variance. Lifelong learning variables for predicting the usability factor of the distance education process, and basic computer use skill, one of the sub-dimensions of the basic technology proficiency scale, make a significant contribution to the model with regard to the prediction of the usability factor. In general, the accessibility factor of the distance education process explains 12% of the total variance. The lifelong learning variable for predicting the attitude factor of the distance education process makes a significant contribution to the model with regard to the prediction of the attitude factor. The lifelong learning variable for predicting the attitude factor of the distance education process makes a significant contribution to the model for the prediction of the attitude factor. In general, the distance education process attitude factor explains 11% of the total variance. The lifelong learning variable for predicting the technological possibilities factor of the distance education process makes a significant contribution to the model related to the prediction of the technological possibilities factor. In general, the technological possibilities factor of the distance education process explains 22% of the total variance. The lifelong learning variable, the contribution of the sub-dimensions and variables of the technology proficiency scale to the model to predict the distance education process self-efficacy factor was analyzed, the spreadsheet, word processor, and the telecommunication factor make a significant contribution to the prediction of the factor. In general, the distance education process accessibility factor explains 21% of the total variance. There is a middle positive correlation between the sub-dimension of accessibility to distance education and the sub-dimension of technological possibilities; between the usability sub-dimension of distance education and the technological possibilities in distance education and self-efficacy for distance education; between the self-efficacy sub-dimension in distance education and the basic computer skills and word processor sub-dimensions. There is a high positive correlation between Basic Technology Competence basic computer usage sub-dimension and installation maintenance and troubleshooting, word processing; between the telecommunications sub-dimension and the media communication sub-dimension. There is a middle positive correlation between Basic Technology Competence basic computer usage sub-dimension and internet use, telecommunication and media communication; between installation, maintenance and troubleshooting sub-dimensions and sub-dimensions of word processing (r=.696), spreadsheet, using internet, telecommunications and media communication; between with word processor sub-dimension spreadsheet, using internet, telecommunications and media communication; between databases (r=.686), internet networking, telecommunication and media communication in the spreadsheet sub-dimension; between telecommunications and media communication sub-dimensions in the database sub-dimension, between telecommunication and media communication in the sub-dimension of using internet network sub-dimension. KEYWORDS: Distance education, lifelong learning, basic technology competence, teacher, covid-19, pandemic, epidemic