Examining the factors and problems that prevent access to distance education in primary schools during the Covid-19 period

The purpose of this research is to examine the factors that prevent access to distance education, which started to be implemented in primary schools as of the second semester of the 2019-2020 academic year due to COVID-19, and the problems experienced in this period. In this study, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Descriptive scanning design was used in the research, and questionnaire and interview techniques prepared by the researcher were applied as data collection tools. In the sample group of the research, easy sampling methods were used for the questionnaire and purposive sampling methods were used for the semi-structured interview. While 1027 teachers and 1309 parents participated in the online survey, 7 teachers, 7 parents and 7 school administrators participated in the interview. Frequency and percentage were calculated with the help of SPSS-22 package program on the data obtained from the questionnaires, and content analysis was performed on the data obtained from the interviews. According to the research findings, the leading factors that prevent access to distance education are technological inadequacies, loss of motivation, inability to create a suitable education environment at home, secure internet and connection problems, and insufficient use of information and communication technologies. When the positive and negative views on distance education are examined: The positive aspects of distance education are: ensuring continuity in education, developing technology literacy in students, preventing contamination and being flexible; The negative aspects of distance education were found to be unequal opportunities, not being suitable for primary school students' developmental level, causing technology addiction, being inefficient, insufficient hardware and internet connection problems. The common result of the research is that distance education should not continue.