Development of distance education attitude scale for teachers and investigation of teachers' attitudes in terms of various variables

The purpose of this study is to develop a reliable and valid scale for determining and evaluating teachers' level of attitude towards distance education implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic process and by using the scale to investigate the effects of various variables on teachers' attitudes towards distance education. In the development of the Distance Education Attitude Scale for Teachers (DEAST), after reviewing the relevant literature and analyzing the teachers' opinions which obtained from 92 teachers to learn their opinions and feelings about distance education, an item pool of 46 items consisting of half positive and negative statements was created. After the evaluation of four academicians who are experts in their field, the 38-item draft form was applied to 502 teachers in different branches working within the Ministry of Education. Jamovi (1.6.9) software was used in descriptive and deductive analyses of the scale's psychometric properties in the study. Statistical analyses were performed on 458 of the collected forms. The study group was randomly divided into two and the EFA process was conducted with 205 participants and the CFA process with 253 participants. Cronbach Alpha and composite reliability coefficients were calculated for the reliability analysis of the scale, and a scale consisting of 20 items and two factors was obtained. Analysis results showed that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool to determine teachers' attitudes towards distance education. The original form of the scale was applied to 866 teachers working in public schools and private schools in Gaziantep, Şehitkamil and Şahinbey districts. It was examined whether the general attitude levels of teachers towards distance education differ according to the district, education level, institution type, gender, experience year, branch, graduation, in-service training status and teachers' perception of technological competence. The results of the study showed that there was no significant difference between teachers' gender, district, graduation status and their attitudes towards distance education. However, the education level, the institution type, experience year, branches and in-service training affected their attitudes towards distance education. It was also found that there is a positive relationship between teachers' perceptions of technological competence and their attitudes towards distance education.