Evaluation of distance education coursebooks with regard to feedback: A sample of distance education faculties of business administration and economics at Anadolu University

ABSTRACTEVALUATION OF DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSEBOOKS WITHREGARD TO FEEDBACK: A SAMPLE OF DISTANCE EDUCATIONFACULTIES OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ECONOMICS ATANADOLU UNIVERSITYSerpil KOÇDARDepartment of Distance EducationAnadolu University Institute of Social Sciences, August 2006Advisor: Prof. Dr. Levend KILIÇThe main objective of this study is to determine learners? feedback preferences,methods of using feedback and the views of learners on fulfilling the functions offeedback with regard to feedback taking place in coursebooks designed in relation to theprinciples of individual learning in Distance Education Faculties of BusinessAdministration and Economics at Anadolu University.The study was carried out through general survey method. In order to collectdata, a 26-item questionnaire including 5 sections was designed by referring expertviews and the related literature. The questionnaire was applied to 1st, 2nd, 3 rdand 4thyear of Distance Education Faculties of Business Administration and Economicslearners who have been attending face-to-face academic tutorial lectures in 7 differentcities. A random selection of a city was determined in every region and totally 1600questionnaires were sent to cities by mail by the researcher. These cities are; Eskişehir,Gaziantep, Aydın, Van, Çanakkale, Çorum and Adana. 1309 out of total questionnaireswere received back and it was determined that 1197 of those were valid. The data wereanalysed by statistical techniques of frequency distribution, percentage calculation, tTest, F Test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test and Kruskal-Wallis Test.The results of the study revealed that learners prefer the most elaborative anddelayed feedback types in coursebooks designed according to principles of individuallearning. Another significant result of this study is that learners have been using thefeedback presented to them actively. In addition to these, learners have positivethoughts about the functions of feedback with respect to the peculiarities of facilitatinglearning, correcting errors, self-assessing, improving individual study skills and helpingto be successful in exams.