Employees receiving in-service training through distance education examining their views on distance education: The case of Sakarya University

Distance education stands out as an alternative model that offers flexibility, accessibility and individualized learning opportunities in education due to technological developments. In recent years, the issue of how this model, which has become widespread especially in higher education institutions, is perceived by employees has gained importance. The aim of the research is to determine the views of academic, administrative and permanent employee staff working at a state university on distance education and to examine whether these views differ according to demographic variables. The research was conducted with a quantitative design and the data were collected using the "Distance Education Students' Views on Distance Education" scale developed by Yıldırım et al. (2014). The research group consists of 318 employees working at Sakarya University and having distance education experience. The data were evaluated with descriptive statistics and independent sample test analysis techniques. According to the analysis results, it was seen that the general attitudes of the employees towards distance education were positive. Variables such as gender, age, education level and computer skills create significant differences in attitudes towards distance education. It was determined that individuals who are particularly prone to technology evaluate distance education more positively. The findings show that distance education can be an effective learning method for employees, but content design, technical infrastructure and individual support mechanisms need to be improved. It is recommended that institutions develop differentiated strategies by taking into account the demographic and individual characteristics of employees when planning distance education processes.