Mandatory Digitalization Thanks to or Due to COVID-19: An Empirical Study on Distance Education in Turkey

Abstract

Even before Corona, it was already clear to us that digitization concerns us all. It permeates our everyday life at work as well as in private. Moreover, it increasingly determines the learning location "school", where meaningful digitization based on a well-thought-out strategy has top priority to create a contemporary educational environment. Due to the school closings due to the pandemic in spring 2020, the education system had to take measures as soon as possible to continue lessons in homeschooling or distance learning. This study evaluates how homeschooling works in the current exceptional situation and which weaknesses, challenges, and opportunities can be documented. The aim is to depict the current situation from two different perspectives, teachers and parents, and to be able to draw possible conclusions for learning after the Corona crisis. The results and findings of the homeschooling study are also may be used to plan future courses.