Abstract:

In order to ensure the continuity of education and to make it sustainable in the crisis environment experienced with the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, [emergency] remote/distance education has been put into practice. The purpose of this study is to examine the higher education students’ perceptions of distance education during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic by employing metaphor analysis through qualitative phenomenology method. The participants of the research consist of 82 students at graduate, undergraduate and associate degree levels. During the data collection process, participants were asked to complete "Distance education is like ... because ..." statement through an online questionnaire form. According to the findings of the study, the participants provided 68 positive and 81 negative metaphors. The themes of "flexibility", "usefulness", "students’ participation" and "suitability" were identified by analyzing positive metaphors and “teaching process”, “usefulness”, “student situation”, “assessment and evaluation” and “emergency distance education” themes were identified by analyzing negative metaphors. Students also think that accessing learning opportunities through distance education provides flexibility and independence in the context of time and space. On the other hand, distance education is considered to have low efficiency and provided inadequate interaction. Within the context of the pandemic, students perceive distance education as a part of an urgent transformation process that affects all levels of education from preschool to doctoral degrees.

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