The Role Of The Socio-Cultural Context In Designing Appropriate Support Services And Enhancing Interaction In Distance Education In Turkey
Abstract
Understanding the socio-cultural context is the key to developing appropriate support systems for distance learners. The socio-cultural context in Turkey is a critical ingredient in the development of Turkish distance education programmes, in which two elements of Turkish culture - patronage and an oral tradition - seem to play a significant role. The main aim of this study is to determine the role of the socio-cultural context in designing appropriate support services and enhancing interaction in the Turkish Distance Education System, namely, the Open Education Faculty (OEF). The study firstly introduces the technologies and socio-cultural context of the OEF then presents for consideration the influence of that context in designing appropriate support services and enhancing interaction; and finally provides a number of suggestions to enhance learner support and interaction according to the prevailing socio-cultural context.
Keywords
References
- AKKOYUNLU, B.,& Orhan, F.(2001).The use of computers in K-12 Schools in Turkey. TechTrends; 45(6), 29-31.
- BATES, A. W. (1995). Technology, open learning and distance education ,New York, Routledge.
- DEMIRAY, U. (1997). A review of the literature on the Open Education Faculty (1982-1997). An expanded and revised third edition. Anadolu University Publications, No:1015/558, Eskisehir, Turkey.
- DEMIRAY, U., & Isman, A. (2002). History of distance learning.
- 09.2002.Available at: http://home.anadolu.edu.tr/~udemiray/&Histo.htm.
- DILLON, C., & Blanchard, D. (1991,May). Education for each: Learner driven distance education. Invited paper presented at The Second American Symposium on Research in Distance Education, The American Center for the Study of Distance Education, The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania.
- EVANS, T. (1998). Thinking globalisation: Issues for open and distance educators in
- Australia and the South Pacific. In F. Nouwens, (Ed.), Distance education: Crossing
- frontiers, (pp. 357-361). Central Queensland University: Rockhampton, Australia.
- GUY, R. (1991). Distance education in the developing world: Colonisation, collaboration, and control. In T. Evans & B. King, (Eds.), Beyond the text: Contemporary writing in distance education, (pp. 152-175). Deakin University Press.