Investigation of university students' attitudes toward web-based distance education in terms of theoretical and applied courses during the COVID-19 pandemic period

Abstract

University students had to switch from face-to-face education to web-based distance education (WBDE) owing to new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. While theoretical courses can be provided properly with WBDE, it has been thought that applied courses cannot be sustained effectively by the same way. University students’ attitudes toward WBDE regarding theoretical and applied courses taught in physiotherapy and rehabilitation department has not been investigated yet, which was therefore aimed in current study. This cross-sectional study included university students (n=180, 20.14±1.57 years) who still maintain actively WBDE at Izmir Democracy University, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department. “Scale for Evaluating Students’ Attitudes/Opinions/Thoughts Regarding Applied and Theoretical Courses in Distance Education” was generated by the researchers and performed through online platform. Scale comprised 26 items. Each item is scored as from 5 (completely agree) to 1 (strongly disagree). Proper factor analyses were performed and repeated until the items were found to be significant. Factor loads of final 16-item ranged from 0.27 to 0.84. All fit indices (χ2/SD=1.42) were within acceptable limits. One-dimensional structure of scale was confirmed with 16 items. Cronbach Alpha internal consistency coefficient was found to be 0.916, and total correlations of the items varied between 0.422 and 0.772. This scale was found to be highly reliable. Internal consistency between items was high. Maximum score obtained from scale is 80. Total score of students (39.91±10.97) showed that attitudes/opinions/ideas regarding theoretical and applied courses through WBDE were negative. These negative attitudes of students were same according to gender (p>0.05). Attitudes of university students studying at physiotherapy and rehabilitation department through WBDE regarding theoretical and applied courses were negative regardless of gender. This valid and reliable scale should be used to identify need of university students studying at applied sciences about WBDE. Advanced technology products should be urgently synchronized to WBDE.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• education
• distance
• physical therapy
• students
• attitude

References

1. 1. Sun P, Lu X, Xu C, Sun W, Pan B. Understanding of COVID-19 based on current evidence. J Med Virol. 2020; 92(6): 548-551.
2. 2. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 May 14]. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/.
3. 3. BBC News Türkçe. Koronavirüs: Adım adım Türkiye'nin Covid-19'la mücadelesi [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2020 June 03]. Available from: https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-52899914.
4. 4. UNESCO COVID-19 [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2021 May 14]. Available from: https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse.
5. 5. Yükseköğretim Kurulu Basın açıklaması. Yükseköğretim Kurulu Başkanı Prof. Dr. M. A. Yekta SARAÇ. [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2020 March 26]. Available from: https://www.yok.gov.tr/Sayfalar/Haberler/2020/YKS%20Ertelenmesi%20Basın%20Açıklaması.aspx.
6. 6. Orçanlı K, Bekmezci̇ M. Determining university students’ perceptions about distance education in COVID-19 pandemic and its relationship with some demographic variables. Uluslararası İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi. 2020; 6(2): 88-108.
7. 7. Terzi̇ D, Akalın RB, Erdal B. The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on education of health students: Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University Health Services Vocational School example. Namık Kemal Tıp Dergisi. 2020; 8(3): 279-287.
8. 8. Buluk B, Eşi̇tti̇ B. Koronavirüs (COVİD-19) sürecinde uzaktan eğitimin turizm lisans öğrencileri tarafindan değerlendirilmesi. Jornal of Awareness. 2020; 5(3): 285-298.

9. 9. Genç MF, Gümrükçüoğlu S. Koronavirüs (Covıd-19) Sürecinde İlâhiyat Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Uzaktan Eğitime Bakışları. Turkish Studies. 2020; 15(4): 403-422.
10. 10. Afşar B, Büyükdoğan B. Assessments of FBAS and FSHS Students About Distance Education During the Covid-19 Pandemic Period. Karatay Sosyal Araştırmalar Dergisi. 2020; (5): 161-182.
11. 11. Serçemeli M, Kurnaz E. Covid-19 pandemi döneminde öğrencilerin uzaktan eğitim ve uzaktan muhasebe eğitimine yönelik bakış açıları üzerine bir araştırma. International Journal of Social Sciences Academic Researches. 2020; 4(1): 40-53.
12. 12. Keski̇n M, Özer Kaya D. COVID-19 Sürecinde Öğrencilerin Web Tabanlı Uzaktan Eğitime Yönelik Geri Bildirimlerinin Değerlendirilmesi. İzmir Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi. 2020; 5(2): 59-67.
13. 13. Altuntas Yılmaz N. YÜKSEKÖĞRETİM KURUMLARINDA COVID-19 PANDEMİSİ SÜRECİNDE UYGULANAN UZAKTAN EĞİTİM DURUMU HAKKINDA ÖĞRENCİLERİN TUTUMLARININ ARAŞTIRILMASI: FİZYOTERAPİ ve REHABİLİTASYON BÖLÜMÜ ÖRNEĞİ. Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi. 2020; 3(1): 15-20.
14. 14. Büyüköztürk Ş. Anket geliştirme. Türk Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi. 2005; 3(2): 133-151.
15. 15. Kalaycı Ş. SPSS Uygulamalı Çok değişkenli İstatistik Teknikleri. 2. Baskı. Ankara: Asil Yayın Dağıtım; 2005.
16. 16. Baumgartner H, Homburg, C. Applications of structural equation modeling in marketing and consumer research: A review. International Journal of Research in Marketing. 1996; 13(2): 139-161.
17. 17. Bentler PM. Multivariate analysis with latent variables: Causal modeling. Annual Review of Psychology. 1980; 31: 419-456.