Investigation of Digital Inequalities in Asynchronous Video-Based Distance Learning

Year 2025, Volume: 15 Issue: 3, 385 - 402, 25.12.2025

Mehmet Özkaya , Celal Karaca

https://doi.org/10.19126/suje.1528244

https://izlik.org/JA33CF57HB

Abstract

This study aims to examine digital inequalities among students in the Faculty of Education who participated in asynchronous video-based distance education during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research investigates students' basic and qualitative access to information and communication technologies (ICT), their perceived ICT skills, and their views on how ICT factors affect distance education, with respect to gender, household income, and place of residence. Adopting a cross-sectional research model, the study was conducted with 501 students from the Faculty of Education at a state university in Turkey’s Central Anatolia region. Research findings revealed that students from low-income households or rural areas predominantly used smartphones to follow their courses. More than half of the participants had internet connections with low or medium speeds, and a significant portion had limited (quota-based) internet usage. The perceived ICT skills of Education Faculty students were found to be at a good level, suggesting that second-level digital inequalities are less pronounced in this population. No statistically significant difference was observed in perceived ICT skills scores by gender. Furthermore, students living in rural areas had significantly higher perceptions regarding the impact of ICT factors on distance education compared to those living in urban centers. The results indicate that first-level inequalities related to basic access to ICT remain the primary challenge for pre-service teachers, particularly those from rural and low-income backgrounds, despite their adequate perceived ICT skills. This suggests that policy efforts should prioritize addressing fundamental access issues in asynchronous video-based distance education, particularly during crisis periods.

Keywords

Digital Inequality , Digital Divide , Asynchronous Learning , COVID-19 , Higher Education , Pre-Service Teachers

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