Influences of Social Structure on Implementation and Evolution of Turkish Distance Education

1
Influences of Social Structure on Implementation
and Evolution of Turkish Distance Education

• Fethi A. Inan
• The University of Memphis
• Erman Yükseltürk
• Middle East Technical University

MSERA 2004, Gatlinburg, TN, Nov. 17-19, 2004
2
Turkey

• Turkey's land mass is 814.578 sq.km. The European
  and Asian sides are divided by the Bosphorus, the
  Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles.

3
Facts About Turkey

• Population of Turkey
• 67.8 million (as of 2002)
• Number of PC s
• 1.4 Million
• Number of cellular phone holders
• 28 Million (2003)
• Yearly income per capita
• 3.500
• Current Internet Users
• 5.5 million (2003)
• Literacy rate (2003)
• total population 86.5
• male 94.3
• female 78.7

4
Turkish Education System

• Primary school (K 1-8)
• Mandatory
• Directed by Government
• High School (K 9-11)
• Directed by Government
• Separate schools (Regular/ Vocational)
• University
• Enrolment by national student selection exam
• Facilitate by Higher Education Council

5
Turkish Education System
The Current Situation in Education (1999-2000 School Year) The Current Situation in Education (1999-2000 School Year) The Current Situation in Education (1999-2000 School Year) The Current Situation in Education (1999-2000 School Year)
Levels of education Schools Students Teachers
Preschool 9.882 251.596 15.696
Primary School 43.324 10.053.127 324.924
Secondary School 6.168 2.444.407 143.469
General High Schools 2.663 1.506.379 70.249
Vocational and Tech. High 3.505 938.028 73.220
Total Formal Education 59.374 12.749.130 484.089
Non-formal Education 6.531 2.978.799 48.506
GRAND TOTAL 65.905 15.727.929 532.595
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Characteristics of Turkish Culture
Low-power distance
High-power distance
Strong uncertainty av.
Weak uncertainty Av.
Femininity
Masculinity
Collectivist
Individualistic
High-context
Low-context
Adapted from McIsaac, M. S. Aydin, C. H. (2004)
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History DE in Turkey

• Distance education has been employed in the
  Turkish Education System during three prominent
  periods
• 1927-1955 first period
• 1956-1981 second period
• 1982-1996 third period
• after 1996 fourth period

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History DE in Turkey, 1st period

• In 1927, A distance education model,
  correspondence course, was offered to increase
  national literacy
• From 1935 to 1955, distance education was
  brought to the agenda of public opinion from time
  to time but no action was taken

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History DE in Turkey 2nd period

• In 1958, Correspondence Course Center (CCC) was
  founded within the Ministry of Education
• School Radio started in 1963
• 1975 to 1978, "Education Through Letters"
  application started

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History DE in Turkey, 3rd period

• In 1982, Anadolu University (Open Education
  Faculty, OEF) started a program in Business
  Administration and Economics
• OEF extends number of programs and students after
  starting one program and about 30.000 students.
• OEF had a total of 650.000 students regarding the
  1998-1999 academic year

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History DE in Turkey, 4th period

• In 1996, Bilkent University initiated some
  synchronous DE courses via satellite.
• In 1997, Middle East Technical University (METU)
  started experimental distance education course
  via the Internet.
• In 1998, METU started Internet Based Distance
  Learning certificate programs
• In 2000, Sakarya University started online
  certificate programs

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History DE in Turkey, 4th period

• Online degree programmes
• Istanbul Bilgi University, 2000 Online Business
  Administration (e-MBA)
• Middle East Technical University Online Master
  of Science Program in Information Science.
• Anadolu University Suny, ESC started a joint
  e-MBA program

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Preview DE in Turkey
Drives Technologies
1st Period(1927-1955) Increase literacy level --
2nd Period (1956-1981) Increase literacy level Improve workforce quality Radio Printed materials
3rd Period (1982-1995) Politics Military service Increase country profile Shortage of workforce/ Job Promotions Printed material TV
4th Period (1996 -.) Provide flexible education Needs for workforce Appeal students Appearances of private universities Internet
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Conclusion Suggestions

• Analyze the needs, problems, and characteristics
  of society
• Ready-to-use interventions have never been
  successful in Turkey so that people should be
  provided with alternative technology solutions
• Examine prior experiences

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Things to do

• Create technology infrastructure
• Improve access to information technologies
• Train faculty members and teachers in educational
  institutions