Evaluation of Emergency Distance Education Based Lifelong Learning Environment Use from Student Perspective: A Phenomenological Research

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the use of emergency distance based lifelong learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of learning practices from the perspective of adult learners. Designed as a phenomenology in qualitative studies, this study focused on adult learners' experiences in the emergency online lifelong learning environment provided by the local government during the pandemic. Data were collected from three adult learners recruited through criterion and convenience sampling methods. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis technique. The findings revealed that the adult learners who participated in the study were satisfied with the distance-based online lifelong learning environment, but they encountered various shortcomings. According to the participants, four themes and their sub-themes were identified regarding the emergency online lifelong learning environment: student, perceived teacher support, environment and content. As a result of the study, it was determined that there is a need for studies that will reveal evaluations of online lifelong learning from different aspects