Adult Students’ Perceptions of a Synchronous Distance Education Teacher Training Programme Using Microsoft Teams

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61468/jofdl.v27i1.519

Keywords:

distance education, synchronous distance education, distance learning, distance teaching, efficiency

Abstract

This qualitative survey studies the perceptions of adult students enrolled in a teacher training programme in Greece. It examines synchronous distance education, the Microsoft Teams platform, and the prospect of strengthening and establishing this type of education after the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey used the semi-structured interview as a basic tool to gather students’ perceptions of the teacher training programme, “EPPAIK”. The results show that the benefits to the user of synchronous distance education, and the possibilities provided by the Microsoft Teams platform, are many. Most respondents consider it necessary to evaluate contemporary education, to establish a combination of both traditional and contemporary educational practices (hybrid learning/education), to achieve the best results in the future.

Author Biographies

Anna Marina Sarma, University of Peloponnese

Anna Marina Sarma has been working as an administrative employee at the National Public Health Organization in Greece since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her main degree is from the Business Administration Department of the University of Patras. She also holds a Master’s degree from the University of Peloponnese, majoring in economics, administration, and health policy. In the academic year of 2020–2021, she participated in the Annual Pedagogical Training Program (EPPAIK) of the Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education in Greece, where her research interest in modern distance education was born.

Pinelopi Gkila, University of Nicosia

Pinelopi Gkila has been working as an attorney at law in Patras, Greece since the start of the 2019. Her main degree is from the Law School of the Demokriteio University of Thrace. She also holds a Master’s degree from the University of Νicosia in Cyprus, majoring in Public Law. In the academic year 2020–2021, she participated in the Annual Pedagogical Training Program (EPPAIK) of the Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education in Greece, where she gained much knowledge and learned
much about distance education.

Stephanos Armakolas, University of Patras

Stefanos Armakolas has been a member of the Instructional Laboratory Personnel at the Department of Education and Social Work of the University of Patras. He holds a B.Sc. from Dept. of Technological Applications of Technological Educational Institute of Piraeus, and a Masters in Education from Dept. of Humanities of Hellenic Open University. His teaching experience includes teacher education and training on Teaching Practical Exercises, Educational Technology, and Pedagogical Applications with New Technologies. He holds a Ph.D at the Department of Primary Education of University of Patras. His Ph.D research focuses on distance learning. He is a member of the Research group of the CETL laboratory in the University of Patras.

Pinelopi Gkila speaking at a podium

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Published

2023-09-17

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 1 (2023): Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning

Section

Articles - Primary studies

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Pinelopi Gkila, Anna Maria Sarma, Stephanos Armakolas

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