Our “Distance Education” Experience Has Crossed the Limits!
The experience of Uskudar University, which continues its educational activities without interruption by rapidly realizing digital transformation during the pandemic period, has exceeded the borders of the country. Our distance education courses, which reach all over the world via Uskudar University TV (UUTV), which broadcasts live lectures 6 days a week, are also watched with interest by Turkish students in Macedonia.
Also, other university students showed great interest in the course videos uploaded to the official YouTube account by live broadcasting from UUTV, during the spring semester of Uskudar University, which has been studying remotely due to COVID-19. Faculty of Medicine, Head of Medical Genetics Department Member Lect. Yesim Özdemir stated, that they received thank you messages about video lessons over social media. Dr. Lect. Member Yesim Özdemir evaluated the distance education process to UNA.
“Education at Uskudar University continued without any disruption”
There has been a big change in the field of education during the process of the pandemic. Students, who received a formal education, suddenly started to receive education from their homes. What did Uskudar University do during the distance education process?
Young lecturers like me were already using such communication tools. Our Z generation, so our students were ready for it as well. Therefore, as soon as the pandemic and isolation process started, even in the same week, thanks to our Founding Rector and Dean of Uskudar University, which already had the entire infrastructure, offered us the access methods I wanted. So we did our best to use this opportunity with our young friends together. Theoretical education has continued without any disruption, thanks to the lecture videos and virtual classrooms broadcast live on Uskudar University TV and then shared on YouTube.
“We explained our lessons within the peace of mind”
The Faculty of Medicine is a discipline, that requires both theoretical and practice. We have experienced many things with the pandemic as educators and students. Have you had any trouble while teaching the students?
We haven't had any problems. Because the technical infrastructure of Uskudar University is ready for this and thanks to the actions and decisions taken very quickly, we were able to reach the young people through the issues we determined with our Founding Rector and Dean. Our other teachers taught in virtual classrooms. Individual controls, masks, isolation, and disinfection rules, were already being applied very properly at the entrance of the building at Uskudar University TV, where the live broadcast classes were given. So we explained our lessons with peace of mind without encountering any difficulties. I would like to thank all the team, especially Mrs. Ayça Türk. Actually It was a period full of joy and innovations.
“Being open to new information made me very happy”
During the distance education process, Uskudar University reached its students through different channels; synchronous and asynchronous. Can you evaluate the quality of the training provided?
As a young Geneticist faculty member, I was already able to provide the best and the latest information to people, but the important thing was to convey it to our students. It figured out, from their feedback, that I was able to do this with the live broadcast I made on the TV and videos, with the possibility of watching afterward. I was very happy to be open to new information with such pleasure in the lessons. Thanks to the opportunities provided by our university, this information has been placed in the mind of our students with pleasure.
Lessons were even listened from Macedonia!
Do you think that students are satisfied with the education given, how are they coming reactions from the students or from outside? So far, people from different countries watched your lecture videos and conveyed to us that they were very satisfied and thanked you.
The success of each job in the Z generation is evaluated at the end of the feedbacks/turnbacks. The feedback here was very positive, and it made me happy enough to make me cry. Thanks to the generosity of our university, as well as the students of the Uskudar University, I had a career with full of people who reported that they listened to the courses even from Macedonia and that they passed their exams successfully thanks to this infrastructure, which enabled us to create a video library open to all students who speak Turkish on earth. And I owe this to the Uskudar University and the infrastructure provided to us by our Rector and Dean.
In the era of information, it is very proud to share and give information.
Distance education is such that it will remove the limits ... What can you share about this subject?
As I just said, not only the students of our university but the opportunities provided by the Uskudar University, to inform me of the achievements of the young people who benefit from our library abroad, is an opportunity to move us all further and to the more beautiful one. That's why I'm so, so happy. And these feedbacks keep coming in. I hope we can see that students from Macedonia, Europe, or other Turkish-speaking countries of the world benefit from our virtual classrooms, Uskudar University TV, and YouTube videos. In the information age, it is very proud to share information and to be informative. The happiness of this is indescribable thank you.
Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA)