This study focuses on a synchronous e-class project which was developed to increase the
effectiveness of a second year advanced reading course within the Distance English
Language Teacher Training (DELTT) program in Turkey. The aim of the study is to
explore the perceptions of learners who participated in the e-class application and the
impact of it on their success in their studies. From 675 second year learners in the
DELTT program, 26 were selected as the subjects of this study. The perceptions of the eclass
participants were gathered from diaries they kept for each e-class session. Three
main categories of perceptions emerged from the analysis of these diaries. These are
learner attitudes about the application of the e-class, about group work activities used
and about various technological aspects. The conclusion drawn from the data is that in
spite of some concerns, Turkish learners perceived the e-class to be a very efficient way
of conducting reading classes. A statistical analysis of exam scores supported participant
perceptions and revealed that an e-class application can be as effective as the traditional
face-to-face classroom mode. The findings suggest that an e-class could be used to
increase the effectiveness of the distance teacher training program and has further
implications for training future teacher |