How can distance learning offer opportunities for developing countries? Case of Turkey and Kazakhstan

Abstract

Many scientific studies highlight emergency distance education's two fundamental problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first is the large number of students who need more access to communication technologies, and the second is the digital incompetence of educators and students. This study, which was prepared by Turkish and Kazakh academics working within the scope of the Bolashak scholarship program, aims to question the cooperation potentials for the development of distance education, which will become more critical in the future, and to propose policies to solve the main problems in the pandemic. In this context, the issues in Turkey and Kazakhstan during the pandemic were collected and generalised. SWOT analyses were conducted for the potential of cooperation between the two countries and both countries' exchange/internship programs. The findings show that both countries have intense distance education experiences, cooperation potential, and sufficient opportunities to strengthen weak elements by developing mobility and scholarship programs. Several strategies are suggested for these improvements. These recommendations provide a perspective for these two countries and all countries continuing distance education after the pandemic.