Ali Simsek | Anadolu University (original) (raw)
Papers by Ali Simsek
EDULEARN22, Jul 19, 2022
The transition to online learning has been exponentially growing due to its merits, such as flexi... more The transition to online learning has been exponentially growing due to its merits, such as flexibility, accessibility, and innovative course delivery. The huge pivot to urgent distance learning triggered by the pandemic has also raised the attention to this phenomenon. Institutions and instructors, however, encountered many challenges including students' readiness and attitudes during the transition. This study attempted to investigate the degree to which university students studying at a tertiary level military school are ready for online learning and what attitudes they have towards distance education through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design. Besides, it was aimed to explore the correlation between online learning readiness and attitudes towards distance education. The data was gathered from 307 participants through Likert-type scales. Results demonstrated that students were found to have a high degree of online learning readiness and positive attitudes towards distance education. However, the correlation between students' online learning readiness and attitudes towards distance education was very low while a strong correlation was observed between the ICT competence dimension of readiness and the usefulness dimension of the attitude scale. Furthermore, freshman students had a higher degree of attitudes towards distance education, whereas age differences generally did not influence the results. Finally, a considerable percentage of students had concerns as well as hesitations about attending online learning instead of face-to-face instruction.
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 2014
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2014
Emerging communication technologies have changed both individuals and societies dramatically. Wit... more Emerging communication technologies have changed both individuals and societies
dramatically. With the diffusion of digital technologies in daily life, all users have been forced
to create new identities for themselves. Thus, everybody had an additional self in virtual
worlds. The users started to communicate with others through their self-made identities
proving that technology started to shape our lives. Sometimes this new identity has reflected
the real self of individuals while some other times it has been created with no actual reference
to the realities of its holders in the physical world. However, one thing is clear: Most users of
virtual environments have developed multiple identities and these identities have inherently
transformed who they really are. Considering that the contemporary society is an increasingly
network society, human beings try to accommodate their social needs through interaction with
companions in the mediated environments whom they often don’t know at all. Technology
plays a mediating role in this sense among people who are temporary companions but actual
strangers to each other. Moreover, people think that if they can accommodate their social
needs through the net characters, whether they are real or not, then they ask themselves: “Can
we escape from humans who demand intimacy and find risk-free virtual buddies?” The search
in this regard has even prolonged to sensitive robots as social partners. This paper discusses
how this inner transformation of identity has occurred and what the future holds for
communication in the mediated landscape of the network society.
Erciyes İletişim Dergisi, 2021
Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 2020
The use of Facebook in everyday life has become widespread all around the world regardless of cou... more The use of Facebook in everyday life has become widespread all around the world regardless of countries and cultures. The largest group of Facebook users consists of young people, particularly university students. This study investigated the attitudes of university students toward Facebook, their major reasons for using this social media application in everyday life, and the factors affecting the types of desired relationships with Facebook friends. A survey consisting of 63 items about demographics of participants and their preferences for the use of Facebook was administered to collect data. The sample of the study included 924 undergraduate students from a large public university in North Cyprus. A number of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed to analyze data in relation to the research questions. Results suggested that the students generally had positive attitudes toward Facebook, although there were certain differences in terms of demographics. The ...
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2013
Information Development, 2016
College & Research Libraries, 2000
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2010
Journal of Educational Computing Research, 1988
Computers are rapidly being introduced into virtually every work setting. The ability to use comp... more Computers are rapidly being introduced into virtually every work setting. The ability to use computers, therefore, has become a crucial component in the educational process. Computer anxiety, however, may influence student abilities to master computer skills and consequently affect the degree to which computers can effectively be utilized. This study investigates the possible effects of computer anxiety on student achievement in computer skills. The results suggest that computer anxiety is an important predictor of computer achievement. Educational systems that seek to prepare students in the field of computer applications must, therefore, become particularly concerned with creating less stressful environments.
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
The Internet Society II: Advances in Education, Commerce & Governance, 2006
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2011
Employees in many organizations often spend time with information and communication technologies ... more Employees in many organizations often spend time with information and communication technologies and engage in personal business instead of spending their time fully on work-related tasks. For some, such activities constitute inefficient use of time because they prevent employees from completing the tasks that they are responsible. For some others, cyberloafing behaviors help employees to reduce their stress and increase their efficiency. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of some organizational and individual variables with cyberloafing in the context of Interpersonal Behavior Theory. This mixed research study was designed with an explanatory approach. Quantitative data was collected from 240 employees; then by considering the quantitative data, interview questions were prepared and the qualitative data collection process was completed with 20 participants. According to the results; the perceptions of employees about the penalties and benefits that may emerge...
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
EDULEARN22, Jul 19, 2022
The transition to online learning has been exponentially growing due to its merits, such as flexi... more The transition to online learning has been exponentially growing due to its merits, such as flexibility, accessibility, and innovative course delivery. The huge pivot to urgent distance learning triggered by the pandemic has also raised the attention to this phenomenon. Institutions and instructors, however, encountered many challenges including students' readiness and attitudes during the transition. This study attempted to investigate the degree to which university students studying at a tertiary level military school are ready for online learning and what attitudes they have towards distance education through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design. Besides, it was aimed to explore the correlation between online learning readiness and attitudes towards distance education. The data was gathered from 307 participants through Likert-type scales. Results demonstrated that students were found to have a high degree of online learning readiness and positive attitudes towards distance education. However, the correlation between students' online learning readiness and attitudes towards distance education was very low while a strong correlation was observed between the ICT competence dimension of readiness and the usefulness dimension of the attitude scale. Furthermore, freshman students had a higher degree of attitudes towards distance education, whereas age differences generally did not influence the results. Finally, a considerable percentage of students had concerns as well as hesitations about attending online learning instead of face-to-face instruction.
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 2014
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2014
Emerging communication technologies have changed both individuals and societies dramatically. Wit... more Emerging communication technologies have changed both individuals and societies
dramatically. With the diffusion of digital technologies in daily life, all users have been forced
to create new identities for themselves. Thus, everybody had an additional self in virtual
worlds. The users started to communicate with others through their self-made identities
proving that technology started to shape our lives. Sometimes this new identity has reflected
the real self of individuals while some other times it has been created with no actual reference
to the realities of its holders in the physical world. However, one thing is clear: Most users of
virtual environments have developed multiple identities and these identities have inherently
transformed who they really are. Considering that the contemporary society is an increasingly
network society, human beings try to accommodate their social needs through interaction with
companions in the mediated environments whom they often don’t know at all. Technology
plays a mediating role in this sense among people who are temporary companions but actual
strangers to each other. Moreover, people think that if they can accommodate their social
needs through the net characters, whether they are real or not, then they ask themselves: “Can
we escape from humans who demand intimacy and find risk-free virtual buddies?” The search
in this regard has even prolonged to sensitive robots as social partners. This paper discusses
how this inner transformation of identity has occurred and what the future holds for
communication in the mediated landscape of the network society.
Erciyes İletişim Dergisi, 2021
Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala, 2020
The use of Facebook in everyday life has become widespread all around the world regardless of cou... more The use of Facebook in everyday life has become widespread all around the world regardless of countries and cultures. The largest group of Facebook users consists of young people, particularly university students. This study investigated the attitudes of university students toward Facebook, their major reasons for using this social media application in everyday life, and the factors affecting the types of desired relationships with Facebook friends. A survey consisting of 63 items about demographics of participants and their preferences for the use of Facebook was administered to collect data. The sample of the study included 924 undergraduate students from a large public university in North Cyprus. A number of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed to analyze data in relation to the research questions. Results suggested that the students generally had positive attitudes toward Facebook, although there were certain differences in terms of demographics. The ...
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2013
Information Development, 2016
College & Research Libraries, 2000
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2010
Journal of Educational Computing Research, 1988
Computers are rapidly being introduced into virtually every work setting. The ability to use comp... more Computers are rapidly being introduced into virtually every work setting. The ability to use computers, therefore, has become a crucial component in the educational process. Computer anxiety, however, may influence student abilities to master computer skills and consequently affect the degree to which computers can effectively be utilized. This study investigates the possible effects of computer anxiety on student achievement in computer skills. The results suggest that computer anxiety is an important predictor of computer achievement. Educational systems that seek to prepare students in the field of computer applications must, therefore, become particularly concerned with creating less stressful environments.
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
The Internet Society II: Advances in Education, Commerce & Governance, 2006
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012
Contemporary Educational Technology, 2011
Employees in many organizations often spend time with information and communication technologies ... more Employees in many organizations often spend time with information and communication technologies and engage in personal business instead of spending their time fully on work-related tasks. For some, such activities constitute inefficient use of time because they prevent employees from completing the tasks that they are responsible. For some others, cyberloafing behaviors help employees to reduce their stress and increase their efficiency. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of some organizational and individual variables with cyberloafing in the context of Interpersonal Behavior Theory. This mixed research study was designed with an explanatory approach. Quantitative data was collected from 240 employees; then by considering the quantitative data, interview questions were prepared and the qualitative data collection process was completed with 20 participants. According to the results; the perceptions of employees about the penalties and benefits that may emerge...
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning, 2012