An Investigation on the Contribution of Secondary School Students’ Level of Access to Distance Education to Their Creative Writing Skills

Abstract

This study explores how the pandemic affected the creative writing skills of fifth grade middle school students, based on the views and suggestions of teachers. The pandemic’s remote education method reduced the students’ participation and motivation in Turkish language courses. The study compares the creative writing skills of students who attended and did not attend Turkish language courses during remote education, and how these skills changed when face-to-face education resumed. The study used case study design, a qualitative research method that allows the detailed examination of a specific situation. The participants were 20 teachers who taught Turkish language in middle schools in Güroymak district of Bitlis since 2019-2020 and gave lessons during remote education. The teachers were interviewed face-to-face using a semi-structured interview schedule, a data collection tool that allows the researcher to ask predetermined questions to the participants, and also change or add questions based on their answers. The data were analyzed using content analysis technique, a data analysis method that enables the classification, interpretation and presentation of qualitative data in a meaningful way. The study found significant differences in creative writing skills between the students who attended and did not attend Turkish language courses during the pandemic. The reasons and consequences of these differences were investigated and suggestions were made for improving students’ creative writing skills. These suggestions include increasing the opportunities for remote education and creative writing by using technology, using more methods such as activities, tools, interviews, fairs, corners and awards to make students love writing, considering the socioeconomic status of the students and providing equal opportunities.