Investigation of Secondary School Students' Education Needs in the Context of the Supportive Program After the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected several areas, including health, the economy, and education, at varying degrees. In the field of education, face-to-face education has been temporarily suspended in many countries, including Turkey, and as a replacement, distance education programs have been implemented synchronously or asynchronously. Students have faced several risks during this time, which have had negative effects on them. With the resumption of face-to-face education, the negative effects of the pandemic on students have become more apparent. This research aims to identify the changing needs of students in schools after the COVID-19 pandemic by using the Delphi technique with the opinions of school guidance teachers and class guidance teachers and to address these needs through supportive education programs. The research was conducted using a case study, one of the qualitative research designs. The data were collected and analyzed in three stages according to the Delphi technique. The results show that students' technology use and social withdrawal tendencies had increased, their attention span had decreased, and there were weaknesses in their basic school and communication skills. Furthermore, the students mainly experienced anxiety disorders, and their school motivation decreased, leading to an increase in psychosocial needs. As for supportive program activities, some schools have attempted to carry out sociocultural and educational activities as part of supportive programs, but participation and opportunities have been limited. To overcome these negative effects, it is recommended that the central authorities provide the necessary facilities to plan supportive educational programs in all schools that reach all students.