Abstract:

The paper addresses the issue of education of students and adults in distance learning. Given that direct interaction between teacher and student appears to be a key factor in education, long-term distance learning is a much-discussed topic.

Students at high vocational schools are immature and are in a very sensitive phase of their development. In long-term distance learning, the question remains whether the lack of social interaction between the student and the teacher and between the students does not reduce the effectiveness of the educational process. Adults who are participants in a long-term distance learning courses are expected to be disciplined and personally mature enough to manage the organization of their education and to replace the missing social interaction within their education with other self-developing activities.

The empirical part will present research aimed at students at high vocational schools and members of the armed forces, as representatives of the adult population. The opinion of both monitored groups on the course and results of their distance education in comparison with full-time learning is found. The obtained data we used to compare the results between the adolescent and adult population. A partial goal of the research is to find out whether psychosocial skills of students and adults develop during distance learning. The tactics that students and adults choose in their education are also examined. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, an anonymous questionnaire is chosen for the research.

The comparison of results among students at high vocational schools and members of the armed forces is unique. Research conducted in the past has focused on either pupils or members of the armed forces.

Due to the lock-down during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible to compare the results of long-term distance learning for a group of members of the armed forces and students who are currently preparing to perform their profession. Recommendations for pedagogical practice are derived from the obtained data, specifically for the implementation of teaching methods and strategies in long-term distance education.

Keywords:

Distance learning, lifelong education, comparison study, vocational education, psychosocial skills.