How Satisfied are Students with the Distance Education in the COVID-19 Period?

Background: During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, educational institutions globally, including those in Türkiye, were shut down, transitioning to distance learning (DE).Aim: This research was carried out to assess the satisfaction of university students with the DE they received during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods:The descriptive study involved 458 students from a state university.Data were collected using the "Distance Education Satisfaction Questionnaire" through Google Forms.The data was analyzed using descriptive tests in the SPSS 20 package program.Results: The study's findings indicated that 76% of the participants were female, 34.1% were 2 nd -year students, and 25.3% were enrolled in the nursing faculty.Among the participants, 60.3% owned a personal computer, while 98.5% had a smart mobile phone.Students were generally satisfied with the sub-dimensions of "instructor", "systems used in DE," "university/faculty management" and "digital content/teaching material" of DE.On the other hand, it was determined that they were not satisfied with the "student" and "assessment and evaluation" dimensions. Conclusion:The research concluded that students were generally satisfied with distance learning, yet they did not find it as effective and efficient as traditional face-to-face education.To ensure the rapid and effective implementation and continuation of DE in future pandemics, it is recommended that all universities enhance their DE infrastructure.