Transactional Distance Theory and Compulsory Switching to Remote Teaching due to pandemic in Georgia

Abstract

The study found that frequent communication with students, both synchronously and asynchronously, reduces the degree of student autonomy and forces them to engage in dialogue. This in itself is a guarantee of minimizing the transaction distance. One of the interesting strategies for this is to use informal language in written or oral feedback ("Gio, you wrote well, Kochagh!”,“Helen, why didn't you send me an assignment yesterday?”). Personal address to students is important in the asynchronous learning process. It is also important to understand that the student is somehow responsible for publishing his / her assignment in the classroom. Thus, the student becomes accustomed to dialogue with her classmates and feels accountable to them. It is advisable to contact the student's family frequently to find out if they have any problems accessing the Internet or if we can provide the student with a personal device. Sharing personal problems will also reduce the transaction distance and give the student the enthusiasm to engage in dialogue. Moderate use of humor and emotion, hope and encouragement, direct, sincere relationship, will somehow reduce the perception of physical distance, while minimizing the transactional distance.