A SCRUTINY ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE LEVELS AND PURPOSES OF THE STUDENTS STUDYING IN THE FIELD OF PHYSICAL TRAINING AND SPORTS SCIENCES

The study has been conducted in order to determine the social media utilization levels and objectives of the students studying in the field of Physical Education and Sports Sciences. The study has been conducted in scanning model. The population of the study consisted on students studying at Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Physical Education and Sports School of Higher Education, Physical Education and Sports Teacher Training School, and Sports Management and Coaching departments. The sample group consisted of 442 individuals determined through random-selection method among those students. The data was obtained by means of a survey method in the study. Understandability, and scope validity and reliability of the survey developed were ensured. The survey’s Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficient was found as 0,81. The surveys were conducted through the random sampling method in the sampling group by means of one-to-one discussions. Totally 442 individuals responded to the survey, 138 of whom being female and 304 male. As a statistical operation form, the data obtained, frequency (%), Chi-Square, Independent- Samples T, and Kruskal Wallis H tests were applied. In the determination of the differences, 0,05 significance level was accepted and the comments were made according to the distributions and averages of the responses given to each question. It was determined according to the data obtained that the participants reach social media in general by means of the internet connections of their mobile phones; that they provide their social network connections by Instagram, Whatsapp, and Facebook; that their period of utilization is between 2-hour and 4-hour intervals on a daily basis; and that there are statistically significant differences between the variables of gender and department of study in view of their type, period, and objectives of social media utilization at a 0,05 significance level (P<0,05). It appears that females use social media more than the males and that the teacher training department uses it more than the other departments. As a result, the participants use social media in different ways and periods in general and that their purposes of use are to get to know and meet new friends, write in the contents of social media, and shop. Article visualizations