The role of social capital in regard to level of student's satisfaction during educational life and view their future

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the role of social capital in regard to the level of student's satisfaction during educational life and how they view their future. In accordance with this purpose; the concept of social capital is primarily explained. After examining the historical and sociological roots of the concept, the relationship of social capital with education as well as future perspectives as separately explained in detail. In order words, future perspectives can be described as two different themes including both anxiety and hope for the future. This study was carried out with undergraduate students from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University. A rich data source was collected by the mixed method which is also known as a hybrid method. There are some disadvantages when only quantitative or qualitative method is used. Therefore, using both quantitative and qualitative research methods together were essential for this study in terms of providing complementarity by overcoming the disadvantages. One of the significant details is that samples represent the universe in this study. Therefore, each department is considered as one layer which adds up to 14 layers and a survey was given to a total of 407 students with the stratified methos. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 additional participants, one from each of the first and fourth year students from different departments. By choosing the convergent pattern among the mixed research method; the findings obtained by the quantitative and the qualitative research method were collected simultaneously and exhibited in the findings section. According to the findings obtained from the research; it is observed that the level of satisfaction with students' educational processes significantly differentiates according to their social capital level. Also, it was concluded that both social capital and satisfaction with the educational process have both a positive and significant relationship with hope for the future. Although there is no inverse relationship between students' social capital and anxiety about their future, there is an inverse relationship between the satisfaction level with the educational process and the anxiety level about the future. In conclusion; the social capital profiles of students were analyzed in detail with rich data sources and the relationship between social capital and various variables are revealed. This study once again highlighted the importance of social capital with vivid examples. This research is crucial as it guides policies that can be implemented by institutions in order to improve students' social capital profiles.