Investigating the relationship between internet use self-efficacy levels and online information-searching strategies of the students of the department of sports management

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the self-efficacy of internet usage and the online information searching strategies of the sports management students. In this study, a descriptive research (screening) method was used. The literature forming the basis of the study was obtained through a comprehensive literature review. The study was conducted with 902 students who were studying sports in the Sports Management departments at Fırat University, Ardahan University, Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University, Inonu University, and Erzincan University. Demographic information (12 items), an internet self-efficacy scale (17 items) and a scale measuring online information search strategies scale (25 items) were all prepared in order to obtain the statistical data from the students. Analyses of the data obtained from the scale forms were conducted using the SPSS 22.0 package program. Frequencies and percentages were calculated in configuration to show the distribution of the research group according to their demographic variables. Independent sample t-tests and one-way variance analyses (ANOVA) were used for the parametric data to assess the levels of difference depending on the independent variables. For the non-parametric data, the Kruskal Wallis test and the Mann-Whitney U tests were used. "Correlation Analysis" was conducted to determine the level of the relationships between the sub-dimensions. The statistical significance level (alpha (α) error level) was accepted as p <0.05. As a result of the study, significant differences were determined between the groups in the variables of gender, monthly income, type of education and age according to the internet self-efficacy scale of the research group. In the online information searching strategies scale, significant differences were observed according to variables of gender, monthly income, type of education, age and the grade of sports education. It was concluded that internet self-efficacy of students receiving sports education was related to their online information searching strategies. Keywords: Internet, Information, Self-Efficacy, Sports Management, Student