Investigating self efficacy beliefs of university students in terms of demographic variables

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate whether university students' self-efficacy perceptions toward online technologies differ between universities based on demographic variables. Method: This research, conducted with a quantitative approach and a descriptive identity, was executed in the form of a survey model. In accordance with the purpose and research questions of the study, a relational survey model was chosen as a sub-model within the survey model. The data were collected from 2,389 participants studying at Anadolu University and Dicle University through an online Demographic Information Form and the Online Technology Self-Efficacy Scale (OTSES). The internal consistency coefficient of the scale identified in this study is .97. Additionally, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) revealed a variance explanation of 62.12%. Statistical analyses were performed using t-tests and ANOVA, provided that the conditions for parametric tests were met. Findings: The study found that self-efficacy scores related to online technologies were generally high. In the context of self-efficacy, average scores varied significantly across several factors: students enrolled in programs with more numerical content had higher scores, those who had previously taken courses related to distance education had higher scores compared to those who had not, students at Anadolu University scored higher compared to those at other universities, male participants scored higher than female participants, and employed participants had higher scores compared to those who were not working. On the other hand, although single participants had higher self-efficacy scores on average, no statistically significant difference was found regarding marital status. Comparative analyses conducted for both universities revealed different results based on the programs studied. Specifically, ANOVA tests conducted for each university resulted in varying findings between institutions. Similarly, different results emerged in terms of the impact levels of independent variables on total variance. Conclusion and Recommendations: The study concluded that self-efficacy scores displayed statistically significant differences based on prior online course enrollment, gender, employment status, field of study, and type of university. Moreover, the high explanatory power (84%) of the variables related to gender, employment status, and prior online course enrollment indicates that these variables play a substantial role in explaining self-efficacy perceptions. This underscores their importance in self-efficacy research. The statistically significant finding favoring male participants suggests that the gender variable remains important. Therefore, it is recommended that researchers utilize qualitative research designs to further explore both the prominent variables and those that did not show significant differences. Considering that prior online course enrollment involves past experiences, it is deemed highly valuable for understanding self-efficacy. For higher education administrators and practitioners, it is advisable to organize activities aimed at increasing awareness of self-efficacy related to online technologies, with a focus on the differences across various programs.