Research Information System
IX. International Social Sciences Conference, Ankara, Turkey, 27 - 29 September 2024, pp.758-767, (Full Text)
The internet has become a significant tool that shapes
both the academic success and social interactions of university students.
Examining students' internet usage habits is crucial to understanding their
interactions with the digital world and the impact of these interactions on
their educational lives. This study investigates university students' internet
usage habits based on the time spent on computer-mediated communication
platforms and the number of social media accounts they use. This
cross-sectional study collected data from 419 students studying at Ankara Hacı
Bayram Veli University using a survey technique. Participants were selected
from three different faculties using the cluster sampling method. Descriptive
statistics and ANOVA tests were used to analyze the data.
The findings of the study reveal a significant
difference between the time students spend on computer-mediated communication
platforms and their internet usage habits (p=0.006, F=4.169). Students who use
the internet for less than 1 hour a day have the lowest level of internet usage
habits, while those who use it for more than 6 hours have the highest. The
results show that as internet usage time increases, students' internet usage
habits also increase.
Additionally, a significant difference was found between
the number of social media accounts students use and their internet usage
habits (p=0.001, F=4.869). Students with 0-1 social media accounts have the
lowest level of internet usage habits, while those with 5 or more accounts have
the highest. These findings clearly demonstrate the connection between social
media usage and internet usage habits.
In
conclusion, this study has revealed that university students' internet usage
habits show significant differences based on the time spent on computer-mediated
communication platforms and the number of social media accounts used. The
findings indicate that as students' internet usage time and the number of
social media accounts increase, they tend to use the internet more intensively
and for various purposes. The results contribute to a better understanding of
the digital lifestyles of university students and provide a foundation for
future research in this area.