AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PERCEPTIONS OF SPORTS SCIENCE STUDENTS REGARDING THEIR CAREER FUTURES DURING THE PANDEMIC

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the perceptions of Sports Science Students regarding their career futures during the pandemic. The data of the study were collected during the full lockdown period, when education was carried out online due to the pandemic process, and it was specifically aimed to reveal the perceptions and views of university students about their career future in this extraordinary period. The sample of the study consisted of 512 students studying at the Faculties of Sport Sciences in Turkey in the 2020- 2021 academic year. Personal Information Form and the Career Futures Inventory (CFI) were used as data collection tools. In the analysis of the data, independent samples T-test and ANOVA tests were used. As a result of the analyses, the Career Futures Inventory total score and sub-scale scores of the Faculty of Sport Sciences students did not differ statistically according to the variables of gender, department, and class level. The findings of the study indicated that sports science students were affected by the distance education performed in the pandemic process, and the process had negative effects on their future career expectations. The qualitative findings obtained in the study, on the other hand, included information on the career goals of the Sports Science students, the obstacles they perceive in their career steps, and the things they did regarding their career plans at home in the full lockdown process during the pandemic period. Based on the findings gathered, it is believed that it may be beneficial for sports sciences students to participate in career development courses, seminars, and programs.