Lifelong Learning Tendencies of Teacher Candidates Studying in Pedagogical Formation Program

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine the lifelong learning tendencies of the teacher candidates who are studying in the pedagogical formation program and to compare them according to various variables. In the research, the following questions have been answered: 1. What is the level of life-long learning tendencies of prospective teachers in the pedagogical formation program? 2. Does the lifelong learning tendencies of students in the pedagogical formation program differ significantly by gender, department, faculty, class levels, location, age, and total monthly incomes of their families? The sample consists of 719 teacher candidates determined by simple random sampling from the groups. Teacher candidates' tendency to life-long learning; in the sub-dimension of motivation in the level of “fits very much”, in the sub-dimensions of persistence and deprivation in learning regulation and in the whole scale in the level of “partially fits” and in the sub-dimension of lack of curiosity in the level of “fits very little”. Women teacher candidates have a higher level of life-long learning tendencies than men. It has been revealed that the life-long learning tendencies of the graduated teacher candidates differ significantly from the teacher candidates who are studying in the third and fourth grades. The level of life-long learning tendencies of teacher candidates aged 19-21 is lower than those aged 22-24 and 25 and over. It is important that the understanding of lifelong learning is gained in the individuals we have trained in our age.