Examination of Teacher Candidates’ Lifelong Learning Competence and Basic Motivation Resources as Parts of Sustainability

Menekşe Eski̇ci̇,Gökhan Ilgaz

doi:10.3390/su11010023

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine the level of teacher candidates’ lifelong learning competence and basic motivation resources and to examine the lifelong learning competence and basic motivation of teacher candidates in terms of some variables (gender and to be a university student or not). For this purpose, a quantitative study was designed. The research was conducted with 382 teacher candidates being educated in the pedagogical formation program at Trakya University. In this research, “Key Competences for Lifelong Learning Scale” and “Basic Motivation Resources Scale” were used as tools for measurement. As a result of the analyses, it was determined that the basic motivation resources of teacher candidates in all of the dimensions of the scale and lifelong learning competence of teacher candidates except from “communicative competence at a foreign language/s” sub-dimension of the scale are above average. In terms of gender variables, significant difference was found in the “communicative competence at a foreign language/s” sub-dimension of “Key Competences for Lifelong Learning Scale” in favor of male teacher candidates and, on the other hand, significant differences were found in the “the competence of learning to learn” and “the competence of cultural awareness and expression” sub-dimension of “Key Competences for Lifelong Learning Scale” in favor of female teacher candidates.

Highlights

Human beings come into the world equipped with only a few reflexes, such as sucking and grabbing, but they need much more to survive
Findings of the studies conducted by Gömleksiz and Serhatlıoglu [37] and Alemdag, Öncü, and Yılmaz [64] overlap with the findings of this research, and it was determined that the academic motivation levels of teacher candidates were moderate and high and that motivation levels were low
In the studies conducted by Altinkurt, Yilmaz, and Erol [65] and Turhan and Agaoglu [66], teacher candidates’ motivation levels for the teaching profession were found to be high

Summary

Introduction

Human beings come into the world equipped with only a few reflexes, such as sucking and grabbing, but they need much more to survive. Even though there are some differences between periods [4], humans need constant learning to adapt to the changing world and gain the necessary ills in all periods of their life [5]. In such a process, the individuals’ learning struggle should be maintained lifelong, in other words, it should be sustainable [6]. Gülmez, Titrek, and Özkorkmaz [8] underline that formal education is not sufficient to obtain the ability, skill and knowledge which are necessary for individuals to cope with situations being encountered in their life, informal education has a greater share in an individuals’ life

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Conclusion