How Do Teachers Perceive Lifelong Learning and Adult Education?

Abstract

The objective of this study is to explore the perspectives of middle school teachers on the concepts of lifelong learning and adult education. The qualitative research involved 25 middle school teachers, and their responses, gathered through semi-structured interviews, underwent content analysis. Thematic analysis was employed to derive the results. The findings underscore that teachers attribute value to lifelong learning and adult education for various purposes, such as personal development, adaptation to evolving times, sustained learning, quality time utilization, social integration, and meeting educational needs. A consensus within the study group indicates that individuals across professions should engage in lifelong learning beyond their initial undergraduate education. The research reveals that continuous lifelong learning among teachers positively impacts performance, fostering open-mindedness, cultivating versatile thinking, facilitating effective lesson delivery, and improving interaction with students. Identified factors hindering lifelong learning include physical and economic conditions, environmental factors, health issues, motivation, and the repercussions of disasters. Additionally, teacher opinions shed light on shortcomings in lifelong learning and adult education within the Turkish context. Lastly, the study observes a general lack of adequate knowledge among teachers regarding global lifelong learning and adult education activities.