Investigation of pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies in terms of self-directed learning beliefs and readiness for self-regulated learning

The aim of this study is to examine the pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies in terms of their self-directed learning beliefs and their readiness for self-regulated learning. Whether there was a significant difference in the level of pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies, self-directed learning beliefs and self-regulated learning readiness based on gender and economic status was examined. The relationship between pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies with their self-directed learning beliefs and their readiness for self-regulated learning was also examined. In the data collection phase of the study, three different scales were used: lifelong learning tendencies scale, self-directed learning beliefs scale and self-regulated learning readiness scale and demographic information of the participants were collected through personal information form which is developed by the researcher. A total number of 218 pre-service students studying at the Faculty of Education at Bartın University during 2018-2019 academic year made up the sample group of the study. SPSS 22.00 package programme was used in analysing the collected data. Survey method was used in the current study. In this study, as the data shows a normal distribution parametric tests were used. Descriptive analyses were conducted to determine teacher candidates' lifelong learning tendencies, readiness for self-directed learning and self-regulated learning beliefs. The arithmetic mean and standard deviation values for the total and subscale scores for all scales were calculated. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to determine whether the scores of pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies, readiness for self-regulated learning and self-directed learning beliefs differ according to the independent variables of the study, gender and economic status. The relationship between lifelong learning tendencies and self-regulated learning readiness and lifelong learning tendencies and self-regulated learning beliefs was calculated with the Pearson Correlation coefficient. According to the findings of the study, it was determined that the pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies, self-regulated learning beliefs and readiness for self-directed learning were high. it was also observed that there was no significant difference between the variables of gender and economic status in the level of pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies, self-directed learning beliefs, and their readiness for self-regulated learning. In addition, it is found out that there is a positive, weak and significant relationship between pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies and self-directed learning beliefs, and a positive, moderate, and significant relationship between lifelong learning tendencies and self-regulated learning readiness.