The assessment of effectiveness of teacher training programs in upskilling life - long learning competence

The purpose of the study is to assess the effectiveness of teacher training programs in upskilling life-long learning competence according to pre-service teachers and academic members' views. The study is a quantitative research, in which screening model was used. The target population consists of first-year and final year pre-service teachers studying at education faculties in a state university and academic members teaching at these faculties. The sample of the study, which was determined according to multi-stage sampling, consists of 2159 pre-service teachers studying at education faculties in Afyon Kocatepe, Yildiz Technical, Kastamonu, Firat, Ankara, Dicle and Cukurova Universities in 2013-2014 academic year spring term and 371 academic members teaching at these faculties. To collect the data, for pre-service teachers, Personal-Professional Competence Perception Scale (PPCPS) and Effective Life-Long Learning Scale (ELLLS); and for academic members, Scale for Views on the Effectiveness of Teacher Training Programs in Upskilling Competences Regarding Life-Long Learning were used, which are all proved to be valid and reliable. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, MWU, KWH tests, and Path analysis were made use of. The findings of the study showed that the model which was formed for pre-service teachers' competence perceptions that are effective on effective life-long learning was proved. According to this, it was determined that working independently-taking responsibility, field-specific, learning, communication-social competences are all effective on life-long learning. In the study, it was revealed that "learning" competence perception is the most significant factor which explains life-long learning, and this is followed by "working independently-taking responsibility", "communication-social" and "field-specific" competence perceptions respectively. When the model which was formed for pre-service teachers' competence perceptions that affect life-long learning was compared according to first-year and final students, "working independently-taking responsibility", "learning" and "communication-social" competence perceptions affect life-long learning. As to the "field-specific competence", it was revealed that it is not effective for first year students on life-long learning. For final-year students, all the competence perceptions in the scale, which are "working independently-taking responsibility", "learning", "communication-social" and "field-specific" competences, are effective on life-long learning. In addition, study results show that the effect of first-year and final-year students' personal-professional competence perceptions (working independently-taking responsibility, learning, communication-social and field-specific) on life-long learning is different. Such that, final year students' "working independently and taking responsibility" and "communication-social" competence perceptions have little effect on life-long learning, but it is higher that first-year students'. Another result is that first year students' "field-specific" competence perceptions do not have a say on life-long learning, this effect is higher and significant for final year students. It is a significant result that the effect of final year pre-service teachers' "learning" competence perceptions on life-long learning levels is lower than first year pre-service teachers'. With all these, the fact that description levels of first-year and final year students' working independently-taking responsibility, learning, communication-social and field-specific competence perceptions are close to each other show that teacher training programs play a bit part in lifting effectiveness of personal and professional competence perceptions which affect life-long learning, accordingly in upskilling life-long learning competence. The study results showed that academic members' views are in the direction of the fact that teacher training programs are moderately effective in upskilling "working independently-taking responsibility competence" and "learning competence", and little effective in upskilling "field-specific competence" and "communication-social competence". Besides, according to academic members' views, it was also revealed that teacher training programs are little effective in general in upskilling personal-professional competences that affect life-long learning. As a result, the study revealed that teacher training programs are insufficient in upskilling competences regarding life-long learning. In line with these results, it was suggested that the arrangements for Bologna Process be realized by giving weight to operative activities, quality standards of all elements of teacher training programs be controlled consistently and improved, and teaching-learning processes be equipped with activities enabling competence-based learning. Key Words: Teacher training programs, Life-long learning, Higher education qualifications framework, Personal-professional competences.