An investigation of the relationship between life long learning levels and self directed learning levels of teachers: Mixed method

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between life long learning and self directed learning levels of teachers and to investigate whether there are differences on the levels of three constructs in terms of gender, branches and the length of service considering the opinions of the teachers on self directed learning levels with semi-structured interview. The participants of the study are 363 primary and secondary school teachers in Kartepe (the district of Kocaeli). 130 of them are male and 233 of them are female. In this study, relationships between the life long learning and self directed learning of teachers with its sub-dimensions considering their variables in addition to the teachers'opinions on their self directed learning levels were investigated. Before the analysis of the data, normal distribution was identified by applying Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the data gathered has not normal distribution level. For that reason, Mann Whitney U test was applied to find out whether the points in the study differentiate according to the variables determined and pre-set in the study. In addition, Spearman Brown test was applied to find out whether there is a relationship between the points gathered from each scale. The qualitative data retrieved from the interviews was carried out by applying descriptive analysis. In the light of the research findings, it can be purported that and life long learning and self directed learning scores are correlating significantly. Both lifelong learning and self directed learning have no significant differences in gender, branches and the lenght of service. There are only differences in branches and the lenght of service relating the process evaluation sub-dimension of self directed learning. When teachers' views on self-directed learning levels are evaluated, it is detected that teachers mostly tend to art and and socio-cultural activities (chess, cinema, theater, folk dances, instruments, concerts, marbling…) to support their personal development while they participate seminars, in-service and distance education for their professional development in the lifelong learning process. It is found that the teachers plan their learning activities primarily according to what they are interested in and provided return professonally. As evaluating the learning process, they determine learning strategies according to the their impact on learning (persistence, facilitating remembering) and prefer self-evaluation and internal satisfaction when evaluating learning outcomes, which is a sub-dimension of process evaluation. It is understood that teachers are motivated mostly by considering the gains (success, happiness, trust, inner satisfaction, practicality) and they continue their learning desire and determination according to the gain (happiness, belief in success…) at the end of the study. Keywords: Lifelong learning, Self Directed learning, Teachers' opinions, Mixed method