An investigation of the relationship between autonomous learning and lifelong learning

The present study aims to investigate the relationship between autonomous learning and lifelong learning and to investigate whether there are differences on the levels of two constructs in terms of gender and class level. Study group consists of 657 secondary school students enrolled in three public schools named İstiklal Secondary School, Sabihahanım Secondary School and Osmanbey Secondary School, aged 11 – 16 from Sakarya, Turkey. In this study, relationships between the variables of autonomous learning and lifelong learning and the sub-dimensions of autonomous learning were investigated. Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Partial Correlation methods were utilized in order to investigate these relationships. The differences on the levels of autonomous learning and lifelong learning in terms of gender and class level variables were examined with the statistical procedures of independent samples t-test (for variables having two groups) and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA; for variables having more than two groups). Tukey's Multiple Comparison Test was utilized so as to figure out which pair of groups had statistically significant differences after the results of ANOVA. Moreover, descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation and percentile values were calculated. Autonomous Learning Scale (12 items) which was developed by Macaskill and Taylor (2010), was adapted to Turkish by Arslan and Yurdakul (2015) was conducted to measure autonomous learning. Lifelong Learning Scale (14 items) which was developed by Kirby, Knapper, Lamon and Egnatoff (2010), was adapted to Turkish by Arslan and Akcaalan (2015) was carried out to assess lifelong learning level. In the light of the research findings, it can be purported that autonomous learning and lifelong learning scores were correlating significantly. Independence of learning and study habits which are the sub-dimensions of autonomous learning were predicting lifelong learning positively. According to the existing results, it can be argued that autonomous learning which can be defined as the capacity to take charge of one's own learning, has a positive interaction with lifelong learning which can be found voice in one's ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated learning. Both for autonomous learning and lifelong learning, there were significant gender differences in female students' favour. There were also significant class level differences on autonomous learning. On the other hand, there were no significant class level differences on lifelong learninng. Keywords: Autonomous Learning, Lifelong Learning, Demographic Variables.