Analyzing Lifelong Learning Competencies of Undergraduate Students of Preschool Teaching

Lifelong learning is defined as some information, skills and attitudes that individuals are required to have to be able to become lifelong learners. Lifelong learning has gradually been an important part of individuals' and societies' lives based on influences of phases, changes and transformation until today. The reason of increasing interest in lifelong learning is because of its effect on job opportunities and in order to meet the educational requisites necessary for adjusting to changes in this day and age. Working areas are changing due to the speed of globalization and changing working conditions and unqualified jobs are disappearing nowadays. People are expected to have more knowledge and skills to maintain their jobs. People are in need of furthering their education and improving themselves even after completing their formal education. Therefore, lifelong learning competencies are found vital to be obtained by individuals in terms of career development. From this point forth, the aim of the research is to analyze lifelong learning competencies of undergraduate students of early childhood education. The study group of the research is comprised of 124 students studying preschool teaching at faculty of education of a private university in Cyprus during 2015-2016 academic years. Relational screening model one of the screening models that helps the current situation be revealed was used in the research. The data collection tools used in the research are "General Information Form" to collect general data related to students and "Key Competencies Scale for Lifelong Learning" developed by Sahin, Akbasli and Yanpar Yelken (2010) to evaluate students' lifelong learning competencies. The data were analyzed through SPSS 20 program. Standard deviation and average values of students' lifelong learning competencies were included in the research to explain which level students' lifelong learning competencies were. Kruskal Wallis H-Test was used to detect whether there is difference between the class levels of lifelong learning competencies of students.