The Relationship Between the Lifelong Learning Tendencies and Teacher Self-Efficacy Levels of Social Studies Teacher Candidates

Lifelong learning emerges as an important dimension in the implementation of sustainable education policies of countries. The conception of developing citizenship competencies, which is at the centre of social studies, plays an important role in shaping the lifelong learning process. The purpose of this study is to analyse the lifelong learning tendencies and teacher self-efficacy levels of social studies teacher candidates in terms of different variables and to determine the relationship between social studies teacher candidates’ lifelong learning tendencies and teacher self-efficacy levels. The study group of the research consists of 307 social studies teacher candidates studying at the education faculty of a public university in the 2016–2017 academic years. The data collection tools used in the research, which was designed in relational survey model, are “Lifelong Learning Tendency Scale” developed by Diker Coşkun (2009), “Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale” adapted into Turkish by Çapa, Çakıroğlu and Sarıkaya (2005) and a Personal Information Form prepared by the researchers. The data of the study are analysed using SPSS 24 statistical software. As a result of the research, it is found that the lifelong learning tendency levels of the social studies teacher candidates are high and their teacher self-efficacy levels are very high. Lifelong learning tendencies and teacher self-efficacy levels of teacher candidates show statistically significant differences in terms of grade level, and taking education for personal and professional development. It is concluded that teacher self-efficacy levels of teacher candidates are a significant predictor of their lifelong learning tendencies.