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Are the Teachers Lifelong Learners?

Article  in  Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · February 2014

DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1069

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Çiğdem Hürsen
Near East University
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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5036 – 5040

5th World Conference on Educational Sciences - WCES 2013

Are the teachers lifelong learners?

Cigdem Hursen *
Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology, Near East University
Nicosia, Cyprus

Abstract

This study investigated teachers’ views regarding lifelong learning. 30 teachers were interviewed individually for the purpose of
exploring their views regarding lifelong learning approach. Also in this study, qualitative means of investigation were employed.
In the qualitative part of the study, an interview schedule designed by the researchers was used. There were two questions: “What
should be done to strengthen the teachers’ lifelong learning skills?” and “What factors influence the teachers in being lifelong
learners?”. The research finding showed that financial problems, educational policies and learner profile seemed to affect the
teachers’ lifelong learning process. Likewise, teachers, Ministry of National Education, professionals and institutions where
teachers are trained explored their views in the way that teachers should carry out effective studies to strengthen their lifelong
learning skills.
©
© 2013 The Authors.
2013 The Authors Published
Published by
by Elsevier
Elsevier Ltd. All rights
Ltd. Open accessreserved
under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer
Selection and/or review under
peer-review underresponsibility
the responsibility of Prof.
of Academic Dr. Education
World Servet Bayram
and Research Center.
Keywords: Lifelong learning; teachers; views; qualitative

1. Introduction

Lifelong learning which is described as all the activities that individuals take part in their whole lives to improve
their knowledge with a social, cultural and economical approach is defined as the responsibility to be given to the
individual himself/herself (Akbaş & Özdemir).
Education that is accepted as transferring what is known to the new generations remains incapable, having a rapid
change in the areas of science and technology, having improvements showed up and having knowledge acquired in
the past lost its validity in the rest of their lives have been quite important in passing into the process of lifelong
learning. Besides, changes and improvements that have been occuring at different areas of today’s knowledge-based
society makes the approach of lifelong learning essential. “Adaptation to the knowledege-based society”, Increasing
competitivness”, Free circulation of man power”, and “Increasing employment” are expressed as the basic
components in moving into the lifelong learning process (Maç & Dede, 2008). The year 1996, on the other hand, as
the indication of gaining importance of lifelong learning, is taken as the year of theEurope lifelong learning and the
importance of a learning society is emphasised (Knapper & Cropley, 2000; Demirel, 2009).
Lifelong learning which facilitates adaptation to economic and societal changes (Nicolau, 2010) and is a must for
creating future societies (Fischer, 2001); and is essential for competetion, social adaptation and welfare (Saisana &
Cartwright, 2007), in general, is defined as “learning from the cradle to the grave” (Woodrow, 1999). As it could be

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 392 2236464

E-mail address: cigdemhursen@gmail.com

1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1069
 Cigdem Hursen / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5036 – 5040 5037

understood from the definition above, lifelong learning is not only a learning that continues throughout our lives but
at the same time it is a learning that spreads every stage of our lives (Beycioğlu & Konan, 2008). Besides, lifelong
learning which is necessary for the individuals to renew their knowledge and skills; helps developing individuals’
skills, increasing social unity, decreasing crime and securing the justice in income distribution (Demirel, 2005).
The basic principle of lifelong learning that has a focus on (Nind, 2007) how the educational careers of learners
could be developed is only possible by continuing learning consciously and purposefully lifelong (Demirel, 2005).
For individuals being consciously and purposefully lifelong learners is only possible with formal education process
that is planned and programmed. In that process, being able to gain lifelong awareness and skill is only possible with
teachers who possess lifelong awareness. This is why it is considerably significant to investigate teachers’ views
regarding lifelong learning approach and making arrangements accordingly. The purpose of this study is to explore
the views of the teachers working at different stages of education regarding lifelong learning approach. In this
investigation the key research questions were as follows:
• What are the teachers’ views about lifelong learning approach?
o What do you think should be done to strengthen the teachers’ lifelong learning skills?”
o What factors influence the teachers in being lifelong learners?

2. Methodology

2.1. Participants

In this study the participants were the teachers from the North Cyprus. 30 teachers working in Nicosia, which is
the capital city of North Cyprus, were interviewed for the purpose of finding out their views in relation to lifelong
learning approach. 10 (n=10) secondary school teachers, 10 (n=10) high school teachers and 10 (n=10) teachers
working at vocational high schools were randomly selected. % 43.3 of the participant teachers were female and %
56.7 of them were male. % 6.7 of the participants age ranged from 27 to 31, % 36.7 ranged from 32 to 36 and %
56.7 ranged from 42 to 46.

2.2. Data collection instruments and data collection

In this study, qualitative means of investigation were employed. In the study, an interview schedule designed by
the researchers was used. “Lifelong learning interview schedule” was designed for the purpose of exploring the
teachers’ views about lifelong learning approach by reading the relevant literature and seeking the experts’ (n=5)
views. The suggestions of the experts in this field were taken into account while designing the interview schedule.
The schedule was piloted and its validity and reliability were tested. It consisted of two parts. In the first part, the
participants’ gender and age were asked. In the second part, there were two questions: “What should be done to
strengthen the teachers’ lifelong learning skills?” and “What factors influence the teachers in being lifelong
learners?”.
In the process of data collection, after the permission for Access had been gained from the Ministry of Education
of North Cyprus, the researcher contacted the head teachers of the schools and the dates for visiting the schools to
conduct the investigation were decided together by the researchers and the authorities in the schools. Then the
researchers visited the schools and the data collection instruments were introduced to the teachers. During this
process, the participants were informed about the importance of providing the researchers true information.
Lifelong learning interview Schedule was administered to 30 teachers face to face. The interviews were audio-
recorded. Before the recording, the purpose of it was explained to the participants (n=30) and their consent was
sought. Besides, the researchers paid attention to create a learning environment in which the participants felt
comfortable. Each interview took about 10 minutes.

2.3. Data analysis

5038 Cigdem Hursen / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5036 – 5040

For the purpose of investigating the teachers’ views about lifelong learning approach, the interviews were audio-
recorded and then transcribed by the researchers.

3. Results

3.1. The views of the teachers regarding the question of “What do you think should be done to strengthen the
teachers’ lifelong learning skills?”

The frequency results of the views of the teachers regarding the question of “What do you think should be done
to strengthen the teachers’ lifelong learning skills?” are given as follows.

Table 1. The suggestions of teachers regarding strengthen the teachers’ lifelong learning skills

Views f
The Ministry of Education: 9
Should organize quality and practical in
service training
Should give motivating awards 7
Should organize courses to increase the
teachers’ awareness in professional 6
development activities
Should organize collaborative activities
among the teachers working at different stages
of education 3
Should inspect teachers frequently 1
Teachers:
Should always follow the publications 6
Should be able to use technology well 4
Should be competent in searching resources in 4
order to strengthen their lifelong learning
skills
Experts in the field: 3
Should organize seminars guiding teachers for
Professional development
Teacher educating institutions:
Should continuously update their curriculum 2

Teachers’ suggestions regarding the question “What do you think should be done to strengthen the teachers’
lifelong learning skills?” were grouped under four headings. The teachers stated that “the Ministry of Education”,
“teachers”, “experts in the field” and “teacher educating institutions” should conduct activities separately.
Most of the participants expressed the need for more quality and practical in-service training activities organized
by the Ministry of Education. In addition, they stated that the Ministry should give the teachers motivating rewards,
organize courses to increase the teachers’ awareness in professional development activities and collaborative
activities should be organized among the teachers working at different stages of education. It was interesting to find
that the participants stated that ‘the Ministry should inspect the teachers more often”. They seemed to believe that
the teachers would give more importance to Professional development activities and thus their lifelong learning
skills would improve when the Ministry of Education inspects them more often.
Some participants stated that the teachers should always follow the publications, use technology well and be
competent in searching resources in order to strengthen their lifelong learning skills. They also stated that the
experts in the field should organize seminars guiding teachers for Professional development. Besides, teacher
educating institutions should develop their curriculum through taking into consideration lifelong learning and should
continuously update them.
 Cigdem Hursen / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5036 – 5040 5039

3.2. The views of teachers concerning the question of “In your opinion, what factors influence the teachers in being
lifelong learners?”

Teachers’ views concerning the question of “In your opinion, what factors influence the teachers in being lifelong
learners?” are given in the Table 2 below.

Table 2. The views of the teachers concerning the factors affecting their states of being lifelong learners

Views f
Financial limitations 11
Teacher’s motivation 10
Love of profession 4
Learning environment 4
Control mechanism of the Ministry 4
Instability in the education policies 3
Student profile 2
Ministry encouragement for teachers 1
Gender variable 1

As it could be seen in Table 2 Most of the participants responded to the question “In your opinion, what factors
influence the teachers in being lifelong learners?” as financial problems. According to the participants, financial
problems seem to influence the teachers’ lifelong learning process negatively. In addition, the instability in the
education policies seems to have a negative impact on the teachers’ being lifelong learners. Furthermore, the
participants emphasized that learner profile, inspection of the teachers; loving the profession and learning
environment influence their lifelong learning process negatively.

4. Discussion

According to the participant teachers, the Ministry of Education, teachers, experts and teacher educating
institutions should organize activities to strengthen the lifelong learning skills of the teachers’ working at different
stages of education. The participant teachers also stated that financial limitations are the most important factor
influencing the teachers’ being lifelong learners. Livingstone and his/her colleagues (2001) study revealed
confirming findings with this study that financial limitations influenced the individuals in attending the Professional
development activities. In addition, according to the participants, education policies and gender were the significant
factors influencing lifelong learning process. Particularly, the participant teachers stated that the female teachers had
more responsibilities and duties than the male teachers. This had a negative impact on their learning. Dresel and
Haugwitz (2005) and Kesici, Şahin and Aktürk (2009) also found that gender was a very significant factor
influencing the learning process. Similarly, Leathwood and Francis (2006) found that gender was of paramount
importance influencing the lifelong learning process.
The participants emphasized that their lifelong learning process was influenced by the current learner profile.
According to them, learners’ academic levels increased the teachers’ desire for learning or influenced them
negatively. In the relevant literature, most of the studies are about learners and teachers’ impact on learners’ success
(Skinner & Belmont, 1993; Sanders et al., 1997; Rowan et al., 1997; Aultman et al., 2009; Özcan & Uzunboylu,
2012). This shows that there is a need to carry out studies investigating learners’ influence on teachers’ success.

5. Conclusions and recommendations

Teacher educating institutions should design their curriculum to increase the pre-service teachers’ desire for
learning and should help them develop positive attitudes for learning. In addition, the Ministry of Education should
organize activities to increase the teachers’ motivation for learning and should encourage the teachers to learn.
5040 Cigdem Hursen / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5036 – 5040

Furthermore, the participants of this study expressed the instability in the education policies influenced their
learning process negatively. For his reason, the Ministry of Education should make the needed organizations and be
stable in their policies.
Moreover, the participants stated that financial limitations had a negative influence on their learning process so
the Ministry of Education should provide the teachers more opportunities, particularly financially, to attend the
professional development activities.
The relevant literature and the interviews conducted with the teachers showed that gender factor has been
influential in the teachers learning process. There is a need for further research investigating gender and its influence
on lifelong learning in more detail.
Moreover, further studies should not only investigate the impact of teachers on learners’ success but also
learners’ influence on teachers’ success in detail. Further investigations should focus on the views of school
administrators, parents and learners. Besides, views of the individuals from different fields should be investigated
and explored.

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