Abstract:

Lifelong learning is pointed out in the qualitative development of teachers who have a significant role and influence on individuals’ gaining desired behavior change due to the fact that the qualifications of the educator may reflect on the development of the individuals to be educated (Erden, 1998). In line with the given information, the objective of this study is to determine the lifelong learning tendencies of the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching (PEST) students during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and make a comparison according to their demographic characteristics. The survey model, which is one of the quantitative research methods, was used in this study and, in this respect, the study itself was designed as descriptive research. The ‘Lifelong Learning Tendency Scale’ developed by Diker-Coskun and Demirel (2010) was used as the data collection tool. The sample group of the research consisted of 521 students determined randomly among the students studying in the department of PEST from various state universities and data were collected through Google Forms. Data were analyzed with an independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test through SPSS (26.0) and interpreted at the significance level of p<.05. It was observed that the lifelong learning tendencies of the PEST students were at the level of 81.74±20.9 and below the average according to the scale scoring system. It was also determined that lifelong learning tendencies were higher in female students in terms of the gender variable, those who regularly perform physical exercise, and those who have never had a positive result in the clinical tests for the COVID-19 pandemic illness (p<.05). No significant difference was observed in the lifelong learning tendencies of the pre-service teachers in terms of the age and class level variables (p>.05). It was concluded that pre-service physical education and sports teachers had low levels of lifelong learning tendencies during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic when distance education methods were necessarily preferred and education and training activities were mostly carried out through E-learning systems while motivation and perseverance attitudes were below the average and lack of regulating learning and lack of curiosity tendencies were negatively at high levels.

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