Investigation of Lifelong Learning Competencies of Physical Education and Sports Teachers and Preservice Teachers in Turkey in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, seventy-six physical education and sports teachers and seventy-four preservice teachers voluntarily participated in this study, which investigated the Lifelong Learning competencies of Physical Education and Sports Teachers and Physical Education and Sports Teaching Students. Data were collected with the Lifelong Learning Competence (LLC) scale. According to the results of the study, the average scores of the participants from the LLC scale were high. There is a statistically significant difference in favor of physical education teachers between the LLC total score of teachers and students and the sub-dimensions of the scale. In terms of the age variable, a statistically significant difference was found between the LLC total score and the sub-dimensions of the scale in favor of the age of 34 and above. According to the results of the correlation between age and LLC sub-dimensions, a positive relationship was found between age and total score, self-management, learning to learn, initiative and entrepreneurship, and a positive relationship between acquiring information and decision-making. Although it is difficult to make a causal inference because the current research was designed in a cross-sectional design, lifelong learning competence in the current research group increases with age in the COVID-19 pandemic.