A Study on the Examination of the Relationship between Lifelong Learning Tendency and Digital Literacy Level

Today societies think that it is important to raise individuals having the desire for lifelong learning and digital literacy skill. The fact that current information has lost its validity and the dominance of digital tools and materials in accessing information has increased as well as the rapid change experienced in science and technology prompts societies to contemplate in this way. Education process and the teachers who are the guides of this process are essential in raising individuals having the desire for lifelong learning and digital literacy skill. In this study employing relational screening model, the relation between the social studies teacher candidates' lifelong learning tendencies and their digital literacy level is investigated and lifelong learning tendencies and digital literacy levels of the candidates are determined according to several variables. The research population is composed of 188 teacher candidates studying in the department of social studies teaching of a state university in Marmara Region of Turkey in fall semester of 2019-2020 academic years. As data collection tool "Lifelong learning scale", "Digital literacy scale" and "Personal information form" are used. In order to determine the source of the difference among the data obtained, T-Test, Single-Factor Variance Analysis (ANOVA) and in determining the relation between the scales, Regression Analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient are used. The findings indicate that lifelong learning tendencies of the teacher candidates are high while their digital literacy skills are at a medium level. Another finding of the research is that the candidates' lifelong learning tendencies vary according to gender and class level while these tendencies do not vary according to socio-economic level. Digital literacy level of the teacher candidates varies according to gender, class and socio-economic levels. The findings regarding the relation between the lifelong learning tendencies and digital literacy level indicate that there is a moderate, positive and significant relationship.