A Thematic Analysis of Theses Made in the Field of Lifelong Learning with Pre-Service Teachers (2009-2020)

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the postgraduate theses made in the field of lifelong learning with pre-service teachers between 2009 and 2020 in terms of their thesis problem, research topic, conclusions and recommendations. The 23 postgraduate theses constituting the study sample were determined by means of criterion sampling method from the Higher Education Council’s thesis database. These theses were used as data collection tools and the study was designed as a qualitative study using the document review method. The data was analyzed using content analysis. The study revealed that a significant part of the theses consisted of subjects aimed at revealing the perceptions of lifelong learning tendencies-competencies and the relationships between lifelong learning and different variables. In addition, the postgraduate theses predominantly looked at the level of lifelong learning tendencies of the pre-service teachers and whether lifelong learning competencies-tendencies differed by gender, grade levels, departments, educational status of parents, academic achievement and socio-economic levels. As a result, it was revealed that the pre-service teachers' lifelong learning tendencies were high in most of the theses and that there was a significant difference in terms of lifelong learning competence by gender. Some suggestions were made based on these results.