Investigating lifelong learning dispositions of faculty members who teach foreign languages

Abstract

This study aims to determine lifelong learning dispositions of faculty members who teach foreign languages in terms of gender and academic title variables. Although it was intended to reach the whole population which consisted of 62 faculty members who teach in the faculties of English Language and Literature, German Language and Literature, French Language and Literature and the School of Foreign Languages at Cumhuriyet University in the spring semester of the 2014 – 2015 academic year rather than making a sample selection, 55 faculty members were included in the study. Research data were collected with Lifelong Learning Tendency Scale. Faculty members were also asked to describe their lifelong learning dispositions through a metaphor. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t test, one way variance analysis (ANOVA) and content analysis, one of qualitative analysis techniques. The results revealed that faculty members who teach foreign languages had high level of lifelong learning dispositions. While no significant differences were observed in terms of gender variable, there were significant differences in terms of academic title in favor of research assistants and assistant professors. On the other hand, lifelong learning was emphasized as being an ongoing process over the individual’s lifespan through metaphors created by the faculty members.